Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 9:51 Defense Minister Benny Gantz made a decision not to return the body of Nasser Naji Abu-Hamid, who was convicted of several counts of murder and attempted murder, all of them in acts of terror. Among the murdered are Binyamin and Talia Kahane, Hy”d, who were shot near Ofra in 2000 while some of their children were with them in their van, and Gadi Rejwan, Hy”d, who was murdered in 2002 in the factory that he managed in the Atarot Industrial Zone. At the sentencing, the court called the terrorist a “killing machine” and sentenced him to seven life terms plus 50 years’ imprisonment.
Honenu Attorney Ophir Steiner, who is representing the Kahane and Rejwan families, welcomed the decision by Defense Minister Benny Gantz to hold the terrorist’s body: “We welcome the decision not to return the terrorist’s body to the Palestinian Authority. This is an appropriate decision that should become standard procedure if not law. There have already been several attempts by Knesset members to legislate a law requiring the body of a terrorist to be held by the State as long as there are Jews being held captive by terror organizations. It would be appropriate for the government-elect to finalize the legislation of the law. This would increase deterrence against terror and prevent showcase funerals that fan the flames of terrorism.”
Yesterday (Tuesday), on behalf of the Kahane and Rejwan families, Honenu Attorney Ophir Steiner petitioned the High Court of Justice to prevent outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz from transferring the body of Abu Hamid to his family for burial. Steiner also sent a letter to outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz demanding that he order that the body of Abu-Hamid not be released for burial.