U.S. terror victims: Prosecute Palestinian terrorists
Palestinian prisoners swapped for Shalit (photo: Reuters)
American victims of Palestinian terror have called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to prosecute Palestinian terrorists who have killed or injured U.S. citizens. The terrorists in question were recently released from Israeli prisons in the swap deal which freed Israeli Soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity.
Under the 1991 US Anti-Terror Act, the United States can prosecute foreign nationals who perpetrate terrorism against American citizens, even if those acts are not carried out on US soil. However, for prosecution to proceed, the law requires the written certification of the American attorney-general that the offenses had been intended to “coerce, intimidate or retaliate against a government or civilian population.”
According to the Parents Forum for Justice (PFJ), a group of U.S. citizens and parents whose children were murdered or maimed by Palestinian terrorists in Israel, 83 U.S. citizens were killed while another 53 were injured by Palestinian terrorists from 1993-2006.
The 1,027 Palestinian terrorists released in exchange for Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped in 2006 by Hamas, have been celebrated as heroes by the Palestinian people. Thanks to the U.S. Anti-Terror Act, some might also soon be defendants.
Comments (3) »Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 12:48 PM | Amichai Farkas
Rockets signal business as usual
Smoke trails after rocket attacks from Gaza (Photo: Reuters)
Gaza-based terrorists fired three grad missiles into Israeli territory Wednesday night shortly before midnight. The missiles hit the densely populated coastal city of Ashdod as well as the neighboring town of Bnei Aish. No injuries were reported, but several people are being treated for shock.
Sirens were heard in Yavne, Gadera, Rehovot, Nes Ziona and Ashdod. This was first time that air raid sirens were activated in Rehovot and Nes Ziona due to a rocket attack.
A woman who was visiting Rehovot at the time of the attack told The Jerusalem Post, “I was preparing to go to sleep when I hear the rising and falling siren. I heard neighbors coming out of their homes in the building, and asked them what to do. I was told to go to leave the apartment and go down one floor, as I was on the top floor. People were calm.”
Earlier Wednesday night, an IDF vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb while patrolling outside the major Jewish settlement of Efrat. The Israeli Air Force responded to Wednesday night’s attacks by hitting three known terrorist centers in Gaza as well as a weapons storage facility.
Wednesday night’s assault against Ashdod and Bnei Aish were the first attacks to emanate from Gaza since the release of Gilad Shalit last week. Clearly the notion that Hamas would show some goodwill, for even a brief period of time, as a result of the prisoner exchange deal in which Israel released over 1,000 Hamas prisoners is far-fetched.
Comments (4) »Thursday, October 27th, 2011 at 10:12 AM | Amichai Farkas
Ilan Grapel to be freed from Egyptian prison
Ilan Grapel in Tahrir Square before his arrest
Ilan Grapel, dual Israeli-U.S. citizen who was arrested in Egypt this past June on trumped-up espionage charges, will be released from Egyptian prison pending the release of 25 Egyptian prisoners doing time in Israeli jails. The deal for Ilan’s release was supposedly hashed out in Egypt while Israeli authorities were there securing the release of Gilad Shalit.
Ilan was born and raised in New York and carries a dual American-Israeli citizenship. At the time of his arrest, he was in Egypt volunteering with a non-profit organization that helps African refugees.
The fact that Ilan had previously served in the Israeli Army and was seen taking pictures of the protests at Tahrir Square – which he posted on his Facebook account – aroused the suspicions which led to his arrest.
However, from the time of his detention until now, the Egyptian authorities have not produced one shred of evidence that proves Ilan’s guilt. Instead, they lowered the charges from espionage to incitement and demanded that Israel release Egyptian prisoners in exchange for Ilan.
Doesn’t Egypt’s behavior in this situation strike you as absurd?
First they picked a guy off the streets of Tahrir Square because he was taking pictures of the historic revolution going on all around him and because he was a former Israeli soldier. Then they charged him with espionage, which is a pretty devastating charge to make against a foreign national visiting your country.
Later, after holding him for months without any evidence and after receiving undisclosed assurances from U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who traveled to Egypt to work out Ilan’s release, they lowered the charges to incitement and agreed to let him go so long as Israel frees 25 Egyptian drug smugglers and gun dealers.
If this attitude is reflective of the new Egypt emerging from the revolution, then the Egyptian people who demonstrated for a free and just government are being duped. Egypt’s handling of Ilan Grapel’s release is nothing short of extortion.
Comments (2) »Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 at 12:52 PM | Amichai Farkas
Photo Friday welcomes Gilad Shalit home
After he spent nearly five and a half years in Hamas captivity, we couldn’t think of any more beautiful site than Gilad Shalit about to descend the stairs to his home, his family right behind him, and their street filled with Israelis celebrating the return of their lost son. This is what answered prayer looks like, friends!
For more images of Gilad’s historic release, visit the IDF’s image gallery.
Comments (19) »Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 3:53 PM | David Kuner
Noam Shalit: Gilad’s captivity was harsh
Gilad takes a walk near his home (photo: Reuters)
On Thursday, Noam Shalit, Gilad Shalit’s father, spoke with reporters about his son’s condition just days after he was released from nearly five and a half years in Hamas captivity. While Noam says Gilad’s appetite is good and he’s going for walks and bike rides, he admits his son has trouble sleeping and is suffering from the effects of sunlight deprivation.
Comments (5) »In response to a question quoting Hamas’ statement that Shalit was not tortured in captivity, his father said: “I suggest you take anything Hamas says with a grain of salt. Gilad underwent very difficult things during his captivity. I won’t go into that now… His treatment did improve a little bit over time.”
Gilad, he said, “talks to us and shares what he can. I don’t know how I, or you, would have survived this long in captivity, so considering what he’s been through he is doing okay.
“The most important thing now is ensuring he readapts gradually. Gilad is not one to make any special requests – he is taking things as they come. We are trying to give him everything we can.
As for the days ahead, Noam Shalit said that his son will continue to follow his doctors’ orders: “More rest, more care, and gradually getting his life back together.”
Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 12:50 PM | David Kuner
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