EMET/NCYI Urges Support for New Congressional Letter Opposing Palestinian Prisoner Release

(Washington, D.C) – According to recent media reports, Israel is being asked to release approximately a hundred Palestinian terrorists as a precondition to re-start Israel-Palestinian peace talks.  The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) and the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) are throwing their support behind a Congressional letter authored by Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) to Attorney General Eric Holder seeking to halt the release of prisoners.

The Salmon letter urges that, “The Department of Justice should immediately intercede in this most recent prisoner release proposal and contact the government of Israel and request that they not release any terrorists who have killed or harmed Americans.” The letter goes on to say, “ … if the Israeli government nevertheless releases any terrorists who have harmed American citizens, we strongly urge the Justice Department to indict, obtain the extradition of, try in American federal courts, and attempt to punish these criminals for their terrorism against Americans, pursuant to 18 USC Sec. 2332(b).”

Co-signatures for the letter are currently being sought.

Sarah Stern, Founder and President of EMET says: “EMET has been working ever since its very inception on the fundamental issue of bringing those who have maimed or murdered American citizens to justice on these shores. Etched upon the edifice of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, are the words, “Equal Justice Under Law.” Do those words not apply to American citizens killed or wounded by Palestinian terrorists? Their blood is no less American.”

She further states that, “The release of terrorists who have murdered Israeli or American citizens simply inspires more terror. Would we agree to the release of Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon bomber? Of course not.  As Pope John Paul II said, “There can be no peace without justice.”

Farley Weiss, the President of the National Council of Young Israel adds, “The goal is not peace negotiations or a peace agreement that is not complied with by the Palestinian Arabs.  The goal is peace, a real sustainable peace. Without a system of justice for those who murder there can be no peace.  One of the most fundamental problems since Oslo is that instead of enacting a system of justice for those who murder Israelis, the Palestinian Authority has acted Nazi like by extolling those who massacre Jews.  It is time for this to end.  There will never be peace if it continues no matter how many negotiations occur or agreements are signed.”