Terrorism through the years

Image Source: Times of Israel

Today the Jewish nation mourns the passing of Yehuda Wachsman, father of Nachshon Wachsman, the soldier who was kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists in 1994. We were present at the young soldier's funeral.

Much as all Americans alive in 1963 vividly remember where they were when they learned of JFK's assissination, so too do all Israelis remember where they were when they learned of the tragic fate of both Nachshon and Nir Poraz, the soldier killed in the rescue attempt. 

The Wachsmans lost one son to terrorism and also grappled with raising another child, Rephael, who has Downs Syndrome. Arnold and I always felt a kinship with them because of the two burdens we share.

In his last interviews, Yehuda Wachsman's compassion, insight and virtuous character are evident.
יהי זכרו ברוך

On this day, it is appropriate to note the headlines circulating about an imminent prisoner release which this government seems hell-bent on carrying out. The payment it demands - information regarding the fate of the three Israeli citizens who crossed the Gazan border and the return of the bodies of three Israeli soldiers - is reminiscent of the one that propelled Netanyahu toward the 2011 Shalit Deal. That resulted in the deaths of numerous Jews at the hands of releasees who soon resumed their bloody "careers": "ישראל מוכנה לנקוט צעדים חיוביים בעניין עסקה" via Israel Hayom (in Hebrew).

Ahlam Tamimi, the confessed and proud mastermind of the Sbarro bombing of 2001, was among the 1,027 terrorists freed then. One of her sixteen victims was our child, Malki.

Since being freed,and "exiled" (Netanyahu's phraseology) to her homeland, Jordan, she has tirelessly utilized social media and TV platforms to incite her adoring viewers to follow her lead.

Let's remember how effective the court's sentence of 16 consecutive life terms was in her case. It included the judges' warning to future governments never to release Tamimi in the context of future "deals".

I fear yesterday's military court's decision will prove equally irrelevant. It sentenced a Palestinian man to four life terms over a pair of December 2018 terror attacks in which two soldiers and an unborn baby were killed. 

Tamimi's freedom and the protection she enjoys from Jordan's king highlight the impotence of such ruliings in the face of government goals that trivialize our judiciary.

Today, it is left to the US to seek justice and silence this dangerous terrorist, Tamimi. Since three of the Sbarro victims - including our Malki - were US citizens, it has demanded that Jordan abide by the 1995 Extradition Treaty between the two countries so that Tamimi can be tried in a US court. 

Faced with Jordan's long-standing refusal (since 2017) to comply, the US is now threatening to impose sanctions that will withold millions of dollars in annual aid that Jordan stands to enjoy.

We created a petition a week ago ["Demand that Jordan Extradite Celebrity Terrorist of Sbarro Massacre NOW"]. We hope it gets wide support and your help.