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Knesset takes action on kidnappings

Legislation introduced in the Knesset to prevent future kidnappings may just be to please constituencies on Israel's right.
Israelis take part in a mass prayer at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City, for the return of three teenagers who were abducted June 15, 2014. Israel said on Sunday that Hamas militants had abducted three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank, warning of "serious consequences" as it pressed on with a search and detained dozens of Palestinians. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST RELIGION TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR3TX4G
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On June 19, the new chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Ze’ev Elkin, tabled a proposed bill enabling the re-jailing of terrorists freed in diplomatic deals. It was six days after the three youths were kidnapped and public sentiment was ripe. According to the proposal, freed inmates can be sent back to jail if they violate the terms of their release or if the government adopts a decision invalidating the prisoner release.

The purpose of the bill, as defined by Elkin in his press release, is to “wipe out the phenomenon of kidnapping civilians and soldiers for the purpose of obtaining some type of terrorist release deal.”

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