Israel will revoke the Jerusalem residency status of six Palestinian terrorists whose sentences were commuted as part of the hostage deal with Hamas, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel announced over the weekend.
(Most Arabs living in the eastern part of the Jewish state’s capital have permanent residency, which allows them to go anywhere within the Green Line, since they refuse to apply for Israeli citizenship.)
“Anyone who chooses to act against the State of Israel and take part in terrorist activity has no place within it,” Arbel told reporters as he announced his decision, which is subject to a hearing, on Thursday.
“I have decided to revoke the permanent residency of six terrorists who harmed the security of Israeli citizens, and I will continue to act resolutely against anyone who threatens our safety,” he added.
The terrorists in question were named as Ibrahim Berina, Khaled Kutina, Ahmad Musa, Murad Nazmi, Ahmad Obeid and Majdi al-Zaatari.
All six men were convicted of terrorist offenses. Kutina and al-Zaatari were serving multiple life sentences for a 2015 car ramming and a 2003 bombing, respectively, when they were freed.
Obeid is related to slain terrorist Nael Obeid, who was also freed in the deal but subsequently fell to his death from a building near his home.
The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) advised Arbel against the move, arguing it could hurt negotiations for an extension of the hostage release deal, Israel Hayom reported.
Phase 1 of the truce agreement with Hamas, which ended at midnight on Saturday, has seen 38 hostages freed from the Gaza Strip, including five Thai nationals who were freed in a side deal and the bodies of eight Israelis, as well as the release of almost 2,000 Palestinian terrorists.