Israeli Security Minister Demands Death Penalty for Terrorist

Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has urged the acceleration of legal proceedings against Qadri Samara, the terrorist responsible for the murder of Natanel Shicron in a shooting attack in the Benjamin region on Yom Kippur eve. Ben-Gvir wrote to the Chief, Major General Itay Ofir, questioning the delay in filing an indictment against Samara, approximately three weeks after the attack. The minister argued that the circumstances of the case do not justify the delay, stating that any postponement serves as a reward for terrorism and undermines Israel's deterrence.

According to Ben-Gvir's letter, Samara carried out the attack on September 20 near Ein Ri'a spring, close to the settlement of Neve Tzuf. Shicron, a resident of Ali Zahav, was killed while in his vehicle with his 16-year-old son, who escaped unharmed. Samara fled the scene but was apprehended later that day by Duvdevan unit soldiers in a Ramallah hospital, where he was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during the attack.

Ben-Gvir criticized the time elapsed since Samara's arrest, asserting that there are no factual disputes or legal complexities that warrant the delay. He emphasized that swift and efficient trials are crucial for deterring terrorism. The minister specifically called for the application of the law on the death penalty for terrorists to Samara, noting that this is the first case where, in his view, the mandatory death sentence for residents of the Palestinian Authority who commit fatal attacks should be enforced, even if the prosecution does not seek it.