NEW YORK (Press Release) – Americans For A Safe Israel (AFSI) is urging President Donald Trump to demand that the Palestinian Authority surrender the killers of 16 Americans who are being released in the Gaza agreement.
Among the Palestinian Arab terrorists who are being released by Israel are:
— Wael Qassem, Wassam Abbasi and Mohammed Odeh, who were responsible for the July 31, 2002 bombing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in which nine people were killed, including U.S. citizens Marla Bennett, Benjamin Blutstein, Dina Carter, Janis Ruth Coulter, and David Gritz.
{Linda Bennett, Marla Bennett’s mother, told San Diego Jewish World that “my feeling is in a way I am sorry that they were released, but in another way if it will help bring the hostages home, I will feel good about that.” Michael Simon, who was Marla’s “almost fiancé,” according to Linda, said he was “still processing” the news, and had no further comment.}
— Mohammad Abu Warda, who was responsible for the February 25, 1996 bus bombing in Jerusalem, in which 26 passengers were murdered, including American citizens Sara Duker, Matthew Eisenfeld, and Ira Weinstein.
— Nassim Zaatari, who was involved in the August 19, 2003 bus bombing in Jerusalem in which 23 people were murdered, including American citizens Mordechai Reinitz, Yitzhak Reinitz, Goldie Taubenfeld, and 3 month-old Shmuel Taubenfeld.
— Ahmed Obeid, who was involved in the September 9, 2003 bombing of Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem, killing seven people, including U.S. citizens David Applebaum and his daughter Nava Applebaum.
— Abu Gaanam, who murdered three Jerusalem bus passengers, including elderly American Jewish peace activist Richard Lakin, on October 13, 2015.
—Khalil Jabarin, who murdered American citizen Ari Fuld at the Gush Etzion Junction on September 16, 2018.
Americans For A Safe Israel’s national chairman Moshe Phillips said: “U.S. law permits the prosecution, in America, of terrorists who kill Americans abroad. There is no legal obstacle of ‘double jeopardy,’ since they have never been prosecuted in the United States. President Trump should demand that the Palestinian Authority immediately surrender these killers of Americans so they will face justice here.”
Phillips added: “Allowing killers of Americans to walk free undermines America’s war against terror. It also sends a dangerous message to terrorists everywhere that they can freely murder Americans, knowing they will be released if their comrades take hostages in the future. Failure to bring these killers to justice thus incentivizes terrorism against Americans.”
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Preceding provided by Americans for A Safe Israel