Both Justice Minister & Interior Security Minister to introduce to the cabinet an initiative where ‘price tag’ crimes be recognized under the law as terror acts

By Attila Somfalvi

An initiative to change the legal standing of “price tag” attacks to that of an act of terror will be brought before the cabinet next week, according to a resolution devised by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich and representatives from the police and security forces.

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich

The initiative is part of a larger shift intended to bolster police and Shin Bet action against “price tag” offenses in the West Bank and Israel.

In the State budget that was passed this week, Aharonovich secured a budget for some 50 additional police officers who will be enlisted to a unit focused on nationalistically-motivated crimes, aimed at battling the phenomenon of “price tag” offenses.

Minister Livni has recently met with several settlement representatives in order to gain support for the initiative.

Sources with the Internal Security Ministry stressed that the initiative’s intent was to target nationalistic crimes of any kind, but that the main effort was to foil “price tag” acts executed by Jewish outlaws.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni – Photo: Noam Moskowitz

A source familiar with the details added that police and Shin Bet were interested in cooperating “in order to prevent crimes of this sort and fight the phenomenon.”

According to a formal statement issued by Livni’s office Thursday, “Minister Livni, Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich and Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein discussed nationalistically-motivated crimes today. Representatives from the State Prosecution, the IDF and Shin Bet also attended the meeting.”

The statement added that the ministers and the attorney general fear that “price tag” offenses could harm the ties with Israeli Arabs.

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4380743,00.html