Family members of the Israelis murdered in terrorist attacks demonstrated before the cabinet votes on Netanyahu’s proposal to free 104 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas.

The crowd chanted, ‘Bibi is a coward’.

By Moran Azulay

The cabinet was expected to convene Sunday morning to vote on the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to the Palestinian Authority ahead of the expected resumption of US-brokered peace talks.

Ahead of the vote, relatives of Israelis who were killed in terror attacks gathered outside the government complex in Jerusalem to protest against the release of prisoners.

The protesters chanted: “This is a day of mourning,” “You do not release murderers of children” and “Bibi is a coward.” They handed out the private phone numbers of the ministers to passersby, urging them to call the ministers and ask that they vote against the release of Palestinian prisoners.

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s proposal, the prisoners will be released at stages as the peace negotiations progress. The proposal further states that a ministerial committee headed by Netanyahu will finalize the details of the prisoners’ release at a later stage. The cabinet is expected to approve the proposal.

Apart from the premier, the ministerial committee will include Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich and Science and Technology Minister Ya’akov Peri.

Economy Minister , who is against the release of terrorists, joined the protesters. “Releasing terrorists bring a lot of bereavement and it is a mark of disgrace on the State of Israel. He on the other side who demands the release of people who murdered and burned children and women is not worthy of being called a ‘partner.’ I will vote against, my friends will note against,” said the chairman of the Hbayit Hayehudi party.

“Terrorists should be eliminated, not freed,” he said during the demonstration.

Mica Brumberg, the sister in law Avraham Brumberg, an IDF soldier who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in 1981, said at the beginning of the demonstration, “We came to deliver a clear message – do not release terrorists with Israeli identity cards.

“Bibi, do not give in, do not get stressed, watch over our descendents, our children. The murderers of our loved ones have faces and names, they are not numbers. They cannot hide behind long lists and government meetings,” she said.

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