President Shimon Peres fended off criticism on Wednesday following his decision to commute the sentences of five Israeli-Arab men convicted of murdering teenager Danny Katz in 1983. Peres contends that his decision was based entirely on legal considerations, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Peres' arguments were in response to claims that his decision was an attempt to curry favor among Israeli Arabs and draw them into the Kadima-Labor coalition, or even payback for votes by Arab MKs to elect him as President.
"There is a genuine suspicion that Peres made this decision in exchange for the votes of Arab MKs during the Knesset's presidential election earlier this summer," right-wing activists Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir explained, according to Israel National News. They threatened to file an appeal with the Supreme Court if their letter is ignored.
Danny's mother, Mira Katz, expressed grief and anger at the president's decision, saying it was hastily made and unjust.
"The second Peres becomes president, he rushes to release murderers - five murderers, savages, who killed an innocent boy outside his home. We're getting calls from all over the country. They're all saying, 'Better [former president Moshe] Katsav than someone who frees murderers,'" she said.
On Tuesday, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann submitted to Peres his recommendation to reduce the sentence to 25 years, enabling the five to be released later this year. Peres accepted that recommendation shortly after it was submitted.
The president issued a statement defending his position.
"The president understands the pain of the Katz family, whose son Danny was murdered by evildoers," the statement read. " It should be noted that the customary life sentence when the prisoners' trial was held stood at 24 years, and due to the severity of the acts the professional committee, the justice minister and the president decided on a higher and more severe punishment compared to the level of punishment at that period time."
The men convicted of Katz's murder claim that their confessions were false and made under physical and psychologic distress.
MK Taleb el-Sana (United Arab List), who in his last meeting with Peres urged him to reduce the five's sentence, said he was pleased with the decision. El-Sana issued a statement he also requested that Peres pardon Suliman al-Abid, who was convicted of the rape and murder of 16-year-old teenager Hanit Kikus in 1993, according to Ynet.
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