Yigal Amir's family pushes for release

Survey claims that 20% of Israelis believe Rabin killer should be released.

By REBECCA A STOIL
yigal amir 298 88 AP (photo credit: )
yigal amir 298 88 AP
(photo credit: )
Evan as final preparations were underway for next week's commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, convicted assassin Yigal Amir's family has begun a campaign for his release. On the Amir family Website, visitors are asked to sign a petition saying that "today it has been proven that Yitzhak Rabin was a criminal against his nation." In light of that fact, the site claims, Amir should serve a shortened sentence because "killing a criminal demands a lighter sentence than killing a regular citizen." The Website cites a survey that was released Friday that said that 20 percent of Israelis support Amir's release from prison, and 45 percent support Amir's petition to marry and father children. MK Danny Yatom (Likud) spoke out against this new data in a Saturday morning interview on Israel Radio, saying that it highlights the need to instruct the young generation on the importance of democracy and on Rabin's legacy. MK Ran Cohen (Meretz-Yahad) filed on Friday a police complaint against the Amirs, and Attorney-General, Menahem Mazuz, was reported to be examining whether charges will be filed. "I have had enough of that family. It makes me feel sick, and it drives me out of my mind every time I hear about their activities against Israeli society," Cohen told Israel Radio on Saturday. "This family doesn't understand that Yigal Amir killed a prime minister and that if he doesn't rot in a grave he should rot in jail for the rest of his life." Meanwhile, forty world leaders were expected to come to Israel to honor the memory of slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The official commemoration of Rabin's assassination was originally planned for this week, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the murder, but was postponed until November 12, so that former US president Bill Clinton could attend. with Associated Press