Murder is Murder

B'Tselem welcomes with the High Court's decision to prevent the release of Yoram Skolnik, convicted of murdering Musa Abu Sabha.

The High Court's decision today, prevented at the last minute, an unjustified process which would have resulted in the release of a murderer after only seven years in prison. The case of Skolnik, clearly illustrates the political intentions of releasing Jews who murder Palestinians. The life sentence imposed on Skolnik was reduced on two occasions without justification.

B'Tselem interprets this decision as a message to Israel's President, and to politicians, not to reduce the sentence of murderers, including those who murder for ideological reasons.

B'Tselem emphasizes that Israel consistently discriminates between Jewish and Palestinian murderers. In the case of a Palestinian who murdered a Jew, the President has never reduced the sentence nor has the Prison Services' Parole Board ever deducted a third of the sentence for good behavior.

B'Tselem has collected extensive comparative data which demonstrates the discrimination between Jewish and Palestinian murderers at all stages of the judicial process: investigations and their recommendations, filing charges, convictions, and sentences.