Jewish Settlers Urge Government to Deport Palestinian Terrorists Released in Prisoner Exchange

The Council of Jewish Settlements in Judaea and Samaria called yesterday for action to induce the “responsible authorities” to deport Palestinian terrorists who were allowed to return to their homes in the territory following the May 20 prisoner exchange.

The decision of the representative body of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, by emphasizing the term “responsible authorities” implied criticism of the tactics of threats and harassment resorted to by some settlers in recent days to force the freed terrorists to leave. It also appeared to have created a rift between the relatively moderate and the militant elements among the settlers.

The resolution adopted by the Council said it would attempt to recruit the support of the Israeli public for the purpose by stressing the danger to all of having hundreds of convicted terrorists at large. About 600 of the 1,150 freed Palestinians who had been serving time for terrorist offenses were permitted to return to their homes in the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. Many of them had been serving life sentences for murder.

The prisoner exchange secured freedom for three Israeli soldiers captured in Lebanon and held since 1982 by a Damascus-based Palestinian terrorist organization. The lopsided deal created grave misgivings, even among Israeli moderates, but was upheld by the Knesset last week.

HARASSMENT GENERATES SYMPTOMS

Yisrael Harel, chairman of the settlers’ council, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that the harassment tactics by some settlers was generating sympathy for the terrorists in some sectors of the Israel population. He admitted it was difficult to restrain the more radical settlers because the shock of the release of terrorists in their midst was very strong.

Harel said many settlers now regret that they had not appealed to public opinion in Israel before the prisoner exchange even though that would have violated official censorship. The prolonged negotiations for the exchange took place under the tightest secrecy but was known to the settlers. Harel said that considering the price paid, the secrecy should have been breached.

PRESSURE URGED

The Council of Jewish Settlements is determined to rid the territory of terrorists through official channels activated by public opinion. But the militants, who have often berated the Labor-Likud unity coalition are impatient with that approach. Zeev Saffer, secretary of the Elon Moreh settlement and chairman of the Actions Committee of settlements in Samaria, said it was too dangerous to wait until the government took action to deport the terrorists.

He said that to speed up the process, continuous assure must be exerted on the entire Arab population to force the terrorists to leave. He added that such action would be within the law and would avoid clashes with the Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, five residents of Kiryat Arba, adjacent to Hebron, were detained for questioning today for creating a disturbance in Hebron against Palestinians there. All were released.