A group of experts who have studied proposals for the re-introduction of capital punishment for Arab terrorists has concluded that there is no Justification for such a move either in Israel proper or the administered territories. The recommendation of the group was disclosed last night by Justice Minister Yaacov Shimshon Shapiro in an address to the Tel Aviv Bar Association.
Shapiro said It was the opinion of the experts that no executions of terrorists should be carried out and that they believe this policy has saved the lives of many Israeli soldiers captured by the enemy. In recent weeks two terrorists have been sentenced to death by military tribunals. The Justice Minister said that he personally was against the re-introduction of capital punishment.
The group of experts was set up to study the matter as a result of demands from some quarters for the reinstitution of capital punishment for terrorists as a deterrent to such crimes as the Lod Airport massacre of last May 30 and aerial hijacking.
An official of the Ministry of Tourism reported today in Jerusalem that tourism during September was 8% higher than in the same month last year despite terrorist outrages last month. Hanoch Givton, director general of the Ministry, said there were 55,200 visitors last month and that there were 576,500 tourists in Israel during the first nine months of this year compared to 505,700 during the same period in 1971.
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