Last update - 00:00 16/01/2008
Report: Israel won't demand PA hand over killers of IDF soldiers
By Haaretz Service
Israel does not intend to demand that the Palestinian Authority hand over the murderers of the two Israel Defense Forces soldiers, David Rubin and Ahikam Amihai, who were killed while hiking near Hebron three weeks ago, Channel Two reported Wednesday.
According to the report, Israel decided to keep the murderers at the hands of the PA and to follow the legal process there. The victims' families were outraged with the decision, but the Prime Minister's Office maintained that the decision was made in cooperation with the Shin Bet security service, and Israel will closely follow the Palestinians' handling of the case.
Rubin and Amihai, both in their 20s, were hiking with a woman from Kiryat Arba when four Palestinian terrorists opened fire on them from a Jeep.
Rubin and Amihai, who were soldiers on leave from the Israel Defense Forces, managed to return fire, reportedly killing one of the terrorists and injuring another, before they died. Their female companion was uninjured.
The PA general intelligence did not immediately inform Israel that they had caught the terrorists who had committed the murder, and said they were in its custody, and only did so once the Shin Bet security service approached Palestinian officials.
Following the Shin Bet request, Palestinian intelligence confirmed that the terrorists had turned themselves in, and even handed over to Israel the victims' weapons, which the assailants had taken following the attack, as well as the weapons used in the shooting.
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