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Israel's Supreme Court Upholds Suspension of Family Visits for Hamas Prisoners
(Jerusalem Post) Alex Winston - Israel's High Court of Justice rejected a petition by Hamas members from Gaza against Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan's decision to prevent visits by families of incarcerated prisoners in Israel. Erdan ordered the suspension in 2017 in order to exert pressure Hamas to return Israeli citizens and the bodies of IDF soldiers it holds in Gaza. "I welcome the High Court of Justice's ruling," Erdan said. "It is unreasonable and immoral to allow despicable terrorists to have family visits as long as Hamas holds the bodies of our soldiers and Israeli citizens." Supreme Court Justice Neal Hendel wrote in the decision: "The return of prisoners and missing persons in and of itself is a goal and an interest that is included within the framework of national security....Just as the protection of the lives of the residents of the state and its soldiers is a primary security interest, so too must be the return of our soldiers after they have fallen into enemy hands." The family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body is still being held by Hamas in Gaza, welcomed the ruling.