Parole decision for terrorist Walid Daqqah delayed after backlash

The parole decision for terrorist Walid Daqqah was postponed until next Wednesday after the family of his victim criticized Israeli security services for failing to inform them of a hearing on Wednesday before a regular parole committee. 

Daqqah's family, which has been campaigning for his release due to his bone marrow cancer, said in a statement that the terrorist's parole decision would not be given on May 24, but instead May 31. They said this decision came "Despite the critically critical health condition of prisoner Walid Daqqah" at Shamir Medical Center. 

Ortal Tamam, niece of IDF soldier Moshe Tamam who had been tortured and murdered by Daqqah's terrorist cell, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that in her opinion the delay was initiated with the hope that the public would forget about the issue. 

Supporters of the Tamam family, including other victims of terrorism and the Religious Zionist Youth movement, protested against the parole hearing early Wednesday morning at the Ramle Prisons Commission. 

Daqqah's supporters held their own protest for his release in Nablus on Wednesday, and are set to hold another demonstration on Saturday evening.

Ortal Tamam explained to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that families of terrorism victims are supposed to be informed about matters pertaining to the release of their relative's murderers, but for unknown reasons, the Tamam family was not notified. 

While terrorists are required to have their parole heard before a special committee, Daqqah's case was set to be heard before a regular parole panel, which Tamam said would more likely result in early release. A special committee would have required testimonies from security officials and the family. On Tuesday, Tamam wrote on social media that a judge had decided not to allow her family to attend the hearing. 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Tuesday that he had directed the Israel Prison Service to examine how Daqqah had been assigned to a regular parole board, and why the Tamam family had not been notified. 

"Daqqah is human scum and should end his life in prison," said Ben-Gvir.

Who is convicted terrorist Walid Daqqah?

Daqqah was convicted in 1986 for his involvement in the murder of IDF soldier Moshe Tamam and served 37 years in prison, which was commuted by Shimon Peres in 2012 from a life sentence. Daqqah would have been released in 2023, but the terrorist was given an additional two years for involvement in a prison phone smuggling scheme. Rushdi Hamdan Abu Mukh, another Israeli-Arab member of Daqqah's terrorist cell, was released in 2021 after serving 35 years in prison.

The family of Daqqah describes him as a political and cultural "icon." In prison he earned a degree and wrote extensively, having his works published. Daqqah was able to sire a daughter with seminal fluid smuggled from prison. 

Daqqah is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and is unrepentant for his crimes, Ortal Tamam told the Post on Tuesday. His cell kidnapped her uncle to bring him to Syria for bargaining with the Israeli government. When they were unable to do so, they brutally tortured and executed the soldier.