The line we cannot cross: Israel must never free Yigal Amir – editorial

An elderly Israeli activist was reportedly hospitalized after being assaulted while removing a sign calling for the release of Yigal Amir, who is serving a life sentence for assassinating Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The article emphasizes that calls for Amir's release are an attempt to recast a convicted political assassin as a victim, which should concern all Israelis. Rabin was shot dead on November 4, 1995, by Amir, a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace process. The assassination remains one of the gravest attacks on Israel's democratic system. The editorial argues that Amir is not a political prisoner, as his crime was aimed at overriding the decisions of elected leaders and voters through murder. It states, "Political violence can eventually be excused when enough time passes, when the victim remains controversial, or when the assassin's motives appeal to a political faction." The article concludes that political leaders across the ideological spectrum must clearly state that Amir must remain in prison, as his crime crosses a fundamental democratic line.