Had he said that he understands the gravity of his actions, had he expressed his remorse, and had he declared that the years behind bars taught him that violence isn’t the way to resolve problems and disagreements – maybe, just maybe, there would have been a reason to consider whether Hagai Amir’s [2] release was the appropriate move.
Yet Amir, a despicable criminal who disgraces the kippah he wears with such pride, left prison as a national hero: Smiling, making victory gestures, and carried on the shoulders of fans. Now welcome him! The festival is on! He’s looking for a bride and a job, and his mother is dancing there, holding a cake.
Now he shall submit to numerous interviews, sell the diary he wrote in prison to the highest bidder, and possibly even insist on playing himself in a future film. Why not, actually? After all, he is a celebrity who paid the price for his actions and is now turning a new leaf. Who knows, maybe he’ll be asked to light a traditional torch in the next Independence Day. Indeed, there is no limit to sorrow, or to the horror.
While the “thou shalt not murder” commandment applies to everyone, Hagai and his brother, Yigal, did not murder an anonymous citizen because he parked in their spot or dared ask that they turn down the volume (acts that have become routine [3] in our country, thanks to Hagai and Yigal, among other people.) They carried out the premeditated and cold-blooded murder of the prime minister, in order to change the course of history and adapt it to their wishes.
This was a murder of democracy, which is the pillar of society; now, the collaborator to the assassination has left prison without internalizing the severity of his actions and without seeking the forgiveness not only of Yitzhak Rabin’s [4] family but of the nation. This means we not only failed to learn a thing from the tragedy; this move is akin to giving the next killer the green light.
We already see advocates who claim that Hagai Amir received an exaggerated sentence, as his part in the murder was minor. These voices may grow stronger the more we see his delighted face as a family man. Hence, I will cautiously say the following to these advocates: Had the collaborator to the prime minister’s murder been an Arab who did not express his remorse, the court would have made sure to find the clause that would only allow him to leave jail in a coffin.
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