Israel court urges return of Palestinian attackers' bodies

Jerusalem: Israel's supreme court called on the government Thursday to hand over the bodies of Palestinians killed carrying out attacks to their families, in a blow to a policy that has divided Israeli officials.

The court issued a recommendation rather than a mandatory ruling, so the government could choose to ignore it, although it would risk new criticism if it did so.

The president of the court, Elyakim Rubinstein, urged "the police to coordinate with the families and return the bodies of their sons before Ramadan," the holy Muslim fasting month that begins in early June.

Rights groups Adallah and Addameer had petitioned the court on behalf of nine families whose loved ones' bodies have been withheld by the security forces, some for more than six months.

Muslim custom demands that the dead be buried as soon as possible.

The families argue that the security forces are taking revenge against them for the actions of their sons and say it has added to their grief.

According to Palestinian statistics, Israel is holding the bodies of 18 slain attackers, 12 from annexed east Jerusalem and the rest from the occupied West Bank.

The policy has divided Israeli officials. Its leading advocate, Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan, says it prevents funerals for attackers turning into political demonstrations and acts as a deterrent.

But senior figures in the military say it stokes tensions with the Palestinians.

A wave of violence since October last year, has killed 204 Palestinians and 28 Israelis, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.

Rubinstein called for the bodies of the dead to be removed from mortuary freezers 48 hours before they are handed over so they are not delivered frozen.

Previously families have complained of having to wait for their loved ones' bodies to thaw before being able to bury them.

Israeli Arab lawmaker Osama Saadi was in court for the ruling.