Family of NYC man killed by Palestinian teen bracing to see ‘monster' freed in Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal
The family of a Queens man killed by a Palestinian teen in the West Bank is bracing to see the thug walk free as part of Saturday's hostage-prisoner exchange — fearing further attacks as once-locked away 'monsters' are released.
Hillcrest-raised Israel advocate Ari Fuld was stabbed to death in 2018 by 17-year-old Khalil Jabarin — and Fuld's younger brother Hillel insisted his sibling would have been staunchly opposed to any prisoner release.
Ari, 45, was against hostage exchange deals, particularly in 2011, when one Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for five years was exchanged for 1,027 convicted prisoners, including Oct. 7 mastermind Yahyah Sinwar.
He would be '100 percent against this deal,' Fuld said. Back then, 'Everyone else said, 'We gotta do the deal.' But Ari said, 'No, we don't gotta do it.''
His older brother 'would have warned us what is to come from releasing those monsters,' he added.
'The fear is you'll have another Sinwar being released, another mass terror attack, like they tried to do last night, at the hands of someone being released,' Fuld, noting the attempted bombings on multiple Israeli buses Thursday, told The Post.
The younger Fuld called Jabarin's release 'painful,' but seemed resigned to it.
'I believe we have to do this now to bring our people back,' Fuld told The Post Friday, a day before Jabarin was slated to be among the 602 prisoners to be sprung in exchange for six Israeli hostages.
Of those being released Saturday, 50 are serving life sentences.
All told, 1,900 Palestinian prisoners are due to be returned for 33 Israelis held by Hamas in the first phase of the cease-fire's with Israel. More than 270 of the freed prisoners were serving life sentences.
'The personal price that we're paying, as difficult as it is, doesn't really change our opinion. This deal is both horrible and beautiful at the same time,' said Fuld by phone from his home in Israel, conceding he held out hope Jabarin's sentence wouldn't be commuted.
'Horrible because we're letting out these monsters. Beautiful because these poor [people] are returning to their families.'
Another New York family got a scare last month when Arab social media hyped the imminent release of their loved one's killer.
Israeli prisons are places where terrorists seen as heroes can jumpstart their careers, said Upper East Side native Jonathan Karten, whose uncle, an Israeli soldier, was kidnapped and murdered in 1996, for which the culprit was serving multiple life sentences.
All the terrorists in leadership positions today 'came from that 2011 release,' added Karten, 28. 'They garner a lot of respect in prison, they become organizers – it's a career booster, and they leave prison with more clout and leadership positions.'
Mideast analyst Joe Truzman of the Foundation for Defending Democracy said Hamas and other terrorist groups 'are very open' about who they want out of prison. 'Most of them are the top guys — bomb makers, senior Hamas members. It's not really a secret who they want out.'
Fuld said his brother's impact 'continues long after he's gone.'
His brother reached millions as an online activist advocating for Israel and the Jewish people. After he was stabbed, Ari shot Jabarin, moments before he could reach his next victim.
'He saved and changed lives in his lifetime, in his death, and now indirectly because of Ari, this guy is getting out and that means these people will be back in Israel to reunite with their families.
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