Brother of Rabin's killer arrested over threat on Israeli president

The brother and primary accomplice to the assassin of Israel's former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was detained by the police on Tuesday over a Facebook post wishing the Israeli President would soon "pass from the world."

The post by Hagai Amir, brother of convicted assassin Yigal Amir, came at the time when Israel is commemorating the 20th anniversary for Rabin's death.

Hagai was in response to a recent statement by President Reuven Rivlin, in which he vowed never to pardon Yigal Amir.

"As long as I am president, Yigal Amir will never be pardoned," Rivlin said at a ceremony to commemorate Rabin on Sunday. "May my right hand wither if I ever sign a pardon for that damned man."

"Rivlin is a kiss-up politician," Hagai wrote of the Israeli president, adding that "it's time for Him (God) to decide that Rivlin and the Zionist state must disappear from the world. That day is no longer far away," he said.

Police spokeswoman said Hagai will be brought in front of a Magistrate Court judge in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, where his arrest is expected to be remanded.

Hagai was released in 2012, after serving 16 years in prison. He was found guilty of conspiracy to murder Rabin, planning attacks against Palestinians, as well as various illegal weapon possession offences. Endit