Israel on Thursday morning freed a terrorist responsible for the murder of an Israeli soldier after serving 40 years in prison.

According to the National Security Ministry, Mahar Younis was released from prison. He is one of those responsible for the murder of Israeli soldier Avraham Bromberg.

The release comes two weeks after his cousin, Karim Younis, an accomplice in Bromberg’s murder, was freed from prison and returned to their hometown of Ar’ara — an Arab Israeli village located in northern Israel. In a bid to prevent a similar display of celebratory Palestinian-flag waving that occurred when Karim Younis was released from prison, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir directed the police to act against such displays.

In Pictures: Family members and friends of the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli prisons Maher younis waiting him after being released, earlier this morning, as he spent 40 years behind Israeli prison bars. #FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/9wJLXj3yfP

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 19, 2023

The directive follows a legal hearing held in Ben-Gvir’s office with the consensus that overt signs of waving the Palestinian flag and vocally demonstrating support for the convicted terrorists were illegal measures and the police were thus instructed to prevent these acts and disperse the perpetrators if they occur.

A large police force made its way to Ar’ara Wednesday morning in preparation.

“We made it very clear there will be no celebration, no fireworks, no songs or music,” said Dudi Rosenthal, the commander of northern Israel’s Eiron police station.

The cousins were Israel’s longest-serving terrorist prisoners.