PM: Israel to end privileges for jailed Palestinians

2011-06-24 06:38:11 GMT+7 (ICT)

JERUSALEM (BNO NEWS) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday night that the country will revoke benefits and privileges from "terrorists" incarcerated in the Israeli prisons.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu was responding to Hamas' refusal to let the International Red Cross visit kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit. Netanyahu was speaking two days before the fifth anniversary of Schalit's kidnapping by Hamas on the Israeli side of the Gaza border on June 26, 2006.

"I have decided to change Israel's policy toward terrorists sitting in Israeli jails," Netanyahu said at the closing event at the Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem.

A Netanyahu spokesman would not clarify the term "terrorists," but it was broadly assumed that he was referring to Palestinians convicted or being held on terror-related charges or suspicions. Netanyahu didn't explain the steps that would be taken, but said that he was stopping the "absurd practice" of allowing "murderers in jail" to sign up for advanced academic degrees.

"There will be no more masters [degrees] for murder, or doctors of terror," he said, to loud applause and cheers from the conference attendees. "That party is over."

Gilad's father Noam said in response, "We want to know why Israeli governments waited five years [to take such a step], during which time Gilad languished in a Hamas jail."

Earlier in the day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Hamas to provide some proof that Schalit, now 24, is alive, as there has been no sign of life in over two years. It also called on Hamas to allow it to visit Schalit.

In rejecting the ICRC call, Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan told news agencies, "The ICRC should have talked about the suffering of 7,000 Palestinian prisoners inside Israel."

Meanwhile, dozens of families of the Palestinian prisoners threw eggs and stones at the ICRC headquarters in Gaza City during a protest against the ICRC demand to visit Schalit.

Members of Schalit's family as well as their friends and supporters plan to rally on his behalf at a number of events this weekend in Israel.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-24

When are ALL these people going to GROW UP???!!!

Are the ICRC also being childish asking for proof that Shalit was alive? I guess they may be off Hamas's favoured crony list seeing as the red cross also recently stated there was no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Personally, they should let them get as much schooling as possible. It's probably best, however, to stay away from things like Chemical engineering, physics, rocket sciences etc.

I agree with providing an education. The problem in Israel, like in so many other countries is that poor non criminals do not have access to the same benefit. Is it fair to give an advanced education to people intent on destroying society, yet deny poor law abiding citizens a free education? One of the characteristics of inmates in western jails is that they are illiterate. The education tries to give them the basics so that there are other options to crime. I don't think the Israeli inmates have any desire to participate in a civil society.