Want to learn 16 languages? Murder 3 Israelis
Want to learn 16 languages? Murder 3 Israelis and spend 27 years in Israeli prison
Terrorist murderer studied history and political science at an Israeli university while in prison
Israel has since changed its laws to deny terrorist prisoners access to higher education
For a released Palestinian terrorist who murdered 3 Israeli soldiers, the 27 years he spent in Israeli prisons was his ticket to higher education.
Terrorist murderer Hilal Jaradat:
"In prison I studied at the Hebrew University (sic., should be Open University of Israel) in the history and political science faculties. I read approximately 6,000 books in prison, and I translated for many of the prisoners."
[Donia Al-Watan, independent Palestinian news agency, Jan. 26, 2017]
While in prison he also developed an interest in learning foreign languages:
"I began with Hebrew and English and then I moved on to many languages such as Russian, Spanish, and French, until I reached approximately 16 languages."
Jaradat was released by Israel in 2011, as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal brokered between the Israeli government and Hamas. In that deal, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held hostage by Hamas for more than 5 years.
Another prisoner likewise took advantage of his imprisonment to earn a B.A. while serving time:
"Prisoner Imad Al-Athamneh is married and a father of six children, and he earned a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree in history inside prison."
[Khabar, independent Palestinian news agency, Feb. 22, 2017]
In 2011, Israel revoked the access to higher education allowed to Palestinian terrorist prisoners. Appeals by "security" (i.e., terrorist) prisoners to Israel's Supreme Court in 2012 and in 2015 were denied on the grounds that these prisoners do not have a constitutional right to contest the ban on higher education studies.
Contrary to Palestinian Authority libels about how Israel mistreats, tortures, and medically neglects prisoners, Palestinian Media Watch has found individual admissions by Palestinian prisoners openly relating how well they were treated in Israeli prisons. In 2013, a released Palestinian prisoner described prisoners' life of fun, play and study in an interview:
"In the morning we'd exercise from 7:00 until 8:00... Then the guys would get together in the prison yard and we'd chat, talk, eat, drink, joke and play, etc., throughout the day. At noon the guys would go to their rooms for roll-call. Noon roll-call is from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Roll-call time is time for resting in the rooms. Each group has a routine inside the rooms: Nap time, reading time, study time. Some sleep, some read. At 1:30 or 12:30 p.m. they'd take us out to the yard again. We'd spend [time] with the guys walking, laughing, playing, joking, etc., until dark. Then back to the rooms. They'd lock us up until 6:00 a.m., roll-call time."
[Official PA TV, May 4, 2013]
See additional important interviews below in which Palestinian terrorist prisoners describe daily routine in Israeli prison.
The following are longer excerpts of the articles describing the terrorists' academic achievements in prison:
"The occupation authorities released prisoner Imad Muhammad Al-Athamneh, 45, this evening, Wednesday [Feb. 22, 2017], after he served his sentence of 14 years... It should be noted that prisoner Imad Al-Athamneh is married and a father of six children, and he earned a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree in history inside prison."
[Khabar, independent Palestinian news agency, Feb. 22, 2017]
Headline: "Jaradat: I read 6,000 books and learned 16 languages in prison"
"His eyes, which shine with passion and ambition, wait for the relief of returning to the beloved city of Jenin, which he left dozens of years ago when he decided to take revenge for the poisoning of the schools in 1985, and was imprisoned by the Israeli occupation on charges of killing 3 Israeli soldiers.
He glances at the various Hebrew websites, and when we asked him about his life he said: 'My name is Hilal Jaradat from Jenin in the West Bank. I served 27 years in the Israeli occupation's prisons after I killed 3 Israeli soldiers in 1985.'
Prisoner Jaradat spoke with [the independent Palestinian news agency] Donia Al-Watan and said: 'The stabbing operation came as a result of events that took place in Jenin, and particularly the poisoning of the schools. Therefore I killed the 3 Israeli soldiers next to the Megiddo Prison (PMW has been unable to verify these details -Ed.).'
Jaradat remembered details of that day: 'I got up at 7:00 a.m. and went to Haifa. Suddenly its [the bus'] route changed, I planned my operation (i.e., terror attack), and stopped next to the Megiddo Prison. I waited for soldiers to arrive at the stop, and indeed soldiers arrived. I carried out the stabbing operation, and in it I used a knife.'
He remembered and said: 'After I stabbed the soldiers, [Israeli] border police forces arrived from Wadi Al-Lajjun and I surrendered after I was unable to use the weapon I had taken from one of the soldiers...
After the stage of investigation, which lasted for three months, I was tried in the Nazareth court and sentenced to 3 life sentences. That was in 1985.' ...
He continued to talk while glancing at the laptop computer and his translations, and said: 'I entered the Jenin Prison, and through my membership in the Fatah organization I began to study. One of the prisoners guided me to take an interest in languages, and particularly the Hebrew language, since this is a very important issue and few people take interest in it, and the Western media needs to get to know the Palestinian and what is being written and spoken about in Palestine.'
He continued: 'Our battle against the enemy is a battle of knowledge, and therefore I began to teach and study. I began with Hebrew and English and then I moved on to many languages such as Russian, Spanish, and French, until I reached approximately 16 languages.'
He added: 'In prison I studied at the Hebrew University (sic., should be Open University of Israel) in the history and political science faculties. I read approximately 6,000 books in prison, and I translated for many of the prisoners.'"
[Donia Al-Watan, independent Palestinian news agency, Jan. 26, 2017]
Hilal Jaradat - Palestinian terrorist who murdered 3 Israeli soldiers in 1985 and was sentenced to 3 life sentences. He was released in the Shalit prisoner exchange deal in 2011. PMW has been unable to verify the details of his crime.
Examples of statements by PA officials and prisoners regarding their studies while serving time and other prison conditions:
Prisoners' Affairs Commission Director confirms Palestinian prisoners get degrees in prison
"Prisoners and Released [Prisoners'] Affairs Commission director Issa Karake said today, Wednesday [Nov. 26, 2014], that the results of the matriculation exams taken by the prisoners, who are subject to the regulations of the matriculation exams for 2014, were ready, and would be announced next Sunday. In a statement to the press, Karake said that 631 prisoners had taken the exams, of whom 407 had passed, while the number of prisoners who had failed to complete certain materials came to 224... In addition, he noted that, for the first time since 2009, the prisoners were able to take the matriculation exams, after the occupation had stopped the prisoners' high-school and university studies in the prisons. Karake said that special study committees trained by the prisoners had supervised the exams, according to the curriculum and guidelines established by the Ministry of Education, and that this was greatly appreciated by the prisoners."
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Nov. 26, 2014]
PA Minister admits that transferred prisoners were treated well by Israel
Headline: "103 prisoners were transferred to Rimon after Shatah was flooded"
"103 prisoners from the Shatah prison arrived at the Israeli Rimon prison after rainwater flooded their cells. Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake told [official PA news agency] Wafa yesterday that the prisoners were in good condition when they arrived at the Rimon prison, after rains had flooded their cells in the Shatah prison."
[Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 10, 2013]
Released Palestinian prisoner describes prisoners' life of fun, play and study
Released prisoner Muhammad Hilal: "The worst thing about Israeli prison is the torturous ride inside 'the Posta' (i.e., transport vehicle)... when a man is driven to court or to the hospital or on any ride outside the prison... We prisoners call this 'ride of torment,' not 'the Posta' and not 'the ride.' This is beyond imagination. No matter how much I talk about it it's hard to convey the suffering. The prisoners sit on a metal chair, made entirely of metal, there's nothing but metal inside it... "
PA TV host: "Describe a day in your life in prison. You served 10 years."
Released prisoner Muhammad Hilal: "In the morning we'd exercise from 7:00 until 8:00... Then the guys would get together in the prison yard and we'd chat, talk, eat, drink, joke and play, etc., throughout the day. At noon the guys would go to their rooms for roll-call. Noon roll-call is from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Roll-call time is time for resting in the rooms. Each group has a routine inside the rooms: Nap time, reading time, study time. Some sleep, some read. At 1:30 or 12:30 p.m. they'd take us out to the yard again. We'd spend [time] with the guys walking, laughing, playing, joking, etc., until dark. Then back to the rooms. They'd lock us up until 6:00 a.m., roll-call time."
Released prisoner Muhammad Hilal: "In the morning we'd exercise from 7:00 until 8:00... Then the guys would get together in the prison yard and we'd chat, talk, eat, drink, joke and play, etc., throughout the day. At noon the guys would go to their rooms for roll-call. Noon roll-call is from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Roll-call time is time for resting in the rooms. Each group has a routine inside the rooms: Nap time, reading time, study time. Some sleep, some read. At 1:30 or 12:30 p.m. they'd take us out to the yard again. We'd spend [time] with the guys walking, laughing, playing, joking, etc., until dark. Then back to the rooms. They'd lock us up until 6:00 a.m., roll-call time."
[Official PA TV, May 4, 2013]
Family of terrorist laments about having to remove shoes during security check
PA TV reporter: "Let's talk about the [prison] visits - how you suffered... the difficulties you encountered during this long period of contacting [your brother] Osama. The permits and harassments to prisoners' families are well known when they want to visit [relatives in prison]. What happened to you?"
Brother of released murderer Osama Abu Hananeh: "Of course, visiting was very difficult... The methods of inspection, the prison management's behavior towards us. Of course all these things are hard. The visit was exhausting when we went through the [security] check. They would even pass our shoes through a machine."
PA TV reporter: "What difficulties did you encounter when you went to visit your sons? Were there any transportation problems in reaching the prisons?"
Mother of released murderer Ahmad Abd Al-Aziz Qadura: "No, by Allah, nothing. Thank Allah, we would visit them and go home."
Brother of released murderer Osama Abu Hananeh: "Of course, visiting was very difficult... The methods of inspection, the prison management's behavior towards us. Of course all these things are hard. The visit was exhausting when we went through the [security] check. They would even pass our shoes through a machine."
PA TV reporter: "What difficulties did you encounter when you went to visit your sons? Were there any transportation problems in reaching the prisons?"
Mother of released murderer Ahmad Abd Al-Aziz Qadura: "No, by Allah, nothing. Thank Allah, we would visit them and go home."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 30, 2013]
Note: The guests on the show are relatives of Osama Abu Hananeh and Ahmad Abd Al-Aziz Qadura. Hananeh, Qadura and two others murdered Motti Biton and wounded his wife Molly near Jenin in October 1992. They were serving life time in prison, but were released in October 2013 as part of 104 terrorists Israel agreed to release, which was the PA's precondition for renewing negotiations.
Red Cross spokeswoman: Israel never prevented Red Cross from visiting Palestinian prisoners
PA TV's morning broadcast Good Morning, Red Cross spokeswoman Nadia Debsi was interviewed about the role of the Red Cross in times of crisis and conflict.
PA TV host: "[The Red Cross] visits the prisoners in the occupation's prisons (i.e., Israeli prisons). However, when they [Israel] prevent Red Cross teams from visiting prisoners, what is your position on this? Do you make it public? We haven't heard. In the past, we heard clearly and explicitly that a Red Cross lawyer was prevented from visiting prisoners as part of the [Israeli]attack that they [the prisoners] face..."
Red Cross spokeswoman: "To make things clear, as far as I know, no Red Cross visits have been prevented. I've received no word at all that [Israel] ever prevented us [from visiting]."
Host: "Are the prison gates open to you at all times?"
Red Cross spokeswoman: "We have an agreement with the Israeli side just as we have an agreement with the Palestinian side concerning prison visits. That is, there is an agreement between the [Israel] Prison Service and the Red Cross... Red Cross representatives of course visit everyone held in Israeli prisons, and we return to visit these prisons, especially people currently in solitary confinement. We visit them every two months, and especially the places where they hold young people. For example, the Ofer Prison. We visit [those places] more frequently because young people are there, and [because of] the special protection given to young people and minors in detention."
[Official Palestinian Authority TV, Oct. 26, 2011]
Palestinian prisoners make list of demands to improve prison conditions: "Restore satellite TV channels"
The PA daily printed a list of demands made by Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. In contrast to PA allegations that Israel abuses and poisons prisoners, the list makes no mention of any such abuse against prisoners. The demands are all related to normal prison routine, including prison luxuries such as demanding "satellite TV channels":
Headline: "List of demands of the prisoners on hunger strike"
"Yesterday the Prisoners' Club published the demands of the prisoners who are holding a hunger strike in the Israeli prisons. Among the demands:
- To end the policy of solitary confinement, in which about 20 prisoners are being held.
- To end the policy of strip searches.
- To allow prisoners from Gaza visits by family members, because they have been forbidden to visit since 2007.
- To allow all family members to visit the prisoner.
- To allow children [of the prisoners] to continue regular visits after they reach the age of 16.
- To allow a prisoner to visit his prisoner wife.
- To allow Arab prisoners to make telephone calls to their families and to send their families video clips.
- To restore satellite TV channels.
- To improve the visiting conditions for families: to remove the glass partition, to permit children to enter during the visit, to end the policy of humiliating and degrading searches of family members.
- To free psychiatric prisoners and those suffering from incurable illnesses.
- To provide treatment for prisoners who are ill, including surgery, provision of auxiliary equipment, and quick diagnosis of illnesses, and to allow the approved list of doctors to enter the prison easily.
- To end the policy of collective punishment and the imposition of fines on prisoners.
- To re-allow studies, including matriculation examinations, university registration, and to bring in books.
- To end the policy of handcuffing the prisoner's hands and legs during a meeting with family or his lawyer.
- To stop carrying out daily searches in the cells and destroying them.
- To improve conditions in the vehicles for transporting prisoners, especially those transporting [prisoners who are] ill.
- To release the prisoners in administrative detention.
- To allow children to embrace their mothers and fathers.
- To remove the glass [partition] with the net behind it during a visit.
- To improve the food, in terms of both quantity and quality.
- To put prisoners [from the same family], together in the same prison, to make it easier for the family during a visit.
- To allow prisoners who are related to each other, such as a husband and wife, to be in prisons close by each other, to make visiting easier.
- To end the humiliating searches of family members and to allow them to take water for drinking on the bus for visitors."
[Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 3, 2011]
Released Palestinian prisoner says prisoners "lack nothing" in Israeli prisons
An interview on PA TV with a former Palestinian prisoner on the very day he was released contradicts the PA libels claiming torture:
PA TV host: "What can you tell us about the younger people? Just today you were released from Megiddo prison."
Released prisoner: "The situation of the younger people in Megiddo is good. They lack nothing. Their situation is good."
Host: "How can it be that they lack nothing?"
Prisoner: "They lack nothing. Their situation is really fine, good."
Host: "They lack nothing? Not even freedom?"
Prisoner: "No. Freedom - yes. Allah willing, there will be freedom."
Host: "How long were you in prison?"
Prisoner: "Two years."
Host: "And you say that they lack nothing?"
Prisoner: "I don't know."
[Official PA TV, June 24, 2010]
Note: The Red Cross visits Palestinian prisoners regularly and has neither documented nor accused Israel of any of these recurring PA accusations.