{"id":87806,"date":"2013-10-30T08:20:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T07:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?guid=737543e7b418464a36f3220c3c1aba7d"},"modified":"2013-10-30T08:20:00","modified_gmt":"2013-10-30T07:20:00","slug":"palestinian-prisoner-releases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/palestinian-prisoner-releases\/","title":{"rendered":"Palestinian Prisoner Releases"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Palestinian Prisoner Releases<\/b><\/div>\n
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by Stephen Lendman<\/div>\n
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Thousands of Palestinian political prisoners languish in Israel’s gulag. It’s one of the world’s worst. <\/div>\n
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Many innocent victims are held uncharged or tried. Thousands are wrongfully imprisoned based on nonexistent secret evidence. Women are treated like men. Children are treated like adults.<\/div>\n
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Horrific conditions include cruel and degrading treatment, food unfit to eat, medical neglect, poor ventilation, sanitation and personal hygiene, inadequate clothing, and frequent solitary confinement for any reason or none at all.<\/div>\n
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Last summer, Netanyahu got cabinet approval to release 104 prisoners. Freeing them is coincidental with so-called peace talks.<\/div>\n
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They’re an empty gesture. Implementation is in four stages. In mid-August, 26 were freed. On October 29, an equal number followed. <\/div>\n
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After six and eight months of talks, 52 more will be released (26 at a time). Doing so is at Israel’s discretion. It depends on how negotiations go. <\/div>\n
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It depends on if PA collaborators unconditionally surrender. It depends of whether Israel keeps its promise. It never did before. Why expect something different this time.<\/div>\n
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Maan News<\/a><\/span> quoted an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity, saying:<\/div>\n
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“Understandings” were agreed on ahead of talks. “Israel will continue in the coming months to announce building in the settlement blocs and in Jerusalem.”<\/div>\n
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“Both the Americans and the Palestinians were aware in advance of these understandings.”<\/div>\n
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A previous article discussed a sharp increase in settlement construction. Palestinians are being dispossessed from their land and homes to facilitate it. <\/div>\n
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Conditions go from bad to worse. Abbas and other PA officials do nothing to stop it. They betray their own people in the process.<\/div>\n
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Israel’s so-called “goodwill gesture” prisoner releases became commonplace since Oslo.<\/div>\n
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They’re bargaining chips. They’re a political tool. Israel uses them to extract demands. Those chosen for release this time were slated for it earlier. <\/div>\n
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Many have been in prison longterm. Some near the end of their sentences. They’re expected out in months or next year. <\/div>\n
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Freeing them depends on “conditions, criteria, dates and phases” at Israel’s discretion. It controls the entire process. It’s manipulated for political advantage. <\/div>\n
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Prisoners are mere pawns. Freedom is more illusion than reality. Rights are entirely denied. Releasing a handful of prisoners ignores thousands more unjustly held. <\/div>\n
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Mass arrests continue. Innocence is no defense. Dozens are held administratively uncharged. Justice is verboten. Longterm grievances persist.<\/div>\n
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Most Palestinians are lawlessly held. They were imprisoned on false charges. They’re freedom fighters, not terrorists.<\/div>\n
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They included Hamas, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Islamic Jihad members. Released prisoners are relentlessly hounded. They’re harassed. <\/div>\n
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They’re closely monitored. They’re denied fundamental freedoms. Their movements are severely restricted. Many are rearrested.<\/div>\n
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A extremist cabinet decision states:<\/div>\n
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“The State of Israel reserves the right to take any means necessary against any of the released prisoners if they commit any terrorist and hostile activities as well as returning them to serve the remainder of their sentence, as will be decided by the relevant authorities.”<\/div>\n
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Prisoners released aren’t granted amnesty. They’re on parole. Minor perceived violations means back behind bars. Completing their original sentence follows.<\/div>\n
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Military Order 1651, Article 186 lets a special Israeli military committee sentence released prisoners to complete unserved time. It can do so based on secret evidence or none at all.<\/div>\n
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In 2009, the order became effective. Dozens of rearrests followed. Doing so spurns fundamental rule of law standards. Israel acts lawlessly. It does so with impunity.<\/div>\n
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Resisting Israeli repression is called terrorism. So is supporting right over wrong. Military Order 101 criminalizes fundamental freedoms. Prohibitions include:<\/div>\n
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