Following the abduction of Gilad Shalit in 2006, the Israeli government decided to deprive Arab terrorists of the benefits of studying for academic degrees while behind bars in security prisons. Now Palestinian Media Watch has reported that these academic studies continue, but the Israel Prison Service is rejecting the claim, stating: “According to the decision of the political echelon, the IPS does not allow academic studies for security prisoners.”
Nevertheless, despite the IPS claim, the PA has been boasting that there are now 1,000 terrorist prisoners who are also academic students. The PA has claimed that 484 such prisoners are studying for their bachelor’s degree in a program initiated by the Prisoners’ Affairs Authority in Ramallah. This program is carried out in cooperation with the Open University of Al-Quds and the PA Ministry of Education.
Issa Karake, head of the Prison Affairs Authority, stated on March 19 that “the prisoners have turned their prisons into learning fortresses and revolutionary, philosophical and educational academies, in order to establish the Palestinian culture of truth in the face of Israeli oppression … There are over 1,000 prisoners who are studying in university from prison, and this is proof that our prisoners are seekers of thought and liberty, and not terrorists, a the Israeli terrorists claim.”
On February 26, the same Karake stated: “We also have a matriculation program for prisoners within the prisons of the Israeli occupation, which is being run for a fourth consecutive year. The prisoners submit tests and we coordinate with teaching committees inside the prisons – in cooperation with the PA Ministry of Education. In addition, there are more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners registered at Al Quds Open University and Abu Dis University … ”
It should be noted that according to Palestinian Authority law, salaries the terrorists receive from the PA, throughout the time they are in prison, are tax deductible, as are the grants they receive upon their release. Also, the same released prisoners are are also exempt from paying university tuition, which is picked up by the PLO Prison Authority.