By Ira Sharkansky
JERUSALEM — The big news here is of the breakout from a “security” prison by six Palestinians. They’re all of the Jihad Islamis, and apparently with a great deal of luck, or perhaps help from some of their jailers.
Over the course of some six months, they dug out from under a toilet in one of their cells, under the walls, and emerged only a few meters away. And they eluded capture from many who were hunting them from the police and other security forces.
At least one jailer, manning a screen, was asleep when the event transpired, and one of the security towers was unmanned.
And what has come out are details that we’ve known in general for some time. In order to keep things quiet, those in security prisons are, more or less, allowed to run things, or at least many of them. They sneak in telephones, select who should room together, and acquire what is necessary in order to set on fire and generally riot in parts of their prisons.
And outside, it was a time of celebration and an uplift of Palestinian nationalism. Demonstrations and some violence against Israeli security personnel throughout much of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Our media has been crowded with retired and present members of the Shin Bet, the Prison Service, Police, and military, speculating and otherwise commentating on what’s happened. There’s been arrests of relatives of those who escaped and other activists. We were told that it might take months to seize all of those who escaped, along with expressions of “we’ll certainly get them, dead or alive.”
Lots of noise in the streets of the West Bank, with distributions of candy to celebrate the events.
So far nothing out of control, more or less. While there are lots of guns brought out from hiding on these occasions, the Palestinians seem reluctant to test the outer limits of what Israeli security forces can do to them and their locales.
The closure of Gaza and the West Bank, set up for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, has been continued.
All told, it’s a reminder of where we are, and how close we are to the intensity of Palestinian feelings. What had been tense quiet is currently no longer quiet. There’s also a spread of nationalist feelings within Israel. Those who escaped were convicted of murder and other serious crimes, and were all sentenced to several life imprisonments. They are in their 30s and 40s, and are all heroes in the eyes of Palestinians, including who knows how many Israeli Arabs.
Now, two groups of two each have been captured. Apparently, there was no planning, and nothing in place after the escape. Those captured were close to the prison. One asked for food in Nazareth, but picked on the home of a volunteer police officer. He called it in, then the two were picked up.
The management of the prisons is currently under scrutiny, and severe criticism. We’re hearing of a Government Committee of Inquiry. The policy of letting the bad guys control much of what happened inside doesn’t look good, even though it helped keep something approaching quiet for some time.
Dealing with Palestinian nationalism is difficult and delicate. Both within the prisons where many of the activists are kept, and on the outside. Nationalism and violence has its ups and downs. Currently we’re at an up, and wondering how much further it can go. Another Intifada? Not yet. The balance of power is clearly on the Israeli side. But there are occasional slippages. Or worse.
And how will it coalesce with the Taliban victory in Afghanistan?
Here we’re beyond the edge of what we know about the various movements or factions among the Muslims. How much weight does the Palestinian issue carry? Will the Taliban remain occupied with establishing their control of Afghanistan? Or will some of them latch on to the uptick of nationalism among Palestinians? Will the Palestinians remain alone, with activists among them seeking support from other Muslims in their quest of what? A Palestinian state? Or something more by way of gaining control over what the Jews call the Land of Israel?
Lots to think about, speculate, and to occupy those likely to be commenting on Israeli media.
Our level of coronavirus illness went down, thanks to the third vaccinations. But the return of ultra-Orthodox from Uman in the Ukraine, along with the start of school, and the celebration of religious holidays in bringing up an uptick of infections. Lots of those coming back from Uman in the Ukraine, and celebrations at the grave of a revered rabbi, carry with them forged certificates of being examined. Many are actually ill. No surprise, given the closeness of what they do there. Perhaps jail for those with forged certificates? And the holidays are not yet half over.
Have a good fast, if you do. And may you all have a good decision from the Lord concerning the coming year.
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Ira Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com