Israel Matzav

PA begs escapees to return to jail

This sounds like it belongs on Oddly Enough.

Fearing for their safety, a PA 'official' urged twelve 'Palestinian' prisoners terrorists who escaped a 'Palestinian prison' in Shchem (Nablus) on Friday to return to the jail, where they are being held as part of an amnesty deal with Israel.

The gunmen fled the Palestinian-run Jneid Prison in the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, after complaining that they had been beaten by guards.

The governor of the Nablus district, Jamal Muhaisen, appealed to the fugitives over a local radio station Saturday to return to prison voluntarily, citing concern for their safety.

Under the amnesty deal, hundreds of Palestinian gunmen have been removed from Israel's wanted list, provided they renounce violence and serve a transition period in Palestinian lockups. Last month, a Nablus gunman who left prison for a day, in violation of the agreement, was shot dead by IDF undercover troops.

In an interview with a local Nablus radio station, Muhaisen said the 12 would be safer if they returned to the lockup. Muhaisen ended the conversation when the leader of the fugitives, Mahdi Abu Ghazaleh, came on the line. The governor said he didn't want to negotiate through a radio broadcast.

Israel has not commented on the breakout.

The terrorists, who are 'good terrorists' from the 'moderate' Fatah movement's 'military wing,' the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades say they're not coming back this time (yes, they have 'escaped' before).

The fugitives, held at Jneid Prison since January, complained that they were beaten with clubs by guards following a fight among detainees.

They are from the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent offshoot of Fatah.

Members of the group had previously escaped the prison, staying away for 35 days, but then turned themselves in again.

Abu Ghazaleh told the local radio station that this time would be different.

"We won't return," he said.

It was not immediately clear what specifically the men were wanted for, except for exchanges of fire with IDF troops during raids on Nablus.

Palestinian police would not comment on the breakout.

I wonder if the IDF is busy tonight....

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:54 AM