by Ariel Kahana , Itsik Saban and Idan Avni
PM Bennett tasks commission of inquiry with investigating Gilboa Prison break as Islamic Jihad fugitives Iham Kamamji and Munadil Nafiyat remain at large. Fugitives have likely split up, are "desperate individuals," Israel Police chief cautions.
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| Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attends a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021 | Photo: Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP |
With a nationwide manhunt for two fugitive Palestinian terrorists still ongoing Sunday morning, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said some of Israel's security organizations "have atrophied."
At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett said, "The amount of energy and effort that has been invested in fixing the chain of mistakes and failures that simply should never have happened is immense. This requires inquiry and for lessons to be learned.
"Together with [Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, we decided to establish a governmental commission of inquiry into the escape and there will be a comprehensive and serious examination.
"We are looking at things through a broader lens and view what happened as a wake-up call. Some of the state's systems have atrophied in recent years and need to be improved, changed and strive for excellence.
"It's possible and necessary to work differently, particularly in a security organization such as the Israel Prisons Service. Quality appointments that are based strictly on professional parameters, defining national objectives, and formulating organized work plans. What's been broken can be fixed," he said.
Five days into the national manhunt, four of the six Palestinian security prisoners who escaped from a jail in northern Israel last week were captured over the weekend. Police caught two of the fugitives – Yaqoub Mahmoud Qadri and Mohammed Qassem al-Arida – in Nazareth Friday night. Hours later, two others – notorious terror commander Zakaria Zubeidi and Mohammed al-Arida – were apprehended in the nearby town of Shibli–Umm al-Ghanam. In both cases, Arab Israelis who encountered the fugitives reported them to authorities, aiding in their capture.
The six fugitives received no help while on the run, Israeli security forces said in statements Saturday night.
A video circulating on social media showed Israeli police shackling one of the prisoners, Qadri, into the backseat of a police vehicle and asking him for his name. The man, wearing jeans and a green T-shirt, calmly identifies himself as Qadri and answers "yes" when asked whether he is one of the escapees. Qadri was serving two life sentences for attempted murder and bomb planting.
"Due to the cooperation between all security organizations and the very broad deployment of police and Border Police forces on the ground, we were able to apprehend four of the six terrorists, and the manhunt is ongoing," said Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, who cautioned it was still too early to celebrate the end of one of the more embarrassing chapters in Israel's security history.
Shabtai called on civilians to remain vigilant and for local communities to remain on guard.
The still-at-large terrorists are "desperate individuals, and we must be aware of any [suspicious] movements in the area," the police chief continued.
Defense officials speculated on Saturday it was increasingly likely that the two remaining escapees – Iham Kamamji and Munadil Nafiyat, both of whom are members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group – had split up. One of the two may still be in Israel, while the other could have crossed into Judea and Samaria, defense officials said.
Security officials were increasingly concerned that Kamamji or Nafiyat could try to carry out an attack following the arrests of the other fugitives over the weekend.
"They have nothing to lose," an unnamed senior official was quoted saying by the Walla news site.
Bennett and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi took part in a situational assessment on Saturday night along with other security officials regarding the ongoing manhunt.
"The activity has been determined and consistent, and the key to success is smooth and quiet cooperation between all those involved," Bennett said, adding that "rapid information sharing and precise division of tasks between security forces should continue, allowing maximum coverage of the area."
Shabtai praised the civilians who he said helped lead to the terrorists' capture. "I call on civilians, whose conduct to this point has been commendable, to continue your everyday lives but also be on alert for anything suspicious. We will respond quickly to any emergency call and any report to detain the terrorists who are still on the run," he said.
Bar-Lev also praised Israel's Arab citizens, who he said helped lead to the capture of the fugitives by reporting them to the police.
"Alongside the compliments to the Israel Police and security forces for their actions thus far, and without ignoring the fact that the mission is still not completed – I would like to thank the Arab citizens of Israel who aided in the apprehension of the terrorists," Barlev wrote on Twitter.
"For four days the fugitives wandered, believing they'd find shelter and refuge among Arab Israelis – but they were mistaken. Wherever they turned for help and were identified, Arab citizens turned them away and called the police," added Barlev.
After interrogating the four re-captured terrorists, police and Shin Bet security service investigators concluded they had no accomplices on the outside, or assistance from within the prison, Channel 12 News reported on Saturday night. The report said the escaped prisoners may have received minor assistance from passersby, such as offers of rides or clothing, none of which was premeditated.
The four men were brought to a Northern District Court in Nazareth on Saturday night for their first hearing following their capture. Prosecutors accused them of having planned to conduct a major terror attack following their escape, a crime with a possible sentence of 15 additional years in prison.
The four captured fugitives will likely be kept in solitary confinement following their capture. Their remand was extended by nine days.
Meanwhile, terrorist prisoners from the Fatah organization said they would launch a hunger strike due to the punitive measures imposed on them by the Israel Prison Service.
In a letter to the Palestinian Authority, they said all the prisoners had agreed to go on a hunger strike starting this Friday.
Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, responded to the prisoners' threat by saying: "This moment is a test in which the State of Israel must not yield and must not blink. Let them starve to death. We manage the prisons and we dictate the conditions. Not the terrorists. And the conditions must be much stricter and more severe. And if an uprising inside the prisons leads to riots outside, the IDF will severely suppress them. The deterrence must be restored."
Shortly after the arrest of Qadri and Mohammed Arida, thousands of Palestinians violently protested across Judea and Samaria and clashed with IDF troops throughout the day. A rocket was also launched from the Gaza Strip and was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. The IDF responded with an airstrike against a Hamas military infrastructure.
For the Palestinians, the fugitives terrorists are "heroes" who succeeded in freeing themselves from multiple life sentences. Fighting against Israel and taking part in attacks against the Israeli military or even civilians is a source of pride for many.
Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that "the arrest of the heroic prisoners is another round in the open and ongoing battle with the occupation. What happened strengthens the Palestinian people to continue the struggle against the occupation and support of prisoners."
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has threatened retaliation if any harm came to its operatives jailed in Israel or the fugitives.
As soon as the news about the capture of the two fugitives was confirmed Friday, a flurry of bitter posts expressing disappointment and shock filled Palestinian social media.
The Gilboa Prison break is one of the worst jailbreaks in Israel's history. The initial investigation has already exposed major flaws in the Israel Prison Service and set off days of angry finger-pointing and calls for a commission of inquiry.
Ariel Kahana , Itsik Saban and Idan Avni
Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/09/12/2-terrorists-still-at-large-may-have-nothing-to-lose-defense-officials-warn/
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