Palestinian terror convicts cause unrest in high-security Israeli prison

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) reported on Sunday that a possible riot is underway at the Ofer Security Prison, a high-security prison for dangerous terrorists located in Samaria – internationally known as the West Bank – close to the Palestinian Authority’s administrative capital Ramallah.

The unrest reportedly began when prisoners started banging on doors and causing disturbances during a tour of the prison's military wing. In response, security officers were instructed to regain control by forcibly entering the cells and subduing the violent inmates. This riot is not an isolated incident.

In November, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hamas and its political rival Fatah recently threatened to launch a “war” inside Israeli prisons. "You will end the war outside; we will start it in prison," Hamas officials threatened Prisons Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi.

An official from Hamas’ political rival Fatah told Yaakobi at the time that "We will have our Independence Day inside the prison."

“These quotes reverberate with me, and I am preparing myself with the means and preparing the team accordingly,” Yaakobi said in November.

He has further emphasized the danger by describing Israel’s prisons as the “eighth front” against Israel, a reference to the Israeli term "The Seven-Front War,” which describes the various Iranian-backed terrorist fronts against Israel. 

The Ofer Prison has become the central release point for convicted terrorists who are released in exchange for Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza. 

The overwhelming majority of Israelis back the government’s efforts to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. However, releasing from Israeli prisons dangerous terrorists that are convicted of murdering Israelis has become a controversial and highly divisive issue in Israeli society. 

In late January, Israeli officials announced they would reluctantly release 110 convicted terrorists and murderers from Israeli prisons in exchange for three civilian Israeli hostages held in Gaza. 

Zakaria Zubeidi, a notorious terrorist and a former commander of the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, was recently released in the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. 

Zubeidi is convicted of murdering several Israelis, including the Beit Shean city council member Motti Avraham. The widow Bela Avraham expressed mixed emotions concerning the release of Zubeidi. 

“On the one hand, I want all the kidnapped to return home, and on the other hand, the release is dangerous,” Avraham told Israeli media. 

“Despite the disaster that befell us and the pain that has accompanied us every second of the day since, I would release Zubeidi to save my brothers and sisters from captivity,” she continued. 

“I believe that the IDF will do what is necessary with all the terrorists who were released. I expect the state to pursue him until his last day,” Mrs. Avraham concluded. 

In September 2021, Zubeidi was one out of six security prisoners who temporarily succeeded in escaping from a high-security prison in northern Israel. Zubeidi and the other terrorists unsuccessfully tried to hide among Arab Israelis. 

At the time, Israel’s Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev praised Arab Israelis “who assisted in the capture of the terrorists.”

“For four days the escapees wandered around believing they would find shelter and help among Arab Israelis, but they were mistaken,” Bar-Lev wrote on 𝕏. “Everywhere they turned, Arab citizens refused them and called police. Much respect to all the responsible citizens!”