Arab prisoners in Israel: a slim chance for release
Israel, Politics, 2/20/1998

Palestinian security prisoners who live inside Israel may now have a chance to obtain an amnesty with the mounting pressure by all Arab Knesset members on Israeli president Ezer Weizman and on his competitor, right wing Likud party nominee for the presidency, Shaul Amour.

Over the past decades, Palestinians from inside Israel were arrested for security reasons, whether in the context of membership in the Palestine Liberation Organization or any of its splinter groups, or for activities and attacks they carried out against Israelis. But none of those has ever received a state amnesty or a presidential pardon though dozens of Israeli prisoners are released almost on a yearly basis, mainly during Jewish holidays.

Israeli right wing activists and members of Jewish terror groups had also been granted presidential paroles in the past but again, none of the Arab security prisoners living in Israel had the chance to be set free. With the rising competition between the opposition Labor Party and the ruling right wing Likud over who should step into the presidential residence in Israel for the coming five years, Arab Knesset members have decided it is about time for them to intervene and try to exert some pressure.

A few weeks ago, a number of Arab Knesset members met with the president of Israel, Ezer Weizman, and demanded that he act to release Palestinians from Israel who were convicted of security offenses. Weizman, said one member, promised to do his best but nothing was done. Azmi Bishara of the Arab National Coalition, sent a letter to Weizman asking for earnest efforts to release the Arab prisoners and making it clear that Arab Knesset members' support to Weizman is conditional on his issuing a presidential clemency for all Arab security prisoners in Israel.

Israeli sources said Friday that the president's office has been busy working for an amnesty for Palestinian security prisoners from within Israel in return for support of the Arab parties for a third tenure for President Weizman. The move on the part of Weizman took a more serious turn with the real threat that the new Likud nominee is posing to his chances of being reelected. Weizman, the sources said, seems to be more ready these days to appease the Arab Knesset members and he wants to encourage them to support his reelection.

Arab Democratic Party member of Knesset, Talab As Sane' said that Weizman in the past did not honor his commitment to the Arabs though all Arab Knesset members supported his reelection for the second tenure against his then-competitor Dov Shilansky of the Likud. "This time, things will be different. Weizman needs to know that our support for him has a price and he should grant the Arab security prisoners a pardon as same as he does to Jewish prisoners," he said.

Palestinian prisoners from the Occupied Territories are released as part of deals reached between Israel and the Palestinians. Israeli Jewish prisoners are released to appease right wing parties which do not agree with the release of Palestinian prisoners, and only Palestinian Arab security prisoners from inside Israel have no chance to be released and are left behind bars.

"During his previous tenure, Weizman almost did nothing on this issue. Only when I approached him again some time ago, did things start to move forward," said Knesset member Dr. Azmi Bishara. He said that the prison authority had already issued a report on the matter and sent it to the president. "I hope the matter will be dealt with in a proper way and I believe this is the appropriate time to raise the issue again," he said.

Most of the Arab Knesset members believe they should not declare their support for Weizman in the open and suggested that their support remain tacit until they obtain guarantees that their demands will be met. They want not only the release of Arab security prisoners but further steps to promote equality between Arabs and Jews in Israel.

They want the president to play a supportive role for the peace process. Therefore, Likud nominee Shaul Amour does not have much chance of winning Arab support. Yet, Weizman's chances are not certain either. "We are not in either candidate's pocket. We want our demands to be met because that is what counts," said Abdul Malek Dahamsheh of the Arab Democratic Party.

Dahamseh said his party would support the president who is ready to grant amnesty to all Arab prisoners from Israel, who helps achieve equality for Arabs in Israel and who is ready to push the peace process forward. He said it does not matter to him whether the president is the nominee of the left or the right in Israel because "what counts is whoever meets our demands and serves our goals."

Ahmed Saad of the communist-affiliated Democratic Front said his party decided to support Weizman because the other candidate represents the right-wing Likud party, which has been taking stands against the peace process and adopts a tough approach toward the Arabs in Israel. Yet he too said that Weizman should know that Arab support for the renewal of his tenure cannot be taken for granted, because he too has to meet a number of demands and conditions forwarded to him by the Arab Knesset members.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli Mossad report on Amman Fiasco: background   (2/16/1998)
  Jewish settlements acquire front line status, Peace Now protests   (2/9/1998)
  Israeli premier: No Golan pullout   (1/28/1998)

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