Planner of murder of 5 teaches MA program to imprisoned terrorists for Al-Quds Open University, PA pays

Al-Quds Open University President’s Aide for Student Affairs Muhammad Shahin: "We send all the blessings to our prisoners, who are truly a crown of honor on our heads… This program [of studies] is defiance within the Israeli prisons... At Al-Quds Open [University] we have begun the practical and fixed program in 5 prisons: Rimon, Ketziot, Gilboa, Nafha, and Shikma – as part of an agreement signed between Al-Quds Open University, the [PA] Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs in 2014 now the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, and the [PA] Ministry of Education and Higher Education…"
Muhammad Shahin: "The most important criteria is the presence of a committee of academics in each of these prisons, from among [the prisoners] with an MA or PhD… The committee supervises the exams, the grades, the submission of the grades, all the procedures, and especially the academic ones so that they follow the rules and criteria found within the university… The lawyer of the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs brings the exams [out of the prisons]. He submits them to the acceptance and registration deanship at the university… The goal is to serve the prisoners as part of the university’s social responsibility. From 2000 and until 2014, the program was completely for free… The Al-Quds Open University, would be the body that would oversee studies for prisoners. That was the agreement. When the implementation began, the [Israeli] prison management forced the Hebrew Open University [on the prisoners], which provides programs that have no connection to our heritage, history, and possibilities… But since 2014… 30% of the costs [are being paid] by the university as a scholarship for all the prisoners, and the rest is paid by the Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs without collecting [money] from the prisoner…"
Host: "[The program is] not just BA degrees. The prisoners are also obtaining MA degrees"
Al-Quds Open University Political Science Department Head Ziyad Ayyad: "Correct… It began in 2012, when we began with MA [studies] through brother Dr. Marwan Barghouti, who initiated the MA [program] of Israeli Studies in the prisons. This program has been a great success. We have produced many students with MA diplomas."

Marwan Barghouti