PA unveils "Tree of Freedom" decorated with pictures of terrorists serving life sentences

PA unveils "Tree of Freedom" decorated with pictures of terrorists serving life sentences

"It was agreed that it [the tree] will be placed
in a prominent location in the city of Bethlehem,
as befitting the prisoners."

District governor of Bethlehem also visited
families of 7 terrorists serving life sentences.
He gave them boxes of sweets with pictures of the prisoners

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

"The district governor emphasized that the Palestinian people supports the sacrifice of the prisoners... they represent the purest and most noble cause in Palestinian society..."
 

Headline: "Bethlehem: Visit [by delegation] headed by district governor to homes of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment"
"Bethlehem District Governor, Abd Al-Fatah Hamael, conducted a visit yesterday to the homes of several prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment. He was accompanied by representatives of the organizations dealing with prisoners, members of the Committee of Families of Prisoners, and the head of the Preventive Security Service in Bethlehem, Wajih Rajoub. The delegation visited the homes of prisoners Khaled Al-Azraq, Mahmoud Abu Sorour, Nasser Abu Sorour, Issa Abd Rabbo, Riyad Al-Amour, Adnan Al-Afandi, and Rizq Salah. (See descriptions below.) These families were told that our people stand with the prisoners in the occupation's prisons, because the prisoners gave the most precious thing they possessed, their freedom, for the sake of our people's national cause. The district governor and his entourage gave [the families] gift packages of sweets, with pictures of the prisoners printed on them... The district governor emphasized that the Palestinian people supports the sacrifice of the prisoners and their struggle, and that they represent the purest and most noble cause in Palestinian society, and therefore everyone must stand with the prisoners and their families."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 18, 2011]

"The Bethlehem Committee of Families of Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, [the Bethlehem prisoners] numbering 73 in total, held a ceremony yesterday in their honor, as part of the events marking Prisoners' Day. [The ceremony] was attended by Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake, and Bethlehem district governor, Abd Al-Fatah Hamael... Speakers at the ceremony of honor included Minister Karake, district governor Hamael, and district deputy governor, Abu Ulia. They underlined the importance of unifying the efforts on behalf of the prisoners, and at the same time stressing that that prisoners' cause - with its national, moral, and humanitarian dimensions - is one of the most important matters on the agenda of the Palestinian Authority, which emphasizes that there will be no peace and no solution without the release of all prisoners and detainees. At the same time, [the Palestinian Authority] is making great efforts to provide the best services to the prisoners and to their families, since they are the most important national group in Palestinian society... At the end of the ceremony, the Tree of Freedom for Prisoners was unveiled, with photographs of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment hanging from its branches, in a glass case. It was agreed that it will be placed in a prominent location in the city of Bethlehem, as befitting the prisoners and their sacrifice."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 20, 2011]