Palestinian families “compete with each other” to raise terrorist children, says PLO official
Video posted on the Facebook page of the PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs
Visual:
The video shows an interview with Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr on Fatah-run Awdah TV.
Fatah-run Awdah TV host: “I want to ask you about prisoner Luay Al-Ashqar (PMW was unable to determine the nature of his crimes -Ed.), who has been on a hunger strike for 73 consecutive days. He has a brother named Muhammad Al-Ashqar (i.e., Islamic Jihad terrorist killed participating in a prison riot, while serving 2 years for giving refuge to a terrorist) who died as a Martyr in Ketziot Prison in 2007. What do you have to say about this fighting family that is sacrificing its lives as Martyrs?”
Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr: “Of course this is really a fighting family, and we have many families competing with each other in this matter. We have the family of Nasser Abu Hmeid (i.e., Um Nasser Abu Hmeid and her terrorist sons who are responsible for at least 10 murders; see note below) – five prisoners who were sentenced to life sentences, including a Martyr…
Our entire Palestinian family is a fighting [family]. There is no home or family that does not have a Martyr, a wounded person, or a prisoner. And when you speak about a million – more than a million Palestinians who went into the prisons – that is a quarter of the Palestinian people.”
Host: “The Palestinian people has sacrificed very much.”
Qadri Abu Bakr: “Of course, [and this is] aside from our Palestinian Martyrs, prisoners, and female prisoners. Currently we have 37 female prisoners in the prisons. Since [Nov.] 15- no, since 1915 (sic., 2015) and until today there are more than 10,000 Palestinian women who entered the prisons, and since 1967 there are approximately 17,000 Palestinian women who entered the prisons.”
Host: “The lauded Palestinian women.”
…
Qadri Abu Bakr: “[At a meeting with European parliamentarians in Brussels] we focused on the issue of [Israel] deducting money from the Palestinian tax money as money that they consider as terror (refers to Israel’s Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law to deduct PA terror salaries; see note below -Ed.). In the European Union (EU) they sympathize with Israel, but we told them the story – I told them a story that they were impressed with and were surprised that this was the first time that they were hearing about it. We told them: ‘Israel- in other words, the prisoners in the prisons, every prisoner is eligible- in other words, the Israelis allow us to give them an amount equal to 3,500 shekels – 400 shekels from the [PLO] Commission [of Prisoners’ Affairs] (apparently refers to 400 shekels in monthly canteen money for the prisoners -Ed.), from the [Palestinian] Authority, we have 1,200 [shekels] from the family and four or six boxes of cigarette packages that they bring in in addition to clothing and the like, and thus [it reaches] 3,500 [shekels]. Now, where do they want it to come in from? We bring in 400 [shekels], and the rest is the family. Where will the family bring the money from? Should they beg for alms? Where should they bring the money from if [the Israelis] prevent us from giving the family [the money]? And even if we give the family allowances (mukhassasat), they supplement them. How [do you explain] this duality? And particularly when they- Why are [the Israelis] giving permission? Because they profit from the canteen. An item that costs 100 shekels outside [of prison] – they sell it to the prisoners for 500 shekels.”