Released prisoner urges kidnappings to release terrorists

Released prisoner Yusuf Nazzal: “I want to say that what happened in 1983, in 1985 (i.e., exchange deals), and in all the periods in which the prisoners were released in dignity and pride, I think this is the thing that will bring about the release of our prisoners who were sentenced to life, and I think that there is no way to release them today except through this thing… except through prisoner exchange deals…Throughout the history of the prisoners’ movement, one of the elements of the resolve that enabled people [prisoners] to hold on was that there was always a political prospect or a prospect that was connected to kidnapping operations and the like. The prisoners always live on this hope.”

[Official PA TV, Giants of Endurance, Jan. 12 and 14, 2023]

Yusuf Nazzal – released prisoner who served 16 years in Israeli prison.
PMW was unable to determine the nature of his crimes

The capture of 8 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon – Eight Israeli soldiers were captured by Fatah terrorists in Bhamadoun, Lebanon on Sept. 4, 1982. Two of them were handed to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and 6 were held by Fatah. Fatah released the 6 soldiers on Nov. 23, 1983 as part of an exchange deal in which Israel released 4,700 terrorists who were held in Lebanon and 65 terrorists held in Israel. The two handed over to the PFLP were released on May 21, 1985, as part of an exchange deal in which Israel released 1,150 terrorist prisoners.

The Jibril Exchange was a deal between the Israeli government and the terror organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP- GC), led by Ahmed Jibril. On May 21, 1985, Israel released 1,150 Palestinian prisoners, including terrorist murderers, in exchange for three Israeli soldiers who had been taken hostage by the PFLP.