May 18, 2008


PNN – Palestinian Legislative Council deputy Issa Qaraqa’ said on Sunday that the Israeli government is seeking to privatize its prisons.

Not only does this fly in the face of international law as these are political prisoners we are dealing with, says the former Director of the Palestinian Prisoner Society, it is the same type of deal that the Israelis engaged in by handing over several military roadblocks to private companies.

The law had been enacted in 2004 in the Israeli Knesset and the Israeli High Court of Justice was to discuss how to consider its legality under considerable pressure for approval.

Qaraqa’ believes that the privatization law for the Israeli prison comes in the context of transforming the prison into a profit generating sector. However, as occupiers, the Israeli government must take full responsibility for its political prisoners. "This government must not play with its humanitarian obligations towards the Palestinian prisoners."

The extradition of prisons to the private sector comes in the Israeli-wide competition to take advantage of millions of shekels entering the prisoners annually through the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners and relatives of the detainees for food sold in the prison stores, referred to as 'cantinas’ at considerable mark-ups. The prices for basic necessities are often exorbitant, but most all prisoners receive some funding from the Palestinian Authority and their families in order to survive.

In addition to competition for the benefit of millions of shekels in fines imposed by the military courts, there are also funds taken from Palestinians inside the prisons as penalties against them.

Qaraqa’ felt that the privatization of the prisoners issue sets a dangerous precedent. "They are dealing with these people as if they are restaurants or shops and this is a great violation of human rights and an affront to their dignity and humanity."

The PLC member also expects that prison conditions will deteriorate even further under privatization because of the increased interest in profits. "The financial penalties imposed on prisoners will go up and expenditures to improve prison conditions will go down."

Qaraqa’ warned that the "racist Israeli perception, which looks at Palestinians as inferior, will deprive the prisoners even more of their political, humanitarian and legal rights."

He added that there will be a further interest from the private sector to increase the number of arrests, particularly in the absence of a political solution to the situation, because of the financial gains and economic interests shared by the Israeli government and the private sector.