Talks between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli Prisons Service officials could lead to the installment of public phones in cell blocks, in exchange for prisoners handing over their smuggled cell phones. It is still unclear what authorities will do with the cellphone jamming devices installed in the wards.
Under the current settlement, the two sides will negotiate the issue of family visits and sanctions imposed on prisoners after the elections.
As a result of the tension surrounding the jamming devices issue, the prisoners called off their strike while waiting for the results of the negotiations with the prison administration, according to “Yedioth Ahronoth”.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said there are no negotiations with security prisoners, and the authorities will continue to install mobile phone jamming devices.
The newspaper pointed out in an article that Palestinians in Israeli prisons decided to suspend their hunger strike, which began on Sunday morning, after the progress made in negotiations with the administration.
The article stressed that it is best to maintain stability among Hamas prisoners, fearing an escalation that may begin in prison and extend to the street in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
The newspaper reported that in recent days, the army negotiated with the prisoners’ commission and administration to prevent a strike.
The administration proposed installing pay phones for the security departments that will be monitored without removing jamming devices, adding that other demanding such restoring visitation rights and lifting sanctions will be discussed only after the elections in Israel.
Chairman of the Prisoners Affairs Commission Qadri Abu Bakr indicated that the prisoners decided to postpone the open hunger strike after achieving progress in dialogue with the administration.
He added that “dialogue was ongoing,” and that a final announcement about the coordinated hunger strike would be announced immediately following the conclusion of the negotiations.
The Chairman indicated that the Prisons Service has agreed to install pay phones in the prisons, which will be manned by guards. He said the administration also agreed to release the prisoners being held in isolation over their involvement in recent clashes with guards and restore their family visitation privileges.
The prisoners were demanding the remove of all jamming devices recently installed in some prisons due to their impact on the health of the prisoners, allowing visitation by families of Gaza prisoners, installing public phones in the prisons, ending the solitary confinement of prisoners who were punished following the recent troubles in the prisons, ending raids of cells and assaults and improving medical service, among others.
But the request to remove jamming devices is the most prominent and most important demand that the prisoners insist on.
An Israeli prison official said 14 separate incidents of illegal telephone conversations aimed at inciting attacks against Israelis were identified in recent months.
