Beita, Occupied West Bank: Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are gathering for a day of rage on Friday in support of the six Palestinian prisoners, who escaped from an Israeli prison, heeding the call of Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups.
They are also protesting against the punitive measures that the Israeli jail authorities have imposed on imprisoned members of the Islamic Jihad, another group active in the Gaza Strip, in the wake of a brazen escape from one of the country’s most secure prisons.
Several relatives of the escaped prisoners have been arrested, including three people on Friday morning, as part of an Israeli manhunt to capture them. The six men tunneled out of the high-security Gilboa jail on Monday, triggering celebration and solidarity protests in the Palestinian territories.
Israeli forces were on their second-highest level of alert on Friday, below declaring a state of emergency, prepared for protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and possible riots within Israeli jails.
More than 100 Palestinian protesters moved towards the valley below the illegal Israeli settlement of Evyatar which is constructed on agricultural land expropriated from the villagers. On the hill above, groups of Israeli soldiers monitored youths who burned tyres and threw stones.
Periodically, drones flew over the young men, dropping tear gas on them, while others buzzed close above taking pictures.
Later on Friday, the Red Crescent reported more than 30 injuries in Beita and Beit Dajan near Nablus. An ambulance was also hit by Israeli soldiers.
“It is our duty as Palestinians and activists to support the escaped prisoners,” Abu Rahme told Al Jazeera. “It is very good news that they escaped and we all support them.”
Muhammad Khabeisa, who has lost agricultural land to the settlement of Evyatar, told Al Jazeera his whole village backed the escaped prisoners.
“The prisoners in Palestinian jails are longing for freedom. They want to live their lives. They are not ordinary criminals, but patriots fighting for freedom,” he said.
He added: “The Israelis have put Palestinians in prison with the occupation of their land. When the Palestinians take up arms, the world calls us terrorists and when we lay down our arms and resist peacefully, the Israelis kill us.” “And even when we don’t protest peacefully, they take our land. What can we do?” Khabeisa said.
