Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir clash over Palestinians' conditions in Israeli prisons

The leaders of security prisoners in Israeli prisons announced on Friday a hunger strike to begin on Rosh Hashanah Eve in response to what they claim is a unilateral deterioration of their conditions at the direction of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

"He wants war, he will get it," according to a message published on their behalf on social media. 

The Palestinians implied that disturbances will extend beyond the prison walls: "The decisions issued by the fascist extremist Ben-Gvir to limit the visits of the prisoners express a dangerous development and will open the door to a new conflict inside the prisons - and perhaps outside them." 

According to the reports, the national security minister instructed the IPS to limit the visits of the families of security prisoners from the West Bank to a frequency of once every two months instead of once a month.

Last month, it was reported that in the shadow of the security escalation and the rising wave of terrorism, Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded the implementation of dramatic moves against the security prisoners.

Ben-Gvir demanded that some television channels in the prisons be restricted and the organizational affiliation be canceled so that prisoners from any organization are not together in the same cell - two demands defined by the security system as "explosive". 

About three months ago, IPS chief Katy Perry signed an update to a procedure that requires prisoners to pay their own money for dental treatments. This decision, according to IPS estimate, will save the state coffers hundreds of thousands of shekels a year.  

Ben-Gvir responded: "The Commission's order clearly states that the frequency of visits to sentenced security prisoners is once every two months." He continued, "We must conduct ourselves according to the law and therefore instruct that the visits will take place as stated in the order. The relevant authorities must be informed and act in accordance with what is stated in the IPS order. 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office stated: "In response to reports that a decision has been made regarding the security prisoners: this is fake news. No decision has yet been made and such a decision will not be made, until the special discussion on the issue with the participation of all the security bodies, which Prime Minister Netanyahu set for next week."

A senior security source also told Maariv that it is important that the Prime Minister quickly made it clear that the Ben-Gvir cannot do what he wants, mainly with unchecked statements and hot air that produces damage without any security context.

MK Gotliv makes inflammatory remarks

Regarding Likud MK Tally Gotliv's comments on the matter, the source added, “It is very sad that there are members of the Knesset and ministers in the Likud who have made it their goal to attack the army and the security system and try to create a separation between the senior officers and the fighters in the field.”