Palestinians are turning themselves in to PA
Two Palestinians wanted by Israel for acts of terror have turned themselves in to Palestinian authorities and are thus likely to escape Israeli prison.
At least two Palestinians who committed terror attacks in the past two weeks have turned themselves in to Palestinian security forces, thus avoiding Israeli detention.
On Friday, a Palestinian from the Ramallah area stabbed an Israeli in the chest and back, severely wounding him. Baraa Issa fled the scene. Soon after the attack a pre-recorded video popped up on Facebook in which Issa declared his intention to commit a terror attack.
Issa turned himself in to Palestinian security forces on Saturday as Israel continued its manhunt. He is thus likely to avoid Israeli prison.
The precursor to this was when a driver hit Kiryat Arba resident Avraham Hasno and fled the scene, leaving Hasno's body on the road. The driver turned himself in to Palestinian police in the nearby town of Dhahariya. Judea and Samaria District Police said the collision was intentional based on evidence such as the fact that no skid marks were found on the road.
"The phenomenon of terrorist turning themselves in to the Palestinian security forces is very problematic," said Ruti Hasno, Avraham's widow. "I predict that the phenomenon will keep growing. It's a good solution for them and I would not be surprised if it was a coordinated action."
She added that "the terrorists need to understand that when they try to commit terrorism they will die. Security forces need to shoot these terrorists and not treat them or keep them alive. Terrorists deserve the death penalty."
A flier that was distributed following the car attack showed Hasno's assailant and offered NIS 40,000 for his capture. The victim's relatives said they did not make the fliers.
Israeli police make formal extradition requests to the Palestinian Authority, including for terrorist suspects, but in the vast majority of cases in recent years the PA rejected them. But it did detain the suspects for extended periods of time, particularly when they are in the ranks of Hamas.
The main reason the Palestinians don't extradite suspects to Israel – even those believed to have murdered or attempted to murder Israelis – is concern that Mahmoud Abbas's security forces will be seen as traitors who collaborate with Israel. For example, two months ago Palestinian police officers were dismissed after forcibly arresting Palestinian demonstrators in Bethlehem.
"They both apparently knew they were being searched for by Israeli intelligence and realized it would be better to turn themselves in to the Palestinian forces," said security sources. "We are not seeing the 'revolving door' phenomenon we had in the second intifada, when the PA would detain terrorists for a few hours and release them. Someone who is arrested today can be imprisoned for years, but if he's not tried, as soon as he gets out Israel arrests him and puts him on trial."
Sources in the defense establishment have emphasized shortcomings – Palestinian security forces are working around the clock to avoid further escalation and arrest Hamas operatives in coordination with Israel, but according to senior officials their actions are insufficient. "These suspects can spend a long time in Palestinian prison without a sentence, and in the end they are released," said a source.
This policy led the Shin Bet to release a rare statement two weeks ago in which the Palestinian judicial system was described as "weak". This followed the release from Palestinian jail of the wanted Hamas operative Islam Hamed after five years, reportedly without the Shin Bet's knowledge. The terror operative was arrested by Duvdevan troops not long after his release, but a similar pattern has repeated itself numerous times over the last two years.
"Under Palestinian law there is no clause regarding accusations of terror activities," explained a security source, "and therefore if they go before a court it's because they've harmed Palestinian interests.
"None of the prosecuted terrorists that have been arrested by them send a message to the Palestinian population and this creates less deterrence. This is how they are shielded from being arrested by the Israelis."
The stabber who turned himself in was one of four terrorists who carried out attacks on Friday, three of them in the Hebron area. On Saturday, the Shin Bet and the IDF arrested the 16-year-old from Kfar Bani Naim next to Hebron, who shot and seriously wounded an IDF soldier in Beit Anun.
The manhunt for the terrorist that shot and wounded two youngsters in Hebron who had come to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs is ongoing. On Saturday, a 20-year-old woman was lightly wounded by stones thrown close to Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem
