Israel’s Ben-Gvir orders to close pita bakeries run by Palestinian prisoners

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- Israel’s so-called National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered today the closure of pita bakeries in two Israeli prisons, which were run by Palestinian prisoners, as a part of a series of strict new measures against Palestinian prisoners.

The two pita bakeries were operated in Israel’s Rimon and Ketziot prisons by Palestinian prisoners and supplied fresh pita bread to the inmates.

Ben-Gvir’s office stated that “the minister’s policy is to deny benefits and indulgences to terrorists imprisoned in Israel, to deny them benefits that can be denied by law and certainly to deny them rights that for some reason only terrorists and not criminal prisoners have.”

Moreover, a state of tension prevailed in all the prisons on Tuesday after female prisoners in Israel’s Damon prison were attacked by Israeli prison guards, spraying them with tear and pepper gas, abusing prisoners in several prisons, and continuing to isolate some of them.

The rise in tension in the prisons was caused after raids by the repression units against several departments in Ofer, Naqab, Megiddo, and Damon prisons, assaulting prisoners, isolating dozens, and confiscating their electronic devices and some personal items.

In response, the prisoners set some cells ablaze.

The repression in the prisons was escalated by Ben-Gvir who vowed to make life miserable for the 4500 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons for their resistance to the occupation.

These measures include today’s decision to close the two bakeries, move prisoners around at all times, prevent family visitation, seize belongings and canteen products, as well as regular raids at cells and sections.

In response, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons continue their protest steps for the second day in a row against the arbitrary measures taken by the prison administrations against the female and male prisoners in the Naqab, Ofer and Megiddo prisons.

On Tuesday, the prisoners returned their breakfast meals, refused to go out for the so-called “security check” amid news of the crackdown and demanded to speak with Damon prisoners on the phone.

The prisoners have also warned that these repressive measures will not be taken lightly by the prisoners and are bound to escalate the situation in the prisons.

(Source / 01.02.2023)