Jailbreak shines light on mass incarceration of Palestinians

By JOSEPH KRAUSS and JACK JEFFERY
Associated Press

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The cinematic escape of six Palestinians who tunneled out of an Israeli prison earlier this month has shone a light on Israel’s mass incarceration of Palestinians. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have passed through a military justice system designed for what Israel still portrays as a temporary occupation, but that is now well into its sixth decade and critics say is firmly cemented. Nearly every Palestinian has a loved one who has been locked up at some point. Israel says it provides due process and largely imprisons those who threaten its security. But Palestinians and human rights groups say the system is designed to quash opposition and maintain permanent control.