29/06/2010 Palestinians imprisoned in the Israeli prisons told Ynet on Monday that in recent months authorities have been turning a blind eye to smuggling of cellular phones into detainees.
According to the detainees, Israeli authorities are allowing conversations between detainees and their families because they believe these would serve as a pressuring tool on Hamas to agree to the exchange deal that would release captured Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Shalit.
The detainees noted that the change in policy made the prices for smuggling cellular phones into prisons plummet tremendously.
Israeli Prison Service denied any change in policy in this matter and presented data on cellular phones seized from security detainees in recent days.
However, the detainees said that despite thorough checks conducted by the different units of the prison service, there were thousands of phones inside the prison walls.
"The Israelis aren't idiots. They allow the phones to be smuggled in only for this purpose, and those who dare speak to friends instead of family members, risk heavy punishment," said a source, who said the move will not be successful. "If the Israelis expect the Hamas to accept their terms, then they are wrong."
The detainee added that according to an update he received, the German mediator is slated to return to the area and try to restart the stalled negotiations.
Israeli Prison Service spokesman Yaron Zamir said in response, "In terms of security, the policy is strict in regards to phone smuggling. The information is deceiving – only this afternoon two cellular phones were seized during a search in one of the jail facilities for security prisoners."
Sources in the IPS also noted that transferring messages from prisoners to their families – and through them to the Hamas – was possible via the detainee's lawyers, and did not warrant the use of cellular phones.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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