136 Terrorist Prisoners Prove Terror is a Sure Path to University Education – 136 Graduated from Al-Quds Open University this Summer
Terrorists imprisoned in Israeli prisons continue to earn academic degrees from Al-Quds Open University, despite the Israeli Prison Service’s assurances that no such studies are taking place, and that it is still enforcing the 2011 Israeli decision to cancel imprisoned terrorists’ entitlement to higher education.
Two of this summer’s 136 prisoner graduates are from the infamous Abu Hmeid family, of which 5 brothers are imprisoned for terror offences, having murdered at least 10 between them. As Palestinian Media Watch has exposed many times, the terrorists’ mother, Latifa Abu Hmeid, is the PA’s top parental role model, having earned that status solely for being the mother of terrorists. Now she can take pride in her sons’ academic achievements too, as both Nasser and Nasr Abu Hmeid have earned degrees while in prison.
At the graduation ceremony, Ramallah District Governor Laila Ghannam – who is herself an avid terror supporter – stressed her “pride”, singling out Nasser Abu Hmeid who was responsible for the murder of 7:
Official PA TV newsreader: “The graduation ceremony of Al-Quds Open University’s 25th class also included graduates who are prisoners, the most prominent name among them being sick prisoner Nasser Abu Hmeid (i.e., terrorist, responsible for murder of 7).”
Ramallah and El-Bireh District Governor Laila Ghannam: “Today there is cause for pride. We have a graduation of prisoners, including those who were released. Today we are celebrating with them, and including those who insisted on being firm and jailing the prison guard, and who received a university degree. We congratulate them and we hope that soon we will celebrate with them while they are healthy and whole, and especially the sick. We have a graduation of the Abu Hmeid family, for our brother commander Nasser Abu Hmeid.”
[Official PA TV News, Aug. 16, 2022]
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr singled out the other brother, Nasr Abu Hmeid, who was involved in the murder of 4, as one of the “heroic prisoner” graduates. Abu Bakr noted that 136 prisoners graduated this year, while 663 graduated in recent years, and 400 prisoners are currently studying for a BA at Al-Quds open University:
Posted text: “The speech of Director of [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr at a graduation ceremony at Al-Quds Open University. This class included 136 prisoners, foremost among them heroic prisoners William Al-Rimawi (i.e., terrorist, involved in numerous shooting attacks) and Nasr Abu Hmeid (i.e., terrorist, involved in murder of 4)…
(The following is an excerpt of the speech by Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr -Ed.)
Dozens and hundreds of members of the prisoners’ movement have succeeded in wresting free their right to education. In recent years, 663 prisoners have graduated from this university, and this year 136 will graduate. 400 prisoners are still registered for a bachelor’s degree program at the university.”
[Facebook page of the PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs,
Aug. 1, 2022]
In the photo above, the PA’s top terror mom Latifa Abu Hmeid is seen standing next to Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr (right), while President of Al-Quds Open University, Samir Nadji, stands to the far right.
Similarly, terrorist Abd Al-Nasser Issa, who was involved in the murder of at least 11 for which he has been serving life since 1995, has “obtained more than one bachelor’s degree and also a master’s degree” while in prison, according to the official PA daily. [Aug. 20, 2022] Likewise, Abd Al-Salam Faleh “Abu Muhsin” (PMW was unable to determine the nature of his crimes) “achieved a bachelor’s degree in political science during his imprisonment.” [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 5, 2022]
As PMW has already noted, the PA claim that scores of imprisoned terrorists continue studying for degrees is either a most elaborate and finely developed hoax or an indicator that Israel’s Prison Service isn’t fully and forcefully implementing the government decision to prohibit these studies.
Nasser Abu Hmeid – Palestinian terrorist and a commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (Fatah’s military wing) in Ramallah who was responsible for the murder of 7 Israelis: Eli Cohen in a shooting attack on Route 443 in central Israel on Dec. 21, 2000; Binyamin and Talia Kahane in a drive-by shooting attack near Ofra, north of Jerusalem, on Dec. 31, 2000; Gadi Rejwan in a shooting attack in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Atarot on Feb. 27, 2002; and Yosef Habi, Eli Dahan, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat in an attack at the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak restaurants in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002. Abu Hmeid is serving 7 life sentences and an additional 50 years.
Nasr Abu Hmeid – Palestinian terrorist and Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) member who was involved in the murder of 4 in two terror attacks: the murder of Israeli policewoman Galit Arviv in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov on Feb. 25, 2002; and the murder of 3 Israelis – Yosef Habi, Eli Dahan, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat – at the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak restaurants in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002. Abu Hmeid was also involved in arms dealing and is serving 5 life sentences.
William Sameh Fares Al-Khatib Al-Rimawi – Palestinian terrorist and Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) member who was involved in numerous shooting attacks in which at least 2 Israelis were wounded during the PA terror campaign (the second Intifada, 2000-2005). Al-Rimawi was convicted of 9 counts of attempted murder and is serving 30 years in prison.
Abd Al-Nasser Issa – Palestinian terrorist and senior member of the Izz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing) in the West Bank, who together with Hamas terror leader Yahya Ayyash was responsible for a number of terror attacks including the Ramat Gan bus bombing (6 murdered, 33 wounded, July 24, 1995) and the Ramat Eshkol bus bombing (5 murdered, over 100 injured, Aug. 21, 1995). Issa is serving a life sentence.
The following are longer excerpts of some of the reports cited above:
“Yesterday, Friday [Aug. 19, 2022], prisoner Abd Al-Nasser Issa (i.e., terrorist, involved in murder of at least 11) from Nablus began his 28th year in the Israeli occupation’s prisons, and this is since his arrest in 1995. It should be noted that he was arrested a number of times before this date and has served a total of 31 years, according to what was reported by the [PA-funded] Prisoners’ Club.
The Prisoners’ Club noted that Issa was sentenced to life and succeeded in resisting his years of imprisonment by completing his studies, as he obtained more than one bachelor’s degree and also a master’s degree [in prison].”
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 20, 2022]
“The occupation released prisoner Abd Al-Salam Faleh ‘Abu Muhsin’ (PMW was unable to determine the nature of his crimes -Ed.) from the occupation’s Megiddo Prison after he completed his sentence that stood at 20 years…
Abu Muhsin achieved a bachelor’s degree in political science during his imprisonment.”
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 5, 2022]
Reprinted with author’s permission from Palestinian Media Watch
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