The Christian Science Monitor spins the Hamas prisoners involved in the National Reconciliation Document as an “unlikely moderate and influential force” within the Islamic terror group. Reporter Josh Mitnick also whitewashes the reason the document’s other signatories are behind bars:
In a political system caught between liberation movement and an embryonic sovereign government, time in an Israeli jail is a powerful résumé-builder for politicians….
Mr. Zaidan, who spent four years imprisoned by Israel, described the jail as an ivory tower for Palestinian militants, where activists from different backgrounds have enough time to reflect and mingle with one another.
“They are the think tanks of the factions. The prisoners have no other distractions, so they’re dedicated to thinking, they’re reading newspapers, and they’re following every little incident,” says Zaidan.
“Rival Palestinian groups are more understanding of each other than [they are] outside the prison. This closeness gives more chance for dialogue, interaction and exchange of ideas. This is very healthy. I know that some of my views and relationships with other people have been formed by these four years.”
Marwan Barghouti gained entry to entered the ivory prison tower because of the blood on his hands. While we don’t yet have specific information about the other signatories, it suffices to say they were all senior figures in organizations expressly dedicated to Israel’s destruction.
