Arab Israelis Help Apprehend Escaped Palestinian Prisoners

When six prisoners shawshanked their way out of the maximum-security Gilboa Prison in northern Israel last week, they thought they could find a little redemption in the nearby Arab Israeli village of Na’ura. According to details leaked from the Shin Bet security agency’s investigation, the escapees begged local residents to drive them to Jenin, the closest city in the West Bank, but were refused. They did manage to find a bit of respite at a local mosque, where they showered and changed clothes, before splitting up. Two of the prisoners made their way to Nazareth, where they were again rebuffed after requesting food from Arab Israeli residents; another two ended up in the village of Shibli–Umm al-Ghanam. Residents in both locations reported to the authorities that they had seen suspicious figures, and these reports ultimately helped the police and Shin Bet nab the escapees and return them to prison.