Israeli security officials told Ha'aretz at the weekend that Palestinian terrorists increase their killing capabilities while in Israeli prisons, providing another reason to not release them in gestures to the Palestinian Authority or as part of prisoner exchanges.
Over the past decade, Israel has set free thousands of jailed Palestinian and Lebanese terrorists. Despite pledging upon their release to refrain from acts of terror, a high percentage of the prisoners immediately rejoin their terrorist cells.
Nearly 200 of the more than 1,000 Israelis killed in terrorist attacks in recent years have been victims of those Israel has captured and then released.
Now security officials say that in addition to not being able to trust released terrorists, Israel needs to take into account the advanced killing skills those prisoners learn while inside Israeli jails.
Recently captured terrorists are taken under the wings of long-term security prisoners, who then teach the former how to more effectively attack Israelis upon their release.
In essence, Israel's prisons have become terrorist training grounds whose participants are certain to get a chance to practice their newfound skills as the international community continuously pressures Israel to free Palestinian prisoners.