Soldiers release their hostages, end revolt at Israeli army prison

JERUSALEM, Aug. 10 (JTA) — A violent protest at an Israel Defense Force prison near Haifa ended peacefully this week after IDF soldiers released all of the guards they had taken hostage. The protest began Saturday, when a group of soldiers in the jail took nine unarmed guards hostage at knifepoint. The prisoners, who reportedly stole the knives from a prison workshop, said they were protesting what they said was harsh treatment in the jail, including beatings and humiliation by prison guards. Senior army officials said the soldiers had two principal demands: that organizers of the protest not be punished, and that long-term prisoners not be transferred to civilian prisons, as is the practice for soldiers serving time for non-military offenses. Six of the guards were released during negotiations. Army officials said the leaders of the protest were serving long-term sentences for crimes such as homicide, rape and drug dealing. The head of the IDF’s personnel division, Brig. Gen. Gideon Sheffer, said a committee of inquiry would be set up to examine the events leading up to the protest and to find ways to prevent a recurrence of this type of incident. The protest also prompted a Knesset committee to call for a special discussion about conditions at military prisons.