The Prison Service has expressed firm opposition to allowing Red Cross representatives into prisons where security prisoners are held, according to a letter sent by the head of the Intelligence Division at the Prison Service, Eli Cohen, detailing the current assessment of the situation and basing it on the policy of the Minister of National Security, MK Itamar Ben Gvir.
Cohen opened his letter by noting that imprisoned terrorists are still highly motivated and, "the security prisoners are working on all fronts to position themselves and return the prison to the main terrorist arena. Thus, among other things, they continue to work even harder to harm staff members in unusual and extreme ways and methods."
He added that there is a real concern that any contact between the prisoners and Red Cross representatives will be used to transfer uncontrolled information, both in and out, thus allowing for the renewal of terrorist activity.
"There is a real concern that security prisoners will make manipulative use of the presence of the Red Cross, even without their knowledge or awareness, for the purpose of promoting terrorist goals and transmitting messages to promote activity inside and outside the prisons," Cohen warned.
He added that the terrorists would interpret the mere entry of an external international body as a cognitive achievement and would lead to agitation and disturbances.
In the letter, he concluded: "The potential inherent in the entry of Red Cross representatives into prisons carries a real risk of harming the security of the state and the security of the prison."