“Some of the state’s systems have degenerated in recent years and have to go through processes of optimization, repair, and striving for excellence,” spoke Prime Minister Naftali Bennett after six Palestinian criminals escaped the Gilboa Prison last Monday, September 6.
The prisoners shared a cell and dug a tunnel from the inside out, spotlighting the decaying infrastructure, not only physically but systemically. While four of the six terrorists were caught within a week, two remain at large, proving a serious wake-up call for Israel.
Similar to the Israeli Police Force, the Prison System doesn’t seem to be prioritized and is now under public scrutiny. The Gilboa Prison is meant to be the state’s strongest prison; however, it hasn’t been invested in for years. The escape loophole is one that speaks largely to the breakdown of the prison as a whole, creating a conversation questioning the competence of the prison system and its staff.
While Bennett has said that a full examination will be completed, the question is who will be running the investigation? Are they trustworthy or corrupt, and willing to uncover the breakdown in order to efficiently rebuild state security?
