On Monday’s CBS Mornings, foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab showed what he was thankful for over the Thanksgiving holiday: Israel releasing Palestinian terrorists. Tyab joined the street celebrations happening in the West Bank, smiling from ear-to-ear and he walked side-by-side with a woman who was convicted for trying to stab an Israeli man to death, falsely hinting that she was coerced into a confession.
Leading into the story of Israel trading terrorist prisoners for Hamas’s hostages, co-anchor Tony Dokoupil boasted: “a notable part of this story, the massive celebrations that took place in the West Bank as Palestinian prisoners and security detainees who were returned over the weekend got a hero`s welcome in many cases.”
Dokoupil then touted that the “estimated” “8,000 additional detainees and convicted criminals” were “a motivation for Hamas to extend this ceasefire and release more hostages in its own effort to bring more Palestinians out of prison.”
Tyab marched in the streets and joined the “hero`s welcome” two young terrorists received. “The Israeli military warned Palestinians not to celebrate the return of these prisoners, but it`s a warning they`ve clearly defied,” he praised. He never mentioned the twos’ names nor what they did to be imprisoned, but he vaguely suggested that what they and others did amounted to “civil disobedience offenses.”
Further in his report, Tyab grinned ear-to-ear as he walked side-by-side with Nourhan Awad (pictured above), who was convicted for trying to stab an Israeli man to death. Despite showing a video of her attack, he seemed to hint that she was coerced into a false confession by Israeli authorities:
Among those released is Nourhan Awad. She was 16 years old when she was arrested in 2015 for the attempted stabbing of an Israeli man, now 24, she denies the charges. But like many Palestinian minors facing Israel`s military court system – that the UN says has a nearly 100 percent conviction rate – she later pled guilty, and told her she was initially sentenced to 13 years in an Israeli jail.
Tyab conducted a gooey sit-down interview with Awad, who was dressed in a white outfit with a crown of white flowers on her head:
TYAB: What do you want the world to know about your experience?
AWAD (with Tyab translating): "That it was very difficult, but I learned a lot," she says. "I now understand the value of many things that I did not appreciate before prison."
TYAB: Like what?
AWAD (with Tyab translating): "Like the value of freedom and of sunlight."
“The plight of prisoners is a deeply felt issue for Palestinians. According to a recent UN report, around one-fifth of the population of five million has spent time in Israeli jails,” he lamented, but his glee for those released was on full display.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
CBS Mornings
November 27, 2023
8:01:02 a.m. EasternTONY DOKOUPIL: But we are going to begin this hour with the exchange of prisoners held in Israel for hostages held by Hamas. And a notable part of this story, the massive celebrations that took place in the West Bank as Palestinian prisoners and security detainees who were returned over the weekend got a hero`s welcome in many cases.
It’s estimated that some 8,000 additional detainees and convicted criminals remain inside Israeli jails, and a motivation for Hamas to extend this ceasefire and release more hostages is its own effort to bring more Palestinians out of prison.
Imtiaz Tyab met with one of the younger Palestinians released by Israel, and one of those given a hero`s welcome home.
[Cuts to video]
IMTIAZ TYAB: Rarely do the streets of the Israeli occupied West Bank look like this, scenes of massive celebrations at the release of Palestinian prisoners, mainly women and children. So far, a total of 117 had been freed as part of the deal between Israel and Hamas, including these teenage boys who were given a hero`s welcome.
The Israeli military warned Palestinians not to celebrate the return of these prisoners, but it`s a warning they`ve clearly defied.
But in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces moved in to crack down on the celebrations by surrounding the homes of several released prisoners.
Israel says the minors it is releasing as part of the truce are terrorists. But Palestinian leaders say they’re just children held for what other countries would regard as civil disobedience offenses, like attending protests.
The plight of prisoners is a deeply felt issue for Palestinians. According to a recent UN report, around one-fifth of the population of five million has spent time in Israeli jails.
Among those released is Nourhan Awad. She was 16 years old when she was arrested in 2015 for the attempted stabbing of an Israeli man, now 24, she denies the charges. But like many Palestinian minors facing Israel`s military court system – that the UN says has a nearly 100 percent conviction rate – she later pled guilty, and told her she was initially sentenced to 13 years in an Israeli jail.
What do you want the world to know about your experience?
NOURHAN AWAD (with Tyab translating): "That it was very difficult, but I learned a lot," she says. "I now understand the value of many things that I did not appreciate before prison."
TYAB: Like what?
AWAD (with Tyab translating): "Like the value of freedom and of sunlight."
[Cuts back to live]
TYAB: And according to the advocacy group, the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Israel is now holding a record high of 2,200 Palestinians in what`s known as administrative detention, which is basically arrest without charge or trial, potentially, indefinitely, a deeply controversial policy that Israel defends as a counterterrorism measure. Gayle.
GAYLE KING: All right, Imtiaz Tyab, we thank you.
