Political activists, families of prisoners and former prisoners have reacted angrily to the dismissal of Prisoner Affairs Minister Issa Qaraqe, who was replaced by fellow former prisoner Qadri Abu Bakr. In addition, the entire Prisoner’s Affairs Committee, which is headed by the minister, was also replaced. President Mahmoud Abbas ordered the changes in a presidential decree signed Aug. 2.

The reaction to Qaraqe's replacement ranged from assumptions that Abbas was pushing aside a minister he disliked to the change being a regular rotation at a ministry. The Prisoner’s Affairs Committee sets policies dealing with prisoners' issues and the concerns of their families.

Hamas and left-wing leaders issued strong statements criticizing Abbas' move and praising Qaraqe. They noted that Qaraqe had opposed payment cut-offs to Gaza prisoners and that he was a dedicated hard worker who always made himself accessible to prisoner families. Others simply felt the decision was long in coming and that such a change at the top of an important ministry was business as usual.

Jibril Rajoub, secretary of the Fatah movement, who served more than 15 years in Israeli jails, described the decision as routine. “If you look back at the previous years, ministers of prisoners have been replaced at regular intervals, about every four years,” Rajoub told Al-Monitor. “This decision will not affect prisoners or their families and will ensure that their needs are met by a strong, well-respected group of their peers.”