A Palestinian who received fresh fruit and vegetables from Israel in return for his release from Israeli jails said the experience was a new kind of human interaction.

In a recent interview with Israel’s Channel 2 News, Ahmad Abu Alqataa said he and other prisoners from the Palestinian Prisoners Society of East Jerusalem were granted permission to visit the country, and he was impressed with the quality of the fruits and veggies he received.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Abu AlQataa, who is serving a 30-year sentence in Israel for throwing stones at Israeli soldiers during a violent uprising in 2014.

“They took us to a village in East Jerusalem, and we were greeted by the residents of the village, who told us about their experiences.”

I am a Palestinian who has been in Israeli jails for 30 years, and this is my first visit to Israel,” Abu Al Qataa added.

The news comes just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the country would not reopen its prisons, saying the country’s security forces were working “to dismantle terrorism and restore the security of Israelis in their homes.”

Abu AlQataa, who was born and raised in the occupied West Bank, said the visit was “a big deal” for him.”

The Israeli government is sending us a gift.

In a similar statement issued last week, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was sending a message to Palestinian prisoners: “If you want to live in Israel, you have to be loyal to the state and its laws.””

We want to show them that they are not just prisoners but people who are citizens of the state, too.”

In a similar statement issued last week, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was sending a message to Palestinian prisoners: “If you want to live in Israel, you have to be loyal to the state and its laws.”