Re-arrested Palestinian former prisoners plan protest steps, hunger strike

The six Palestinians whose sentences were re-imposed. Via Wattan TV
The six Palestinians whose sentences were re-imposed. Via Wattan TV

Palestinian prisoners released in the Wafa al-Ahrar agreement and then rearrested are considering taking steps toward an open hunger strike, said Palestinian lawyer Jawad Boulos on Sunday, 23 August.

Boulos visited the re-arrested prisoners from Jerusalem – who were rounded up in mass arrests in summer 2014 and then had their original sentence reimposed by a secret Israeli military commission without charges and on the basis of secret evidence.

Adnan Maragha, Nasser Abed Rabbo, Jamal Abu Saleh, Alaa Bazian and Aref Fakhouri – as well as former long-term hunger striker Samer Issawi – are awaiting the decision of the Israeli occupation Supreme Court in their case against the reimposition of their sentences. They urged actions on the legal, political and popular levels to support their freedom.

63 former prisoners have been rearrested by the Israeli occupation army after their freedom in the 2011 exchange agreement with the Palestinian resistance which saw 1000 Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Samer Issawi reported that he ended his solidarity hunger strike on Thursday with Muhammad Allan after several days, at the news of Allan’s own strike ending.