Three Palestinian prisoners remain on hunger strike in Israeli jails: Mahmoud al-Balboul, 21; Mohammed al-Balboul, 26; and Malik al-Qadi, 20. The three strikers are all held in Israeli hospitals and have experienced serious deterioration of their health over the past days.
The Balboul brothers, whose father Ahmed al-Balboul was a Fateh leader assassinated by Israel in 2008, have been imprisoned since 9 June and are held without charge or trial under administrative detention. At the time they were arrested, their 15-year-old sister Nuran was also imprisoned; she spent three months in Israeli prison. Mahmoud, a student and part of the Palestinian police, began his strike for freedom on 4 July; his brother Mohammed, a dentist, who begin his own strike on 7 July.
Al-Qadi began his own hunger strike on 16 July; a journalism student at Al-Quds University, he was previously held from December 2015 for four months without charge or trial. He was arrested again by Israeli occupation forces on 23 May and is held under administrative detention.
The Balboul brothers are held in Assaf Harofe hospital. Mahmoud has lost over 30 kilograms and is suffering from severe pain throught his body. Al-Qadi is held in Wolfson hospital.
The three strikers are continuing their protest against administrative detention without charge or trial; they are among 750 Palestinians imprisoned under the administrative detention policy. They are continuing their strikes after Ayed al-Heraimi ended his strike, and following the 71-day strike of Bilal Kayed, which drew worldwide attention after Kayed was ordered to administrative detention immediately following the completion of his 14.5-year sentence in Israeli prison.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges supporters of justice and liberation for Palestinian prisoners and for Palestine to build on their excellent work to support Bilal Kayed and his fellow hunger strikers to continue efforts to free these three Palestinian prisoners and take action between 3-10 September 2016. Their bodies are on the line in the struggle to secure their freedom and end administrative detention – and the struggle for the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinian people.
Now is the time for urgent action to support Mahmoud al-Balboul, Mohammed al-Balboul and Malik al-Qadi in their struggle for freedom.
1. Hold a direct action, protest, picket or demonstration, including building the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign to internationally isolate Israel, its institutions, and the corporations – like G4S -that profit from imprisonment, occupation, racism, colonialism and injustice. Demand freedom for the Balboul brothers, al-Qadi and all Palestinian prisoners. Please email [email protected] or post to Samidoun on Facebook about your events and actions.
2. Call political figures to demand action for the four hunger strikers. Call your government officials to pressure them to end the silence and complicity with the Israeli regime of political imprisonment and administrative detention.
Call during your country’s regular office hours:
- Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop: + 61 2 6277 7500
- Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion: +1-613-996-5789
- European Union Commissioner Federica Mogherini: +32 (0) 2 29 53516
- New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully: +64 4 439 8000
- United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson: +44 20 7008 1500
- United States President Barack Obama: 1-202-456-1111
Tell your government:
- Three Palestinian prisoners, Mahmoud al-Balboul, Mohammed al-Balboul and Malik al-Qadi, have been on hunger strike since July against administrative detention, Israeli imprisonment without charge or trial.
- Your government must demand the strikers’ immediate release and end all support for Israel’s political imprisonment and other crimes against Palestinians.
- Israel’s use of administrative detention is a universally-recognized violation of human rights and international law.
- The government must do more than criticize administrative detention or express concern, but should also take serious measures to end these violations.
