Stuttgart protest calls for freedom for Palestinian political prisoners

28 May 2017

*Photo by Solidaritätskomitee mit den palästinensischen Gefangenen, Stuttgart*

The Solidaritätskomitee mit den palästinensischen Gefangenen (Solidarity committee for Palestinian prisoners) in Stuttgart, Germany organized a demonstration on 27 May in support of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails, demanding their release, an end to administrative detention and the implementation of basic human rights.

Originally organized in support of the 41st day of Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike, the demonstration continued after the strike was suspended with a general focus on supporting the rights of the Palestinian prisoners and calling for the liberation of over 6,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The demonstration followed several earlier protests in Stuttgart in support of the hunger strike, attended by members of the Palestinian community as well as solidarity activists in support of the Palestinian struggle.

Participants distributed flyers to passers-by on a sunny day in Stuttgart, highlighting the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails as well as the responsibility of the international community to take action to ensure the implementation of human rights for Palestinian prisoners and for the entire Palestinian people.

The materials highlighted the issue of administrative detention, the policy of imprisonment of Palestinians without charge or trial, a form of imprisonment originally brought to Palestine by British colonialism and continued by the Israeli state after the Nakba and the continuing occupation of 1967.

The organizers plan to continue their activities in Stuttgart to work for freedom and justice for the Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinian people.

New details released on agreement to suspend Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike

28 May 2017

New details have been released regarding the agreement under which Palestinian prisoners suspended the 40-day Strike for Dignity and Freedom on Saturday morning, 27 May, providing more elaboration on the specific issues addressed in the prisoners’ negotiations with the Israeli occupation prison administration.

Issa Qaraqe, director of the Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Commission spoke in a press conference on Sunday, 28 May in which he declared that “80 percent of the demands” of the prisoners were achieved in the strike, calling it “an important achievement to build on in the future on the basis of the protection of the prisoners’ rights and dignity.”

Qaraqe reported on the major items agreed upon by the strikers with the Israeli prison administration, as noted by Palestinian lawyer Karim Ajwa, who met on Sunday morning with one of the strike leaders, Palestinian prisoner Nasser Abu Hmeid:

1. Expanding access to public telephones in order to communicate with family members, in accordance with agreed-upon mechanisms, with continuation of dialogue on this issue as a priority for prisoners in all prisons.

2. Agreement was reached on a range of issues relating to family visits; first, lifting the security ban on hundreds of family members of Palestinian prisoners, ending the practice of returning visitors holding permits and refusing their visits at checkpoints, and lifting an unjustified ban imposed on more than 140 children who had been banned by the prison administration from visiting their parents.

3. Giving an initial commitment to shorten the time between visits for Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, for a period of up to one month instead of two months or more between visits.

4. Agreement was also reached on a number of issues related to the conditions of family visitation, including allowing the introduction of clothing and bags, and allowing prisoners to provide and share sweets with children and others.

5. Introducing new standards for visitation for relatives of the “second degree,” such as allowing the introduction of nephews and nieces during nursery school age and providing that prisoners whose fathers and mothers have died may add one or two additional more distant family members to their visitation list.

6. Providing formal approval for the return of the second monthly family visit according to the mechanism agreed upon between the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestinian Authority.

7. Reaching an agreement on the Ramle prison clinic, to return the ill prisoners to the larger “old” section of the prison, which has been renovated.

8. Agreement was reached on issues related to the conditions of women prisoners, including the inclusion of all prisoners in HaSharon prison, adjustments to the visit process with family members, husbands and children, the introduction of handicraft materials, improvement of conditions of confinement, and establishment of a special transportation system, rather than the “bosta,” for transfer to and from the courts.

9. On the issue of child prisoners, a number of issues were agreed upon to improve their conditions of confinement, access to education and related issues.

10. Agreement was reached on most issues related to the difficult conditions of life in Nafha prison.

11. On the issue of the sick prisoner patients held in the Ramle prison clinic, as noted above, to return the prisoners to the re-opened section with improved humanitarian conditions, as well as introducing a new system for the movement of these prisoners with private transportation, directly to and from the courts, rather than transiting through lengthy crossing points on the “Bosta.”

12. Distributing meals to prisoners in transit in the “Bosta” during transfers and allowing them access to use the toilet during this time.

13. Approving the establishment in every prison department of Palestinian “security prisoners” of a kitchen area for the preparation of food and the introduction of cooking equipment, rather than being in the same rooms with the prisoners.

14. Allowing photographs with parents once annually, or with a prisoner’s spouse. In the event of the prisoner’s father or mother’s death, the photograph could be taken with a brother or sister.

15. Introducing improvements to the “canteen” (prison store), with higher-quality goods availables, including fruits and vegetables, including molokhiyeh, and spices.

16. Introducing modern sports and recreation equipment in the recreation yards.

17. Solving the problem of overcrowding in the prison sections and resolving the problem of high temperatures through a system of ventilation and cooling.

18. Adding an ambulance to be equipped for use to transfer prisoners in urgent health emergencies, to be stationed at the Negev, Ramon and Nafha prisons, due to the fact that these prisons are far from hospitals.

19. Transferring prisoners to prisons closer to their families’ places of residence.

In addition to these points, there will be a mechanism for further negotiations on additional issues. The prisoners’ committee will include Karim Younis, Nasser Abu Hmeid, Hafez Sharaya, Nasser Oweis, Ammar Merhi, and Ahmed Barghouthi. All prisoners who have been transferred since the beginning of the strike are to be returned to their original locations and the sanctions imposed on hunger-striking prisoners lifted. It should be noted that the imprisonment of Palestinians from the West Bank within Palestine ’48 is entirely illegitimate under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

***

On this occasion of the prisoners’ victory, we know that there is a long struggle to come, for liberation for the prisoners and liberation for Palestine. We urge all of the Palestinian communities, supporters of Palestine and social justice organizers who took to the streets, drank salt water, engaged in hunger strikes, expressed their solidarity and organized across borders and walls to celebrate the victory of the prisoners with events and actions on 4-6 June, in Celebrations of Dignity and Victory.

In these celebrations, we will recognize the power of the Palestinian people to defeat the occupier and the colonizer, honor the prisoners and their steadfastness, and emphasize the ongoing struggle. These celebrations are an occasion to escalate our demands for Palestinian freedom – for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian people, and the entire land of Palestine.

***

Send your events and actions for the Celebrations of Dignity and Victory – Struggle for Palestinian Freedom to us at samidoun@samidoun.net, on Facebook, or use the form to tell us about your actions. We will be regularly updating this international list of events and actions. Building this strong list of actions around the world will help to underline the global support for Palestinian political prisoners in their struggle for freedom, and the struggle of the Palestinian people for liberation.

Canadian artists and cultural workers support Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike

27 May 2017

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network is republishing the statement below from Canadian artists and cultural workers in support of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Artistic and cultural solidarity with the prisoners has been a strong aspect of international support, from developing images for social media to various artistic interventions and protests. The involvement of cultural workers and artists in this struggle is not limited to solidarity; the art of Palestinian prisoners themselves is a testimony to the power of resistance and liberation culture for the Palestinian liberation struggle and all struggles for justice:

Statement of support by Canadian Artists and Cultural Workers for Palestinian Political Prisoners Hunger Strike – April/May 2017

“Hunger striking is the most peaceful form of resistance available. It inflicts pain solely on those who participate and on their loved ones, in the hopes that their empty stomachs and their sacrifice will help the message resonate beyond the confines of their dark cells.”

Marwan Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and leader of hunger strike

Palestinian political prisoners in Israel’s prisons have been on a hunger strike since April 17, 2017 to bring attention to the deplorable and illegal conditions in prison demanding: longer and frequent family visits, access to phone, improved medical conditions, access to education, end to administrative detention and other demands.

Numbering over 1,500 prisoners (out of a prison population of 6,000+) they have risked their life and ongoing health to gain public exposure. Yet despite being in its sixth week and entering a critical stage, western corporate media has barely covered the strike and is complicit in perpetuating this grave injustice. Hunger strikes like all legitimate protest require public awareness via media exposure to be effective.

We demand that the Canadian government put pressure on Israel to end its illegal policies and practices regarding political prisoners. We demand that the Canadian media inform the Canadian public by beginning to adequately cover the hunger strike.

Signatures:

Jamelieh Hassan, artist, London, ON

Jayce Salloum, artist, Vancouver

Kirsty Robertson, professor, London, ON

Rehab Nazzal, artist, Toronto

Gale Coskan-Johnson, professor, St. Catharines

Mathiew Aubin, grad student, Vancouver

Jeff Fedoruk, graduate student, Toronto

Reuben Jentikle, educator, Vancouver

Mathew Arthur, activist, Vancouver

Shaun Stevenson, graduate student, Ottawa

Jennifer Hanrdem, professor, Carleton U, Ottawa

Madeleine Roelder graduate student, Vancouver

Margenuy Fu, Professor, Vancouver

Ana Bilbao, London

Patrick Mahon, artist, professor, London, ON

Ashok Mathun, Poet

Erin Moure, Writer, Montreal

Sawako Ono, Toronto

Glen Cameron, Toronto

Ana Brarajas, Toronto

Valerie Severino, artist, Toronto

Faten Toubasi, artist, Toronto

Mark Brill, artists, activist, Toronto

Taryn Sirove, art historian, Toronto

Michael Farnan, artist, Victoria, ON

Ryan Toews, professor, Toronto, ON

Lilian Cavigliz, RN, Toronto

Ashley McFarlane, artist, Toronto.

Robert Masoud, cultural organizer, Toronto

Michelle Wilson, artist, London, ON

Rita Wong, writer, Vancouver

Dot Tuer, writer, professor, Toronto

Dian Janzen, Toronto

Mohamad Khairy, graduate student, Toronto

Amal Owaineh, Toronto

Kate Ellis, Toronto

Tina Benigno, graduate student, Toronto

Jim Miller, artist, filmmaker, Toronto

Chris Gehman Filmmaker, Toronto

Wanda Vander Stoop, Cultural worker, Toronto

Shawk Alani, Toronto

Natalle Dunlop, cultural worker, Toronto

Susan Dicks, designer, Toronto

Joshow Mofowad-Paul, professor, Toronto

Pamila Mathary, Artist and educator, Toronto

James Kirkpatrick, artist, Toronto

Rachel Gorman, professor, Toronto

Norman Richmond, Black Power 96, Toronto

Kinana Issa, writer, artist, Toronto

Lindsay Hodgson, Toronto

J Madsen, Toronto

Sarah Abu-Sharar, storyteller, Mississauga

Jon Short, professor, Toronto

Nayrous Abu Hatoum, Toronto

Basil Alzeri, Toronto

Karen Rodman, Totonto

Nathania Lavis, Toronto

Ineke Metcaflfe, Toronto

Orev Reena Katz, artist, Toronto

B.H. Yael, artist, Toronto

Malinda Francis, artists, Toronto

Lama Abdul-Rahman, Toronto

Rebecca Garrett, artists, educator

Niloufar Salimi, artist

Amy Wang, artist, Toronto

Polly Wang, Toronto

Ron Benner, artist, London, Ontario

David Heap, professor, London, ON

Jennifer Slauenwhite, London, ON

Troy Quellette, Artist, London, ON

Christine Conley, curator, art historian

Lorraine Gilbert, professor, Ottawa

Elain Mcllwraith, grad student, London, ON

Sue Goldstein, Toronto

Victory, Towards Liberation: Salute to the Palestinian Prisoners and the Struggle for Freedom

27 May 2017

On the occasion of the victory of the Strike of Freedom and Dignity, the valiant battle of Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails, confronting the occupier with their bodies and their lives, we salute the Palestinian prisoners on achieving their victory, not only for themselves and their families, but for the entire Palestinian people and global movement for justice and liberation. We salute and congratulate the prisoners on their victory after 40 days of sacrifice, steadfastness and endless struggle. We also salute and congratulate all those who contributed to this victory, throughout Palestine, in the refugee camps, in Palestinian communities everywhere and among strugglers around the world for justice and liberation. We simultaneously take this moment as an inspiration to continue and elevate our action and organizing for freedom – for all Palestinian prisoners and for the land and people of Palestine.

On 17 April, Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, 1500 Palestinian prisoners out of nearly 6500 imprisoned in Israeli jails launched their strike for a series of demands. These demands were straightforward, focusing on the restoration of family visits, the right to education, access to media and health care. Among the accomplishments of the strike is the restoration of the second monthly family visit, cancelled last year by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) under the pretext of budget cuts, despite pledges from at least August 2016 to cover the costs of the second monthly visit for Palestinian prisoners.

It is appalling that it should take a 40-day mass hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners to restore family visits taken away by an international agency that should be motivated by the rights and well-being of the prisoners. Far from a neutral bystander, the ICRC was in fact a party to this strike and a participant in the confiscation of the rights of Palestinian prisoners. This raises once again sharp questions about what really provoked the cut in family visits for Palestinian prisoners and the level of Israeli involvement in what was claimed at the time to be a mere financial decision, despite Palestinian pledges to cover costs.

While further information about the agreement has not yet been released, news indicates that further achievements of the strike also center on the issue of family visits, including access to more relatives including grandparents and grandchildren; improved communication, especially between imprisoned children and women and their families, and the installation of public telephones; easing security prohibitions and the frequent bans on family visit imposed by the Israeli prison administration. Al-Mayadeen TV reported further aspects of the agreement:

periodic entry of private external physicians to examine ill prisoners
allowing visits from family members of the “second class,” including grandparents and grandchildren
increasing the amount prisoners may have in their canteen (prison store, where nearly all necessities of life must be purchased from and Israeli corporation) accounts
adding 3 satellite channels to the prisoners’ TV access
transferring the Ramla prison hospital to the old section which includes several rooms and a recreation area
installation of a public telephone for women prisoners, child prisoners and ill prisoners to communicate on a daily basis with their family members
family visits to be increased to 60 minutes from 45 minutes
photographs with parents once annually
increasing the quantities of meat, vegetables and fruits for prisoners
allowing the introduction of clothing such as trousers and bags
providing each prisoner with 1 liter olive oil, 1 kilo coffee, 1/2 kilo baklava and 1/2 kilo za’atar.

The leaders participating in the strike included Fateh leader Marwan Barghouthi, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, fellow PFLP leaders Kamil Abu Hanish and Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, longest-serving Palestinian prisoners Karim Younes and Nael Barghouthi, Hamas leaders Abbas Sayyed and Hasan Salameh, Islamic Jihad leaders Zaid Bseiso and Anas Jaradat, DFLP leader Wajdi Jawdat, former long-term strikers Mohammed al-Qeeq and Samer Issawi, and hundreds more of the imprisoned leadership of the Palestinian people.

Throughout the strike, the prisoners faced harsh repression. They were denied legal visits, family visits, beset by repressive raids, their belongings confiscated – even the salt that they relied on with water to preserve their life and health. Through it all, their steadfastness was an example of commitment and dedication to carry through their struggle. They were not alone in their steadfastness. The mothers and the families of the prisoners filled the tents of solidarity and support in every city, town, village and refugee camp in Palestine. Many prisoners’ mothers launched their own hunger strikes; they struggled, suffered, resisted and led alongside their children. Martyrs fell on the streets of Palestine as they protested and struggled for the liberation of their beloved prisoners at the hands of the occupation forces.

The Palestinian prisoners made clear through the Strike of Dignity and Freedom the power of Palestinian unity. The imprisoned leadership of all Palestinian trends stood together to confront the occupier, while that unity was felt in struggle, on the streets and inside prison walls – and the effects of that unity have been felt in the achievement of the prisoners’ victory.

The hunger strikers demanded that the Israeli occupation speak with their chosen leadership and defeated all attempts to circumvent the prisoners’ direction, leadership and choices. More than that, however, they demonstrated once again that the true, respected leadership of the Palestinian national liberation movement itself is found in the Palestinian prisoners’ movement. The Palestinian prisoners’ movement is at the core of the liberation struggle of the Palestinian people as a whole; far from a side issue of the movement, it represents the Palestinian people and their resistance.

Fundamentally, the Palestinian prisoners’ movement is and remains a voice and a power of resistance that continues to confront the occupier on a daily basis. This strike was not only about family visits, medical care and basic human rights; fundamentally, it was an assertion of Palestinian resistance, rejection of the occupier, and power to struggle, not only for specific demands, but for freedom, return and liberation.

The strike came as U.S. President Donald Trump visited the region, in cahoots with the Zionist movement, the Israeli state and the most reactionary Arab regimes in order to peddle weaponry, death and a so-called “grand bargain” designed to liquidate the Palestinian people’s struggle after 100 years of colonization, 70 years of Nakba and 50 years of intensified occupation. From within Israeli prisons, the strikers’ power and its reflection and resonance on Palestinian, Arab and international streets came to confront any and all such attempts to destroy Palestinian rights and push an apartheid “solution” of endless colonization. It made clear where the Palestinian people stand – with the prisoners, with the resistance and their imprisoned leadership, and not with reactionary Arab regimes or even the Palestinian Authority, which continued its security coordination with the occupation even as the prisoners, their families and their movement demanded that it come to an end.

Throughout Palestine, in the refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, everywhere around the world in exile and diaspora, it was clear that the Palestinian people were side by side with the prisoners’ movement in this strike. The prisoners’ struggle helped to build and energize Palestinian community organizing internationally to support the strike and demand freedom for the prisoners.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes all of the Palestinian community organizers, international political parties, global labor organizations, Palestine solidarity movements, women’s organizations, and strugglers for justice who organized hundreds of events in cities in every continent of the world, demonstrating again and again, developing creative protest mechanisms, taking the #SaltWaterChallenge, organizing one-day hunger strikes and building strength to support the Palestinian prisoners’ struggle. Historically the Palestinian prisoners have always emphasized the importance of international solidarity and support for their struggle for liberation. Every one of these groups and individuals who have taken action around the world has a part in this collective struggle and collective victory.

Through their struggle, the Palestinian prisoners have escalated and developed growing support for the Palestinian struggle – in the labor movement, where major union confederations in Canada and Uruguay joined social movements in Brazil issuing resolutions in support of the strike, and even among parliamentarians, as the Portuguese parliament, the Pan-African Parliament, many Members of European Parliament, Argentine and Chilean parliamentarians, Galician and Andalucian parliamentarians, and even Canadian NDP leadership candidate Niki Ashton and US Congressperson Danny Davis – supported the prisoners.

Perhaps most movingly, the power of internationalist solidarity between liberation struggles was vividly illustrated in the solidarity of Irish Republican, Filipino and Turkish and Kurdish political prisoners and the hunger strike of Arab Communist struggler for Palestine, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, along with Basque and Arab comrades, in French prison in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners’ strike, as well as the solidarity expressed from U.S. prisons. Palestinian prisoners celebrated the news of Puerto Rican struggler Oscar Lopez Rivera’s release from U.S. colonial prisons and rejoiced in the scene of his homecoming alongside former Palestinian prisoner and community leader Rasmea Odeh.

The Palestinian prisoners’ movement and their struggle also further empowered and inspired campaigns for boycott, divestment and sanctions – from the establishment of HP-free zones in labor unions and community institutions to the inspiration of local boycott campaigns and initiatives, focusing on G4S, HP, academic and cultural boycott and the full boycott adopted by the LO labor union in Norway. The power and clarity of the prisoners’ resistance must encourage all of us to center the demands and struggle of the prisoners in building the global campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions.

On this occasion of the prisoners’ victory, we know that there is a long struggle to come, for liberation for the prisoners and liberation for Palestine. We urge all of the Palestinian communities, supporters of Palestine and social justice organizers who took to the streets, drank salt water, engaged in hunger strikes, expressed their solidarity and organized across borders and walls to celebrate the victory of the prisoners with events and actions on 4-6 June, in Celebrations of Dignity and Victory.

In these celebrations, we will recognize the power of the Palestinian people to defeat the occupier and the colonizer, honor the prisoners and their steadfastness, and emphasize the ongoing struggle. These celebrations are an occasion to escalate our demands for Palestinian freedom – for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian people, and the entire land of Palestine.

***

Send your events and actions for the Celebrations of Dignity and Victory – Struggle for Palestinian Freedom to us at samidoun@samidoun.net, on Facebook, or use the form to tell us about your actions. We will be regularly updating this international list of events and actions. Building this strong list of actions around the world will help to underline the global support for Palestinian political prisoners in their struggle for freedom, and the struggle of the Palestinian people for liberation.

BREAKING: Palestinian prisoners suspend hunger strike after 40 days of struggle

26 May 2017

After 40 days of hunger strike, Palestinian prisoners have reportedly suspended their hunger strike and announced that they have achieved victory in their humanitarian demands, following 20 hours of negotiations between the strikers’ leadership and Israeli occupation prison administration. Samidoun will report with extensive details as they are released. An official press conference and announcement of the details is scheduled to take place later today, Saturday, 27 May.

All salutes to the courageous, struggling Palestinian prisoners, on the front lines of the Palestinian struggle for liberation! Their victories and their struggles are those of the Palestinian people and of all people seeking justice and liberation.

And salutes to all of those around the world who have been part of the prisoners’ struggle and Palestinian victory for the past 40 days.

40 Days on Hunger Strike: #BDS4DignityStrike as strikers pledge to fast from salt and water in Ramadan

26 May 2017

Palestinian prisoners entered their 40th day of hunger strike on Friday, 26 May. As the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee called for #BDS4DignityStrike actions internationally, prisoners noted on the eve of Ramadan that many are planning to abstain from salt and water during the day’s fasting in the upcoming month-long holiday.

1500 Palestinian prisoners – out of a total of nearly 6500 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails – launched the strike, the Strike of Dignity and Freedom, on 17 April. The strikers have a series of basic human demands, including an end to the denial of family visits, a return to twice-monthly visits, the right to pursue distance higher education, proper medical care and treatment and an end to solitary confinement and administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial.

After 40 days of consuming only salt and water – and many prisoners denied salt for days or even weeks at a time due to punitive confiscations by Israeli repressive forces – prisoners’ health is at serious risk. Dozens of prisoners have been transferred to Israeli civilian hospitals in recent days as many prisoners have lost over 20kg (40 pounds) in weight, are vomiting or urinating blood, and are experiencing severe fatigue, pain and inability to walk. At the same time that the prisoners’ health is deteriorating, they continue to face harsh repression by Israeli jailers, including frequent abusive transfers conducted shackled hand and foot in the infamous “bosta” prison transit vehicle, solitary confinement and isolation for strikers and strike leaders, frequent repressive raids, fines, and confiscation of personal belongings, including clothing, blankets and even salt.

40 prisoners in Hadarim prison on hunger strike were transferred to civilian hospitals after their health deteriorating; meanwhile, Palestinian media reported that Israeli hospitals have been called upon to discuss the implementation of forced-feeding at the behest of the Israeli political and prison authorities. Forced feeding is a form of torture that is prohibited by international medical ethics guidelines and conventions. Meanwhile, striking prisoners meeting with Palestinian lawyers reported that when they are transferred for medical testing, doctors attempt to convince them to stop the hunger strike by providing warnings about health risks and that the testing becomes a framework to further pressure the prisoners.

Nasser Abu Srour, held in Hadarim prison, met with Palestinian lawyer Ihab al-Ghaliz, where he reported that the hunger strikers will fast for Ramadan and refrain from consuming water and salt or vitamins during the daylight hours throughout the month of Ramadan. Abu Srour also said that all of the striking prisoners were taken in stages to Israeli hospitals in the previous week for medical tests before being returned to prison, although Zafir Rimawi was taken to Meir Hospital after he was injured as he fainted due to weakness. He emphasized that despite their weakening health, the morale of the prisoners is high and they are determined to continue the strike until victory.

The 40th day of the strike was met by protests throughout occupied Palestine. In occupied Palestine ’48, protesters gathered outside Afula hospital, where hunger strikers were being brought for medical tests, supporting their strike and their demands. In Nabi Saleh north of Ramallah, protesters in support of the striers were attacked with tear gas, pepper gas and “skunk water” by Israeli occupation forces, who also beat the demonstrators and shot rubber-coated metal bullets at them. In Beita, south of Nablus, Ahmed Jibril, 19, was wounded by Israeli occupation soldiers who shot him in the shoulder with live bullets. In al-Khalil, Israeli soldiers also fired live ammuniition on protesters, while in Bil’in protesters were attacked with tear gas. In the Gaza Strip, two young men were wounded by Israeli occupation forces as they protested on the borders of Gaza and were fired upon with live ammunition east of Khaza’a.

Outside Palestine, Thursday, 25 May marked a day of global hunger strikes, with actions in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Albertville, Nimes, Saint-Etienne, Montpellier, Donostia/San Sebastian, Berlin, Bremen, Nairobi, Brussels, London, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Chicago, Madrid, Tripoli, Bratislava, Victoria, Toronto, Calgary, Cagliari, Portadown, Houston, Stanford, Halifax and more. CAPJPO-EuroPalestine led the drive for the global strike which was supported by Samidoun and organizations around the world.

On Friday, 26 May, the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee urged the organization of actions and protests to support the strikers on their 40th day under the banner of #BDS4DignityStrike. Events are being organized on Friday in Gothenburg, Maynooth, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Lima, Modena, Vienna, Berlin and Pretoria, including Samidoun’s New York City action.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges all supporters of Palestine to continue to mobilize, demonstrate and organize in public squares, government offices and outside Israeli embassies, as the prisoners have urged. We also urge participation in the urgent call to action to pressure the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to take a real stand and end its complicity in the violation of Palestinian prisoners’ rights. Take Action:

1) Organize or join an event in support of the hunger strikers. Protest outside your local Israeli embassy, consulate or mission, or at a public square or government building. You can drop a banner or put up a table to support the prisoners and their strike. See the list of current international events here, and add your own: send your events and actions to us at samidoun@samidoun.net, on Facebook, or use the form to tell us about your actions.

2) Hunger Strike for Justice! Join the Palestinian hunger strikers to support their demands with a symbolic one-day hunger strike in your community or on your campus. Tell us about your solidarity strike at samidoun@samidoun.net, on Facebook, or use the form.

3) Call your government officials and demand action. Call your foreign affairs officials – and members of parliament – and urge action for the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike.

Call your country’s officials urgently:

Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop: + 61 2 6277 7500
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland: +1-613-992-5234
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 Donald Trump: 1-202-456-1111

Tell your government: Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike for their basic human rights – for family visits, medical care, and freedom from imprisonment without charge or trial. Governments must pressure Israel to recognize the prisoners’ demands!

4) Take action on social media! Support the hunger strike on social media. Post a picture of yourself with a sign saying you support the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike! Include the hashtag #DignityStrike when posting your photo to Facebook or Twitter. Share and re-share information about the strike with the #DignityStrike hashtag.

5) Build the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign! Join the BDS Movement to highlight the complicity of corporations like Hewlett-Packard and the continuing involvement of G4S in Israeli policing and prisons. Build a campaign to boycott Israeli goods, impose a military embargo on Israel, or organize around the academic and cultural boycott of Israel.

27 May, Dublin: Palestinian Strike for Freedom and Dignity – March and Rally

26 May 2017

Saturday, 27 May
2:00 pm
Wolfe Tone Monument, Stephens Green
March to Zionist Embassy
Dublin, Ireland
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/431783040521175/

Support the Strike for Freedom and Dignity- Support the Palestinian Prisoners!

As Palestinian Political Prisoners continue to Strike for Freedom and Dignity, it’s time to take to the streets to demonstrate our support!

On May 27, Socialist Republicans for Palestine will host a March and Rally in support of the hunger strikers. This event will be strictly non party political.

Assemble 2pm Wolfe Tone Monument Stephens Green for march to Zionist Embassy, Ballsbridge.

27 May, Stuttgart: Solidarity with the Palestinian Prisoners

26 May 2017

Saturday, 27 May
4:00 pm
Rotebühlplatz 1
Stuttgart, Germany
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/124072748166828

We call for a rally to support the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisons. We urge an end to the arbitrary detention of Palestinians and the release of all Palestinian political prisoners. Raise your voice against oppression and discrimination.

27 May, Florence: Support Palestinian Prisoners’ Hunger Strike – Demand Truth in Reporting

26 May 2017

Saturday, 27 May
10:30 am
Outside RAI Offices
Lungarno Aldo Moro, Largo de Gasperi
Florence, Italy
More information: https://twitter.com/valibona44/status/868019880452395008

1600 Palestinian political prisoners have been on hunger strike for more than a month to protest the Israeli occupation’s violations of their human rights and demand their human dignity. We will protest and provide information about the strike. We demand that RAI produce correct and impartial information to inform public opinion about the real situation in Palestine.

26 May, Berlin: Rally Against Siege of Gaza and In Solidarity with Palestinian Hunger Strikers

26 May 2017

Friday, 26 May
6:00 pm
Potsdamer Platz
Berlin, Germany
More information: http://palaestina-solidaritaet.de/2017/05/25/berlin-fr-26-05-2017-kundgebung-gegen-gaza-blockade-und-zur-solidaritaet-mit-den-hungerstreikenden-gefangenen/

Palestinian and Arab associations in Berlin call for solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike for freedom and dignity in Israeli prisons since 17 April 2017. We want to draw attention to the situation of all 7,000 Palestinian prisoners. We also want to demand an end to the blockade of Gaza going on for nearly 12 years. Various solidarity activities, including the Freedom Flotilla, have worked to end this siege and blockade. We will remember the massacre on the Mavi Marmara together with Haneen Zoabi.

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