Imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq on hunger strike demanding release

17 January 2017

Palestinian journalist and former long-term hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq has declared an open hunger strike following his re-arrest by Israeli occupation forces on the evening of 15 January at Beit El checkpoint north of Ramallah. He began his strike immediately upon his arrest.

Fayha Shalash, al-Qeeq’s wife and a fellow journalist, emphasized that he began his open hunger strike from the moment of his arrest. Al-Qeeq, 35, earlier engaged in a 94-day hunger strike against his administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial with widespread Palestinian and international support, winning his release in May 2016. Since his release, al-Qeeq has been active in prisoner support efforts and was arrested returning from a demonstration in Bethlehem for the release of the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli occupation forces.

Shalash and al-Qeeq have two children, Islam and Lour. A rally took place on Monday, 16 January at Ramallah’s Manara Square demanding al-Qeeq’s immediate release; the journalist has reportedly been transferred to Ofer prison.

Al-Qeeq is among over 20 Palestinian journalists held in Israeli prison. Among these imprisoned journalists is Omar Nazzal, member of the General Secretariat of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, held without charge or trial under administrative detention. Nazzal was seized by Israeli occupation forces on 23 April 2016 as he attempted to cross the Karameh/Allenby crossing to Jordan to travel to Sarajevo for a conference of the European Feeration of Journalists. His administrative detention has been renewed three times.

Also held under administrative detention is Adib Al-Atrash, imprisoned since 20 June 2016. He was arrested by Israeli occupation forces only a few days after he returned from studying abroad at Eastern Mediterranean University in Cyprus, where he had just received his masters degree in media studies. His administrative detention without charge or trial has been renewed twice.

Just yesterday, Palestinian writer Walid Hodali was seized by Israeli occupation forces amid a large number of arrests in the Ramallah area. He previously spent 15 years in Israeli prison and is currently the director of the Jerusalem Literary Office and a member of the Palestinian Writers Union.

Al-Qeeq is demanding his immediate release from re-arrest and is pledging to continue his hunger strike until he is freed.

Nadia Abu Jamal, 13 more Palestinians arrested in pre-dawn raids by Israeli occupation forces

17 January 2017

*Nadia Abu Jamal, with Walid and Mohammed*

Nadia Abu Jamal, the widow of Ghassan Abu Jamal, was seized early Tuesday morning by Israeli occupation forces from her home in Jabal Mukabber in Jerusalem. Abu Jamal, 32, was arrested in front of her three children, Walid, 8, Salma, 6, and Mohammed, 5.

Abu Jamal’s husband, Ghassan, was killed by Israeli occupation forces after carrying out a Palestinian military resistance operation with his cousin Uday in November 2014, killing five Israelis. Both Ghassan and Uday Abu Jamal were killed by Israeli forces. Their family home was demolished and relatives, including Nadia, stripped of their Jerusalem identity cards, part of the policy of collective punishment carried out against the families and extended families of Palestinians involved in resistance attacks that includes the demolition of family homes, stripping of IDs and arrests of family members. She will be brought before a court hearing on Wednesday, 18 January. Her father-in-law was also summoned to an area police station and informed of her arrest. Nadia Abu Jamal is reportedly now being held in Ofer prison.

At least 13 more Palestinians were arrested throughout the West Bank in addition to Abu Jamal, including Muhyi Falah Abu Maria, the son of Falah Abu Maria, 53, who was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces in 2015 as they invaded his home allegedly seeking to arrest one of his sons, Muhyi’s older brother. The list of those arrested in pre-dawn raids is below:

1. Ahmad Damanhouri Kamil, from Qabatiya in Jenin
2. Jaser Tayseer Kamil, from Qabatiya in Jenin
3. Mohammed Malik Kamil, from Qabatiya in Jenin
4. Mohammed Khaled Kamil, from Qabatiya in Jenin
5. Mahmoud Walweil, from al-Feraa refugee camp in Tubas
6. Muhyi Falah Abu Maria, from Beit Ummar in al-Khalil
7. Dakhlallah Habis Amour, from Tekoa in Bethlehem
8. Ahmad Adnan al-Qutaish, from Jalazon refugee camp in Ramallah
9. Moatassim Farid al-Zinati, from Jalazon refugee camp in Ramallah
10. Anas al-Rojbi, from Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem
11. Ehab Nofal, from Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem
12. Mohammed al-Fasfous, from Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem
13. Ayman al-Adawi, from Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem.

In addition, Jerusalemite activist Khadija Khuys was given a two-month travel ban on Monday, 16 January. She was summoned to interrogation at the Moskobiyeh interrogation center in Jerusalem and presented with the travel ban under the pretext of “security reasons.” Khuys is heavily active with the Murabitat, the group of women activists who seek to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque from settler attacks. She has been banned from travel for 13 months under similar “security” orders with no additional reason, as well as barred from entering the West Bank for 6 months and banned from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound due to her inclusion on a “blacklist” created by the Israeli occupation police chief. She and her children are also denied access to national insurance due to her activities in defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Palestinian prisoners demand medical treatment, end to isolation of Anas Jaradat

17 January 2017

Palestinian prisoners are demanding that ill prisoner Anas Jaradat be released from isolation and provided with medical treatment. Jaradat, 36, from the village of Silat al-Harthiyeh near Jenin, is sentenced to 35 life sentences for his participation in armed resistance during the second Intifada. He has been held in isolation in Ashkelon prison for more than nine months under allegations that he is a “threat to security,” with no further details provided. Jaradat has been imprisoned since 11 May 2003, and he has been denied family visits for the past two years.

Palestinian lawyer Karim Ajwa said that Jaradat suffers from liver disease and jaundice and is not receiving appropriate treatment. He said that the clinic doctor at Ashkelon prison said that he will be given a blood test for his liver function, and he is calling for legal and medical urgency to speed up the procedure. This is especially urgent as he was first tested and found to have liver disease in 2009, but was not informed of the result or provided with treatment. Instead, he discovered the diagnosis only in May 2016 when asked about liver medication by the infirmary doctor in Megiddo prison, reported Mohja al-Quds. Jaradat asked what was meant and he learned that he had been discovered to have a liver disease years before.

The prisoners’ leadership from the Islamic Jihad Movement said that they were declaring an emergency inside the prisons and giving the prison administration until 1 February to remove isolated prisoners from solitary confinement in Eshel prison, and in particular, to return Anas Jaradat to the general population and provide him with medical care. The statement came after a meeting between Jihad leader Ziad Bseiso and the Ramon prison administration and highlighted the cases of Hosni Issa, Munir Abu Rabie, Abdullah Abu Zaher and Said Saleh in addition to Jaradat. If Jaradat remains in isolation after 1 February, prisoners throughout Israeli prisons will begin protests and strikes.

Palestinian youth, PLC member ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial

17 January 2017

On Monday morning, Palestinian Jerusalemite youth Abdel-Karim Shiyoukhi, 18, was ordered to 6 months in administrative detention without charge or trial. Despite earlier being ordered released by the Israeli police without conditions or a court hearing, several hours later, he was ordered to administrative detention for a six-month period. Palestinian lawyer Mohammed Mahmoud said that these actions indicate a clear lack of evidence despite earlier allegations of “incitement on Facebook.”

Shiyoukhi was arrested on 10 January from his home in Silwan and accused of posting a positive Facebook comment about the Palestinian resistance action of Fadi al-Qanbar, who ran over uniformed Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem with his truck, killing four soldiers and injuring 15. Shiyoukhi, a former prisoner who spent 18 months in Israeli prison, denied the allegation; apparently unable to substantiate it, Israeli occupation forces instead ordered him to administrative detention.

In addition, the imprisonment of Palestinian Legislative Council member Hassan Yousef without charge or trial was extended for the fourth time on Monday, 16 January. There are seven members of the PLC currently held in Israeli jails; Yousef, 62, has been imprisoned since 20 October 2015. He has now spent 15 months in administrative detention; his renewal order is for a three-month period. Yousef is a member of the PLC for the Change and Reform bloc associated with the Hamas movement

Throughout his life, he has spent 21 years in Israeli prison; recently, much of that has been in administrative detention. He had been held without charge or trial and released on 27 June 2015, only four months before his re-arrest. His fellow imprisoned PLC members include Ahmed Mubarak, arrested on Monday morning; exiled Jerusalemite Mohammed Abu Teir, serving a 17-month sentence; PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, serving a 30-year sentence; Fateh leader Marwan Barghouthi, serving multiple life sentences; and Mohammed Natsheh and Azzam Salhab, both held in administrative detention without charge or trial.

Raed Salah released, subject to six-month travel ban

17 January 2017

Prominent Palestinian sheikh and Islamic Movement leader Raed Salah from Palestine ’48 was released from Israeli prison on Tuesday morning, 17 January after 9 months of imprisonment, during which he was held in solitary confinement. When he was first released, his location was unknown; his lawyers, Omar Khamaiseh and Khaled Zabarqa, said that he was supposed to be released at 6:30 am at Ramon prison, and a crowd was outside the prison to wait for him, but the Israeli prison administration refused to reveal his current location except that he is not in the custody of the IPS. Apparently, however, Salah was transferred to another prison after his release and was put on a public bus to Umm al-Fahm in Palestine ’48 without a means of communication and without notifying his lawyers or the crowds waiting for him. Even now, his lawyers are awaiting full contact with him to ensure his safety.

Though released, he will not be entirely free; just yesterday, he was placed on a six-month travel ban. In addition, Israeli police have stated that they are “investigating” additional allegations of “incitement” against Salah and may request new charges against him.

Salah was imprisoned for “incitement” in the case of a sermon he delivered in 2007 in Wadi Joz after Israeli occupation officials demolished a bridge leading to the Maghareba gate. Despite legal challenges and a hunger strike, his solitary confinement was retained throughout his imprisonment and he was denied access to newspapers and books.

On Monday, far-right Interior Minister Aryeh Deri signed an order prohibiting Salah from travel for a 6-month period. Earlier, lawyer Khaled Zabarqa stated that Salah was repeatedly interrogated while in prison about other potential charges of “incitement,” saying that Israeli interrogators were “opening new files concerning his speeches and activities in Al-Aqsa.” The Islamic Movement, Salah’s political movement, was banned in Palestine ’48 and many associated institutions closed and raided. Palestinian organizations across the political spectrum denounced the ban on the Islamic Movement as an attack on all Palestinians.

The most prominent recent example of this attack on prominent Palestinians in ’48 has been the prosecution of Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas of the Joint List, accused of attempting to bring cellular phones to imprisoned Palestinians. Ghattas was released from house imprisonment, but barred from participating in parliamentary activities. Now, the Knesset is beginning procedures to remove him altogether using a law that had earlier been highlighted as targeting Palestinians.

24 January, Metz: Rally to support Richard and Collectif BDS 57

17 January 2017

Tuesday, 24 January
12:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Tribunal de Grande Instance of Metz
57000 Metz, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/337228853337103/

On Tuesday, 24 January 2017, the president of Collectif BDS 57 will appear before the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Metz, accused by the Israeli pharmaceutical company TEVA.

In February 2015, Collectif BDS 57 joined in a national campaign to encourage pharmacists not to use the generic TEVA produts but to replace them with other generic brands. Collectif BDS 57 completely rejects false allegations of “discrimination.”

Our goal is to alert the public and health professionals of the complicity of Israeli corporations in Israeli apartheid and Palestinian suffering. BDS France engages in nonviolent consumer information. We raise awareness to fight colonialism, racism and war and establish a just and lasting piece.

This attack on activists is part of the context of the state of emergency and social regression prevailing in our country (France): the ban on demonstrations and repression during COP21, the labor law against unions, the violent and criminal repression of trade unionists and demonstrators, etc.

Collectif BDS 57 urges all to join us at the Metz court on Tuesday, 24 January at 12:30 to mobilize in defense of freedom of expression and to emphasize that our solidarity with the Palestinian people will never be silenced through attempts to criminalize citizen and activist mobilizations.

The Collectif BDS 57 urges all supportive organizations to share a statement of support or disseminate this call.

Affirm our right to boycott – France remains the only country to prosecute BDS activists against Israeli policies.

We call for the repeal of these repressive measures in France unworthy of a democracy, that seek to undermine freedom of expression and silence all forms of protest, political, trade unionist or simply civil!

Support our unjustly accused comrade!

Drop the charges against Richard, the president of Collectif BDS 57, activist for the Palestinian cause and member of the Union Juive Française pour la Paix (French Jewish Union for Peace)!

Le mardi 24 janvier 2017, le président du collectif BDS 57 comparaîtra devant le Tribunal de Grande Instance de Metz. L’accusateur est l’entreprise pharmaceutique israélienne TEVA.

Le collectif BDS 57 agissait, en février 2015, dans le cadre d’une campagne nationale pour inciter les pharmaciens à ne pas commercialiser les génériques TEVA mais à les remplacer par les mêmes génériques d’autres marques. Le collectif BDS 57 refuse fermement l’accusation mensongère de discrimination dont il est victime.

L’objectif de notre organisation est d’alerter le public et les professionnels de la santé sur la complicité de crime que représentent les entreprises issues de l’apartheid israélien et dont sont victimes les Palestiniens. La campagne BDS France informe les consommateurs de manière non violente. Nous combattons par nos actions de sensibilisation le colonialisme, le racisme et la guerre pour qu’en Israël/Palestine s’instaure enfin une paix juste et durable.

Cette offensive contre des militants est partie intégrante du contexte d’État d’urgence et de régression sociale qui règne dans notre pays : interdiction de manifester et répression pendant la COP21, loi travail imposée, criminalisation des syndicats, répression violente et judiciaire des syndicalistes et des manifestants, etc…

Le collectif BDS 57 vous appelle à venir le soutenir devant le tribunal de Metz le mardi 24 janvier à partir de 12h30.

Mobilisons-nous pour la défense de la liberté d’expression et pour dire à ceux qui nous accusent qu’ils ne feront jamais taire notre solidarité avec le peuple palestinien en tentant de criminaliser les actions militantes et citoyennes.

Le collectif BDS 57 invite l’ensemble des organisations qui le soutiennent à diffuser un communiqué de soutien ou à diffuser le présent appel.

Affirmons notre droit au boycott, la France restant le seul pays à en interdire la pratique quand il cible la politique d’Israël…

Demandons l’abrogation en France de mesures répressives indignes d’une démocratie, mesures qui portent atteinte à la liberté d’expression et visent à terme toute forme de revendication

politique, syndicale ou simplement citoyenne !

Soutenons notre camarade injustement inculpé !

Relaxe pour Richard, président du collectif BDS 57, militant de la cause palestinienne et membre de l’Union Juive Française pour la Paix !

27 January, NYC: Protest to free Nael Barghouti and stop HP

16 January 2017

Friday, 27 January
5:30 pm
Best Buy Union Square
52 East 14 Street, New York, New York 10003
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/580702052134943/

The longest-serving Palestinian political prisoner, Nael Barghouti, 59, continues to be held despite having finished his latest sentence of 30 months, which was issued based on secret information, on December 17. An appeal was submitted by the prosecution, who seek to reinstate a previous life sentence, on November 25, 2015. However, the military court judge has not yet given a response to the appeal. Barghouti faces the possibility of reinstatement of his life sentence based on secret information.

Barghouti was first arrested when he was 20 years old in April 1978. Barghouti was released as part of the 2011 prisoner exchange. In 2014, during a mass arrest campaign, he was rearrested under military order 1651, which allows for the rearrest of prisoners released in exchange deals based on secret information. Today, he has spent over 35 years in Israeli prisons.

Stand with Barghouti to demand that Israel release him and all 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners immediately, and that Hewlett Packard companies end their contracts with Israeli prisons and detention centers, occupation and security forces, and checkpoints and settlements now.

Help build a growing international campaign to boycott HP over the companies’ support for Israeli crimes.

Support the Palestinian people, the Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian Resistance, and the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea.

20 January, Washington DC: Anti-Racist, Anti-Imperialist Trump Inauguration Resistance

16 January 2017

Friday, 20 January
Washington, DC
(and across the US/internationally)

Actions include:

#J20Resist
http://J20Resist.org

#InaugurateTheResistance
https://www.facebook.com/events/1068785513242447/

Become #Ungovernable
https://www.ungovernable2017.com/

#DisruptJ20
http://www.disruptj20.org/

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network will participate in events and actions in Washington, DC on 20 January in anti-racist, anti-imperialist, anti-war resistance to the Trump inauguration. There are a number of campaigns and movements organizing to mobilize people to DC and around the US and some of them are presented above. See you in the streets for J20!

18 January, Ramallah: No to Political Arrests!

16 January 2017

Wednesday, 18 January
4:00 pm
Chamber of Commerce Hall
Ramallah, Palestine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/674278496088304/

On the 15th anniversary of the arrest of the Palestinian national leader Ahmed Sa’adat, the general secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat invites all to participate in a seminar on political detention and its impact on the Palestinian national movement.

Speakers will include Palestinian struggler Mahmoud Fannoun and lawyer Muhannad Karajah.

New York City protesters demand freedom for Sa’adat, urge boycott of HP

16 January 2017

Chants for Palestine rang out in New York City’s Union Square outside the Best Buy electronics store on Friday, 13 January as Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network protested in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. The protest, part of the international days of action to free imprisoned Palestinian leader and PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat and fellow Palestinian prisoners, also highlighted the growing international boycott of Hewlett-Packard (HP) companies for their role in profiteering from Israeli imprisonment and oppression of Palestinians.

Protesters passed out leaflets to passers-by and chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “Free all Palestinian political prisoners” outside the store. Leaflets highlighted the case of Ahmad Sa’adat as well as the campaign to boycott HP products.

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise contracts with an array of Israeli state and military agencies to back up their technology of repression; specifically, HPE contracts with the Israel Prison Service for its database of prisoners, as well as producing the biometric ID system used at Israeli checkpoints that block Palestinian movement throughout the West Bank.

A group from the ANSWER Coalition joined the protest, carrying signs to free Sa’adat and his fellow Palestinian prisoners as well as supporting the Palestinian liberation struggle. ANSWER participants and protesters from the International Action Center discussed plans for anti-war and anti-imperialist protests on 20 January in Washington DC and New York City during the Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.

Samidoun organizers will be participating in the New York City and Washington DC protests on 20 January against war, imperialism and the Trump inauguration, and will return to the Union Square Best Buy on Friday, 27 January at 5:30 pm to demand freedom for Nael Barghouthi, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner today held in arbitrary detention awaiting a ruling from a secret Israeli military committee, and build the boycott of HP.

The Friday protest was part of the launch of international days of action in solidarity with Sa’adat and fellow Palestinian prisoners, marking the 15th anniversary of his seizure by Palestinian Authority security forces on 15 January 2002 at the behest of Israel, the United States and United Kingdom under so-called “security cooperation” between the PA and Israel. Sa’adat was held in the PA prison in Jericho until 16 March 2006, when the prison itself was attacked and Sa’adat and his comrades kidnapped by Israeli occupation military forces; today, he is serving a 30-year sentence in Israeli prison. Events took place around the world, in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Turkey, France, Denmark, Palestine and Lebanon, demanding freedom for Sa’adat and his fellow Palestinian prisoners.

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