Wife of prisoner, mother of slain youth denied visit with husband: permit torn up at Israeli checkpoint

29 March 2016

The wife of imprisoned Mohammed Abu Fannouneh and the mother of Palestinian youth Mahmoud Abu Fannouneh, killed ten days before by Israeli occupation soldiers, was prevented from visiting her husband on Monday, 28 March, as her visit permit was ripped up by occupation soldiers at a checkpoint.

Osama Shaheen of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Center for Studies said that this action is part of a framework of harassment and collective punishment of the family being carried out by the occupation after the killing of Mahmoud, 21. Mahmoud was shot dead by Israeli occupation soldiers on Friday, 18 March at Etzion junction; they accused him of attempting to carry out a resistance action by stabbing occupation soldiers. No soldiers were injured.

Mohammed Abu Fannouneh has been held in administrative detention without charge or trial since 7 June 2013. He has, through his life, served nearly 10 years in Israeli prisons, most of that time under administrative detention. He was consistently denied visits with Mahmoud throughout his imprisonment. Abu Fannouneh suffers from multiple serious health conditions and participated in several hunger strikes against administrative detention. He and his wife are the parents of nine children.

Shaheen noted that the process to acquire a permit to visit is complicated and requires processing through the International Committee for the Red Cross and approval by the occupation; such permits are frequently denied under the pretext of security. The issuing and then destruction of such a permit, Shaheen said, is meant to undermine the morale of the prisoners and their families, noting that prisoners within the prisons are processed to receive a family visit and then told that their family member will not come. He called upon the ICRC to take action to end this policy and reject the tearing of permits at checkpoints.

Palestinian boy joins imprisoned father as youngest administrative detainee at 15

29 March 2016

The following news and message was reported and translated by Palestinian writer Reham Alhelsi of A Voice from Palestine:

Mo’ayyad Hammad is a Palestinian detainee from Silwad sentenced to 7 life terms in Israeli prisons. When he was detained by the Israeli occupation forces, his son Hamza was 3 years old. After 12 years of separation, the Israeli occupation forces detained his son, the now 15-year-old Hamza Hammad, and ordered him to 6 months in administrative detention without charge or trial. Hamza is the youngest administrative detainee of the approximately 700 Palestinians held without charge or trial among 7000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Even behind bars, father and son have been prohibited from meeting. The following words were written by Mo’ayyad to his son Hamza:

“Son, Palestine remains great in front of all the sacrifices: the years wasted in jails, the ruins of the house that housed us and became stones and dust, even the body parts that have become rubble. Because Palestine is great; old and new, all of the sacrifices diminish before her, and we don’t say we made a sacrifice, but exactly the opposite, she is making the sacrifice for us and making us stand tall, and grants us our existence.”

Palestinians in al-Khalil urge freedom for Janazreh, fellow hunger strikers

29 March 2016

Palestinians in Al-Khalil protested on Monday, 28 March, in support of the five Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, Sami Janazreh, Imad Batran, Abdul Rahim Sawayfeh, Nahar Saadi and Zaid Bseisi. Janazreh, Batran and Sawayfeh are all striking to demand their release from administrative detention, Israeli imprisonment without charge or trial; Saadi and Bseisi are striking to demand that Saadi and fellow Palestinian prisoners be released from solitary confinement.

A press conference at the solidarity event highlighted the family and children of Janazreh, 43, a Palestinian refugee living in al-Fuwwar camp in al-Khalil, and representatives of various Palestinian organizations and political parties. Ahmad Najjar of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society in al-Khalil, said that hunger strikes are an ongoing battle inside the occupation prisons because of the severe oppression of the prison administration. Janazreh has been on hunger strike for 27 days; he has been imprisoned in the Naqab desert tent prison since 15 November 2015. Earlier this month, the Israeli occupation issued a new four-month administrative detention order against Janazreh, who, as a former prisoner, has spent nearly nine years total inside Israeli jails.

Abdel-Alim Da’na, former prisoner, father of administrative detainee Bashar Da’na and leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said that “the ongoing policy of administrative detention is the result of the failure of the international community and international mechanisms to curb the Israeli state’s violations of the prisoners’ rights.” He urged escalating solidarity actions in Palestine and internationally with Janazreh and his fellow strugglers against administrative detention.

Ibrahim Najajreh of the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission echoed the call for a broader mass movement against administrative detention, while Fahmi Zarir of Fateh urged greater media coverage of Janazreh’s strike, pointing out that as a youth he participated in the first intifada, then the second and now is imprisoned once again.

21 April, Toulouse: Film and discussion: Palestine – la Case Prison

28 March 2016

Thursday, 21 April
8:30 pm
Bourse du Travail
Toulouse, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1719871048288634/

Solidarity with Palestinian Political Prisoners: Breaking the Silence!

Association France-Palestine Solidarité 31, Collectif Palestine Solidarité 31 and Toulouse Popular University will hold an event on Thursday, 21 April at 8:30 pm at the Bourse du Travail, Place Saint Sernin, Toulouse.

Over 7,000 Palestinians, resisters and ordinary civilians, men, women and children, are held captive in Israeli jails, including 700 under administrative detention, illegal under international law. Israel uses “administraive detention” to silence any attempt to protest without charge or trial.

“Palestine: la Case Prison” is a rich documentary directed by Franck Salomé and produced by the French NGOs Platform for Palestine, addressing the appalling situation of Palestinian political prisoners in occupation jails.

Film screening and discussion with Moncef Chahed, member of the National Bureau of the Association France-Palestine Solidarité and coordinator of its Prisoners Working Group

Solidarité avec les Prisonniers Politiques Palestiniens, Brisons le silence !
A l’initiative de l’Association France Palestine Solidarité 31, du Collectif Solidarité Palestine 31 et de l’Université Populaire de Toulouse le jeudi 21 avril à 20H30, à la Bourse du Travail, place Saint Sernin, Toulouse.

Plus de 7000 Palestiniens, résistants ou simples civils, hommes femmes ou enfants, croupissent dans les prisons israéliennes, dont environ 700 sous le régime de la détention administrative, en toute illégalité au regard du droit international. Israël, utilise l’arme de la « détention administrative » pour étouffer sans aucune justification toute tentative de contestation.

« Palestine : la Case Prison », est un documentaire riche en témoignages, réalisé par Franck Salomé et produit par la Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine qui traite de la situation effroyable que vivent les prisonniers politiques palestiniens détenus dans les prisons de l’occupation.

Soirée film+débat avec la participation de Moncef Chahed, membre du Bureau National et Coordinateur du Groupe de Travail Prisonniers dans l’Association France Palestine Solidarité .

30 March, Houston: Rasmea Odeh and Palestinian Liberation – Rally, March and Forum

28 March 2016

Wednesday, 30 March
5:00 pm – Rally and March
7:00 pm – Forum
Rally Location: University of Houston-MD Anderson Library, 4800 Calhoun Rd, Houston, Texas 77204
Forum Location: KIVA Room, University of Houston – Farish Hall Houston, Texas 77004

Facebook Events:
https://www.facebook.com/events/979296165480504/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1014651751941412/

Students For a Democratic Society invites you to attend a rally and march for the Palestinian activist, Rasmea Odeh. Rasmea Odeh is a 67 year old Palestinian American community leader who was tortured by the Israeli government in 1969. On November 10th in front of supporters in the courtroom, Rasmea was unjustly convicted of one count of Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation. Rasmea’s struggle is far from over and we still need your support to ensure that we win justice.

As part of our day of action, we will be holding a rally and a march on campus, as well as a presentation. Bring signs that say things like “Justice For Rasmea Odeh” and related slogans. We will have a banner as well, and will be handing out leaflets for our forum that will be held later that evening. If you have a Palestinian flag, you can bring it to the rally; we want to have as many Palestinian flags as possible.

We will assemble in front of the MD Anderson Library, and then march around the campus. We hope you will join us.

Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Justice in Palestine will follow the rally and march with a presentation on the Palestinian activist, Rasmea Odeh.

Rasmea Odeh is a Palestinian activist who has devoted her life to the cause of Palestinian liberation and is one of the most respected activists in the Arab-American community. Rasmea is a community icon who overcame vicious torture by Israeli authorities while imprisoned in Palestine in the 1970s, and an example for the millions of Palestinians who have not given up organizing for their rights of liberation, equality, and return. She is facing government repression based on trumped charges designed to silence her for her political activities.

Recently, Rasmea Odeh won a partial victory when her defense won an appeals hearing. We will be giving a presentation, in which we will give some background on Rasmea Odeh’s life, her political activism, and her struggle against imperialism. We will give an update on the campaign to get the charges against her dropped.

We will be in the KIVA room in the Farish Hall

29 March, Cincinnati: Teach-in on Rasmea Odeh

28 March 2016

Tuesday, 29 March
6:30 pm
Tangeman University Center
2766 Uc Main St, Cincinnati 45219
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1051892248185818/

Join the Cincinnati Palestine Solidarity Coalition in TUC Room 425 for a teach-in on Rasmea Odeh. Rasmea Odeh is a life-long activist for Palestine. Herself Palestinian, Rasmea is a member of the Arab-American community and a leader of the Arab American Action Network. As an activist in the struggle for Palestinain liberation and Arab-American womens’ rights in general, Rasmea was targeted by the United States government and indicted on charges of unlawful procurement of naturalization. Come learn about her indictment, updates of her trial, the iinvestigation by the government of 23 other activists around the same time, and the history of imprisonment of political activists in the United States.

1 April, NYC: Protest to free Sami Janazrah and all Palestinian prisoners

27 March 2016

Friday, 1 April
4 pm
G4S Office – NYC
19 W 44th St, NYC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/251077605231824/

Organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Sami Janazrah, a Palestinian political prisoner on hunger strike since March 3, was transferred on March 23 to the Negev desert prison from the Ofer prison, where he had been transferred earlier. Janazrah has been held without charge or trial under administrative detention under Israeli military orders since November 15, 2015. He is one of approximately 670 Palestinians held under administrative detention.

He will have an appeal hearing on his detention – again, in Israeli military courts – on 7 April.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, two more administrative detainees are on hunger strikes against their indefinite incarceration: Imad al-Batran since March 15, and Abd-al-Rahim Sawayfeh since March 25.

Two further political prisoners, Zayid Al-Basisi and Nahar Al-Sadi, launhed hunger strikes on March 26 to protest their solitary confinement.

G4S, the world’s largest firm company and second-biggest private employer, equips Israeli prisons and detention centers where around 670 administrative detainees and 6,330 other Palestinian political prisoners are held and tortured, as well as the occupation forces and infrastructure that routinely massacre Palestinians while holding millions under military rule.

Join us to answer a united appeal by Palestinian prisoners (https://samidoun.net/2015/08/stop-g4s-a-call-to-the-global-boycott-movement-from-palestinian-political-prisoners) for escalated boycotts of G4S.

Demand G4S immediately end its contracts with Israeli prisons and detention centers, occupation and security forces and checkpoints, and that Israel release administrative detainees and all Palestinian political prisoners.

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

Five Palestinian prisoners on open hunger strike to protest administrative detention and isolation

27 March 2016

Five Palestinian prisoners are currently engaged in an open hunger strike against Israeli policies of administrative detention without charge or trial and solitary confinement.

Sami Janazreh, 43, a Palestinian refugee living in al-Fuwwar refugee camp near al-Khalil, is on his 25th day of hunger strike, refusing food since 3 March in protest of his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention. Janazreh has been imprisoned without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation since 15 November 2015.

Imad al-Batran, 41, imprisoned without charge or trial under administrative detention, has been on hunger strike since 25 February in protest of his administrative detention, according to a letter received by Mohja Jerusalem Foundation. (The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society reports that he has been striking since 15 March.) Batran has been held in Israeli prisons seven previous times and has served over seven years in Israeli jails. He previously waged a hunger strike for 105 days against his administrative detention without charge or trial in 2013. He was releaed following his strike but has been imprisoned again by the Israeli occupation since 27 April 2015.

Abdel Rahim Sawayfeh, 39, from Ithna near al-Khalil, launched a hunger strike on 24 March in protest of his administrative detention without charge or trial. He has been imprisoned by the Israeli occupation since 21 October 2015.

Joining the three administrative detainees are two Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in protest of the policy of isolation; their open hunger strike comes amid ongoing collective prisoner protests against the use of solitary confinement. Long-term solitary confinement is a form of torture, as affirmed by the United Nations’ special rapporteur on torture. 30 Palestinian prisoners from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Islamic Jihad carried out a two-day hunger strike as one step in ongoing protests against the policy; 30 more prisoners affiliated with Hamas will also carry out a limited-term hunger strike starting on Monday against isolation.

Nahar Saadi, 33, from Jenin, and Zaid Bseisi, 39, from Ramin near Tulkarem, launched an open hunger strike on 25 March in protest of isolation and solitary confinement. Both are long-time prisoners, serving life sentences for their role in the Palestinian resistance. Bseisi has been imprisoned since 2001 and Saadi since 2003; Saadi has been held in isolation for three years and is protesting his solitary confinement and the policy as a whole. Bseisi, a leader of Islamic Jihad, is demanding an end to the policy for over 14 isolated Palestinian prisoners.

Take Action

1. Protest at the Israeli consulate or embassy, G4S office or headquarters, or public square in your area. Bring posters and flyers about administrative detention and Palestinian hunger strikers and hold a protest, or join a protest with this important information. Hold a community event or discussion, or include this issue in your next event about Palestine and social justice. Please email us at samidoun@samidoun.net to inform us of your action – we will publicize and share news with the prisoners.

2. Contact political officials in your country – members of Parliament or Congress, or the Ministry/Department of Foreign Affairs or State – and demand that they cut aid and relations with Israel on the basis of its apartheid practices, its practice of colonialism, and its numerous violations of Palestinian rights including the systematic practice of administrative detention. Demand they pressure Israel to free the hunger strikers and end administrative detention.

3. Boycott, Divest and Sanction. Hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. Don’t buy Israeli goods, and campaign to end investments in corporations that profit from the occupation. G4S, a global security corporation, is heavily involved in providing services to Israeli prisons that jail Palestinian political prisoners – there is a global call to boycott it. Palestinian political prisoners have issued a specific call urging action on G4S. Learn more about BDS at bdsmovement.net.

New York protesters gather at G4S to support strikers, all Palestinian prisoners

26 March 2016

Activists in New York protested outside the offices of security corporation G4S on Friday, 25 March, in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike and calling for freedom for all Palestinian prisoners and for G4S to get out of Palestine immediately.

G4S provides security systems, control rooms, and equipment to Israeli prisons, checkpoints, police training systems and even the Beit Hanoun/Erez crossing to Gaza, making them directly complicit in the Israeli siege on Gaza. A sustained international campaign, including calls from Palestinian prisoners and hundreds of Palestinian and international organizations, has caused G4S to lose contracts around the world and sparked escalating demands that public institutions like the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency, European Commission and United Nations cut their contracts with the security corporation. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network organizes weekly protests outside the G4S office in New York City.

G4S announced earlier in the month that it plans within the next one to two years to sell its Israeli subsidiary entirely, and exit the market in occupied Palestine. However, Palestinians have urged continued pressure on the security corporation to ensure that it is held to its commitment – and acts immediately, because Palestinian prisoners continue to suffer daily under the security regime supplied by G4S.

Protesters expressed their support for Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, including Sami Janazrah and Imad Batran, joining their call for an end to administrative detention without charge or trial. Many of the participants had traveled to Washington, DC the previous weekend for the anti-AIPAC, Palestine solidarity mass protest; several new participants joined the weekly action for the first time after participating in the DC march.

Participants promoted the upcoming 15 May mass rally in New York City marking the Nakba and demanding the right of return and the liberation of Palestine. People passing by frequently expressed their support for Palestinians under occupation; one French-Algerian couple living in France shared their concerns about the escalating repression of Palestine solidarity and BDS organizing in their home country. Another passerby, a Black flight attendant, shared her experiences with racism in the airline industry and its impact on Black, Arab, Muslim and South Asian workers and travelers.

Photos: Joe Catron

Seven Palestinian prisoners have been imprisoned for over 30 years in Israeli jails

26 March 2016

Seven Palestinian prisoners have now spent over thirty years in Israeli prisons, with four marking the beginning of their 31st imprisoned year this weekend.

Rushdi Hamdah Mohammed Abu Mukh, 55, and his cousin, Ibrahim Nayef Hamdan Abu Mukh, 56, are both serving life sentences, imprisoned since 24 March 1986. Walid Nimer As’ad Daqqa, 56, has been imprisoned since 25 March 1986, while Ibrahim Ahmad Bayadseh, 55, has been imprisoned since 26 March 1986. All four were members of the same Palestinian resistance group, who captured and killed an Israeli occupation soldier in Netanya in 1985, demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. They were also accused of receiving military training from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Syria.

All of them were scheduled for release in 2014, but the last group, including 26 prisoners, were suddenly refused release by the Israeli state. As Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association noted at the time:

However, historically speaking, this policy of prisoners releases has proven that it is not truly a “goodwill gesture” to build trust during negotiations, but rather is used as a tool by the Israeli government to manipulate the prisoners issues and distract from their core issues and demands. These 104 pre-Oslo prisoners were slated to be released as a pre-condition in previous negotiations that Israel has reneged on. Now, many of them serving more than 25 years in prison, and some of them with their sentences almost completed, as expected to be released in phases over the next year. However, this decision, will be determined by the Israeli government, who will decide the “condition, criteria, dates and phases” of the release, thereby controlling the entire process.

The refusal to release the 26 prisoners confirmed the accuracy of the analysis. Three other Palestinian prisoners have spent over 30 years in prison: Karim Younis, 56, imprisoned since 6 January 1983; Maher Younis, imprisoned since 18 January 1983; and Mohammed Al-Tus, imprisoned since 10 June 1985.

Riyad al-Ashqar of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Center for Studies said that the Abu Mukhs, Daqqa and Bayadseh are considered leaders of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and elders within the prisons. Daqqa has authored a number of books and studies inside prison, and along with Bayadseh, achieved a masters’ degree in political science. The demand for the release of all pre-Oslo prisoners is a unified call of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement; their release has been blocked multiple times by political maneuvers of the Israeli state.

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