Photos: Palestinian Youth Movement and supporters protest outside UN in NY, join call to boycott G4S

9 December 2015

Members and supporters of the Palestinian Youth Movement held a protest outside the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City on 29 November. The event took place as part of the Transnational Mobilization for Palestinian Resistance, organized internationally by PYM. Events took place around the world in support of the Palestinian struggle, from Manila and New Delhi to Manila, Antwerp, Los Angeles and New York. The call to action was joined by the International League of People’s Struggle.

Samidoun activists joined PYM for the protest, which also was part of the global week of action to demand the United Nations stop doing business with G4S, the British-Danish security corporation that provides equipment and control rooms to Israeli prisons that imprison Palestinian prisoners, checkpoints and the Israeli police in Jerusalem. Palestinian prisoners have urged an international boycott of the corporation. (Click here to take action online and demand the UN drop its contracts with G4S).

The call to action follows event photos:

We, Palestinian youth in exile, call on all Palestinians and our allies to defend our homeland and support the resistance and steadfastness of our people in Palestine. In recent weeks, Al-Aqsa Mosque has been the target of particularly brutal assaults while arbitrary killings are committed daily by the Zionist military and settlers and mass youth arrests are implemented in all historic Palestine. In response to this Zionist violence, we must recognise that resistance is a mandatory element to surviving in the face of an ongoing project of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

The intersections of Zionist military enforcement, settler encroachment, and a complacent Palestinian leadership who are serving as the gatekeepers to occupation and no longer the forerunners of the liberation project, culminate to ensure the suppression of resistance and the acceleration of ethnic cleansing. In this unbalanced struggle between a racist ideology and the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people, Israel still enjoys the support of its allies whom we hold accountable for all these crimes.

However, we as Palestinian youth must assume our full rights and responsibilities to defend our people and our land and take action wherever we are. The current struggle in all of Palestine is ours; it is a question of making justice prevail over a colonial project, and of standing against colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. This struggle is the uprising of a new generation of Palestinians, united everywhere around principles of dignity, justice and the liberation of all Palestine!

Palestinian resistance everywhere shall not end as long as the colonization of historic Palestine is perpetrated, the Zionists imprison and torture our people and impose a brutal occupation and embargo in the West Bank and Gaza strip. Our resistance shall not end as long as our exile endures and we cannot return to our land.
The resistance in Palestine is sustained by our mobilization in the street, and by intensifying the campaign for the boycott against Israel and the sanctions against the Zionist state everywhere. Let us assume our responsibilities and continue to bring together all genuine support to our cause!

While Palestinian youth are constantly organizing locally with a framework of justice, dignity and the liberation of all of Palestine, we call on all the Palestinians in exile, the solidarity movement and all the people who believe in justice, to join us in an international mobilisation in support of the Palestinian resistance on 29 November 2015.

By choosing the “UN international Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” we re-affirm that solidarity is only genuine if it respects the full Palestinian national principles, the role of all Palestinian communities everywhere in their liberation struggle, and the legitimacy of Palestinian resistance. We, as Palestinian youth assert that our struggle and cause is not one in which solidarity allies can displace their guilt and privilege into their solidarity with Palestine. For this mobilisation and the broader struggle, we mandate a critical analysis of understanding solidarity that operates through the “saviour” complex in which the UN and international law is directly responsible for perpetuating. Our mobilisation challenges the ways in which solidarity with the Palestinian people is only done when we are silent in the face of our own oppression. Rather, we have chosen this day for Palestinian youth of the Shatat to take our role in our struggle, lead our allies with justice-centered principles to stand in unconditional support for Palestinian methods of resistance and survival.

Stop the Zionist occupation and colonization of all Palestine!
Full support to the Palestinian resistance!
Freedom for the Palestinian prisoners!
Return of Palestinian refugees!
Stop the complicit silence of the International Community!
Support for BDS – Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions against Israel!

Turkey conference on Palestinian prisoners draws large crowd, calls for boycott of G4S

9 December 2015

The following news report and final statement were issued by BDS Turkey following their 29 November conference featuring Palestinian former prisoners and advocates, including Lina Khattab, Amneh Muna, Fadwa Barghouti and Mahmoud Hassan.

Members of BDS Turkey met for the “Struggle of Palestinian Prisoners, International Solidarity and Boycott Conference” on 29 November with the goal of giving a voice to Palestinian prisoners and discussing international solidarity and an effective boycott campaign. At the conclusion of the conference, BDS Turkey announced plans to begin a boycott of G4S, a security company that operates in prisons, checkpoints and settlements in the occupying state

The Boycott Israel for Palestine Initiative (BDS Turkey) organized an international conference on 29 November at the Istanbul Medical Chamber with the aim of giving voice to thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Zionist jails, debating methods of international solidarity with prisoners, underlining the necessity of an effective boycott campaign and drawing a path of action for Turkey.

Speaking first on behalf of BDS Turkey, Selim Sezer noted that the conference was being held on 29 November, the “Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” – which was first celebrated in 1977 – while emphasizing that attacks against the Palestinian people had been increasing and that the Palestinian people were experiencing a period in which mass arrests had come to constitute part of these attacks.

Taking the floor in the wake of Sezer, Zeina Hamad, a member of the Palestinian diaspora, highlighted popular freedom struggles, noting that “as people who are resisting in Turkey and Palestine, we find our path in the poems of Nazım Hikmet and Mahmoud Darwish.”

‘Daily lives of prisoners even a struggle’

The first session, titled “The Struggle of Palestinian Prisoners,” was moderated by Kutlu Dane. The session’s first speaker was Amneh Muna, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2001 by the occupying powers before participating in a hunger strike to protest solitary confinement in 2007. Muna was subsequently released in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel before going into exile. “I’m going to discuss with you the daily life of the prisoners there, because daily life for the prisoners is even a struggle,” Muna said, noting that she lost everything suddenly and that the struggle started the moment one was arrested.

Relating her experiences during her time in the occupiers’ prisons, Muna said:

“For them, every prisoner is an experiment. I stayed for 11 years, but some comrades were there for 30 years. Torture is especially done during the interrogation period. For one week, you’re on a chair underground without sleep or food. During that time, you learn that your family’s home has been bulldozed. This type of collective punishment is illegal everywhere in the world, but they arrest and punish the whole family. At the moment, 500 children are prisoners. While in prison, your biggest dream is to see your families once more.”

Muna said 45 women were currently being held prisoner in the occupiers’ prisons, while adding that one of the most important aspects for women in the Palestinian freedom struggle was that they were subjected to more oppression in the occupiers’ prisons than men. Despite being sentenced to life in prison, Muna wrote on the side of her bunk, “Tomorrow will be the day of freedom,” noting that this phrase gave her the strength to resist during the years of captivity.

‘Student movement an element of the Palestinian struggle’

Lina Khattab, a student at Birzeit University and important figure of the imprisoned Palestinian students, provided the second speech of the session. During a PFLP rally for solidarity with prisoners on 13 December 2014, Khattab was taken captive and held by an Israeli military court for six months on charges of “throwing stones” and “participating in an illegal demonstration”. Student movements are an element of the Palestinian struggle, Khattab said, adding that Palestinian youths were engaging in a struggle to protect their rights at university.

Telling participants about her experiences under arrest and the conditions in jail, Khattab said:

“I was arrested during a rally to protest the conditions of Palestinian captives. You’re alone underground in a dark, cold, and stinking dungeon. International organizations have to do more work regarding ill Palestinian captives. They are especially deprived of food before court hearings. Other than when they are in isolation, prisoners live a communal life. As a result of our struggle, high-school captives that had not been able to sit exams since 2009 won back their education rights in 2014.”

Noting that the policy of “administrative detention” – a legacy of imperialist states – was being implemented widely in Zionist prisons, Khattab emphasized that Palestinian prisoners were faced with very significant health problems.

‘Palestinian people’s struggle to last as long as the occupation’

The second session was moderated by Mehmet Özgün Özkul on the subject of “International solidarity and boycotts,” first featuring Mahmoud Hassan, a representative of the ad-Dameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Organization as well as the lawyer of Palestinian parliamentarian and PFLP General-Secretary Ahmed Saadat – himself a prisoner. Hassan said the age of detention had been lowered to 12 in Israel and that the destruction of prisoners’ homes was now being used as a tool of collective punishment. Some 2,000 Palestinians have also been arrested in the last two months alone, he added.

Following Hassan, Fadwa Barghouti, a lawyer, human rights activist and the wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, took the floor, noting that the Palestinian people would continue their struggle for as long as the occupation continues and that international solidarity movements kept the Palestinian people’s hopes alive.

“Israel has thrown 800,000 Palestinians into prison up until now – a figure that represents 25 percent of the Palestinian people. We will give voice to Palestinian prisoners everywhere. Regardless of the price, the Palestinian people will not abandon their struggle. As long as the occupation is continuing, no one can ask, ‘Why are you fighting?’ As long as the occupation continues, our struggle will continue.”

BDS Turkey calls for a boycott of G4S

The last speaker, Ayşe Düzkan of BDS Turkey, provided information about resistance movements in prisons in Turkey and around the world while also relating a new campaign to boycott G4S. Hunger strikes became a method of resistance in Turkey particularly after the 12 September 1980 coup against oppression and isolation in prisons, Düzkan said, adding that the biggest expectation for people in prison was for support from the outside. Accordingly, Düzkan noted that the support for Palestinian prisoners from Turkey and around the world, as well as boycott campaigns against the occupying state, were of critical importance.

The G4S security firm has been committing human rights crimes in Zionist prisons in Palestine, as well as similar crimes elsewhere in the world using security as a justification, she said, adding that BDS Turkey was calling for support for its new boycott campaign of G4S.

The conference drew a large number of citizens of Turkey and Palestinians, ending with the reading of a final declaration.

Click here for the full declaration.

Final Declaration from the “Struggle of Palestinian Prisoners, International Solidarity and Boycott Conference”

Today is 29 November, the Day of International Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It is a day of solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have turned every place in which they take a breath into an arena for struggle against the illegitimate Israeli state and Zionism, from the West Bank to Gaza, and from the refugee camps to prisons and detention centres. As in past years, this 29 November is also being marked by solidarity events around the world. We believe that we are making a contribution to these international solidarity events with this conference.

This conference comes amid a special period. Particularly in Jerusalem and the West Bank, we are witnessing the intensification of attacks by the Zionist entity directed at the Palestinian people everywhere in Palestine, an increasing number of extrajudicial executions and, in conjunction with this, mass arrests with every passing day, as well as the rise of a new popular uprising.

Today, the number of Palestinian prisoners in Zionist jails has reached nearly 8,000, with close to 2,000 of these arrests occurring in the last two months. Since the start of the occupation, the number of arrested Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem has reached 800,000. At present, 45 of the Palestinian prisoners in Zionist jails are women, while a significant portion are also children. Moreover, the number of child prisoners is likely to rise following legal amendments by the occupational regime lowering the age of detention to 12.

Palestinian prisoners in the jails, who are subjected to every form of systematic torture, are naturally also being deprived of their right to life. At the moment, 25 Palestinian prisoners are suffering from cancer; in addition, the administrators of Zionist jails have restricted detainees’ access to food containing B12 vitamins or phosphorus, opening the way to potentially permanent brain- and nerve-related illnesses. Another recently passed law has provided legal backing to the torture-like force-feeding of prisoners participating in hunger strikes.

The occupier Israel has especially targeted the leaders of the Palestinian people with their arrest attacks. A number of Palestinian parliamentarians – particularly popular leaders such as Ahmed Saadat and Marwan Barghouti – have been incarcertated for years as part of an attempt by the Zionist entity to intimidate the entire Palestinian people while also effecting their surrender and bondage. Israeli courts, which are entirely devoid of the slightest desire for justice, never advance beyond being a mere formality for the occupying regime.

As the organizers and speakers at the 29 November “Struggle of Palestinian Prisoners, International Solidarity and Boycott Conference,” we declare once more that we support the struggle of Palestinian prisoners with all our heart and strength. In concrete terms, we support the campaign that was begun in 2013 on Robin Island, the site of Nelson Mandela’s incarceration in South Africa, to demand freedom for Marwan Barghouti and all Palestinian captives. In a similar fashion, we offer our support from Turkey to international campaigns to secure freedom for Ahmed Saadat. At the same time, we are not restricting our solidarity to mere declarations of support. Today, one of the most effective vehicles for concrete solidarity with Palestinian prisoners is the boycott campaign, which will soon target the G4S company.

Considered to be the world’s third biggest employer with 650,000 employees in 120 countries, G4S launched operations in Palestine in 2002 after it purchased a company called Hashmira. As part of an agreement signed with the Israeli Prison Authority in 2007, it employs people in prisons and detention centres. At the same time, however, it also has operations at military checkpoints in the West Bank, illegitimate settlements and police stations.

G4S has been accused of the ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners in jails and detention centres and of committing torture. Children, meanwhile, are not exempt from such treatment, with some being subjected to solitary confinement. In some instances, the torture has resulted in the deliberate death of prisoners, while medical aid and treatment has been prevented from reaching ill inmates. At other times, fresh air and water have been denied to prisoners.

In summary, a company is accruing profits by inflicting torture and ill treatment on a people, whose land has been occupied, in prisons and detention centres! A company is making money by restricting a people’s right to movement at illegal settlement units and checkpoints!

The Palestinian National Prisoners’ Movement has sent a letter from prisons and detention centres to the International Boycott Movement with a number of recommendations and requests. The letter notes that all security companies that support the occupying government, especially G4S, are chiefly responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people and that boycotting these companies would entail the protection and defence of the Palestinian people, whose homeland is under occupation and who is subjected to new massacres every day.

As such, we, the Boycott Israel for Palestine Initiative (BDS-Turkey), which has been exposing and boycotting Israel and Zionism in every arena in Turkey since 2009, declare that we will heed the call of the Palestinian National Prisoners’ Movement and boycott more than 350 organizations that have an association with G4S, which employs 4,250 people in 18 provinces around Turkey at firms such as Yapıkredi, Koç Museum, Finansbank and Sabancı University, until the company ceases its practices in Palestine and completely withdraws its investments from the occupied territories.

Zeina Hamad

Selim Sezer

Ayse Duzkan

Fadwa Barghouti

Mahmoud Hassan

éirígi calls for the immediate release of Khalida Jarrar

8 December 2015

éirígi, the Irish republican socialist party, issued the following statement condemning the imprisonment of Khalida Jarrar, which we reprint below:

The socialist republican party, éirígi, has condemned the sentencing and imprisonment by an Israeli military court of Khalida Jarrar, the well-known Palestinian socialist and feminist parliamentarian. Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was arrested at her home in April of this year.

Criticising the Israeli action, éirígí’s national chairperson, Brian Leeson, said, “It is obvious that the sentencing and imprisonment on Sunday 6^th December of Khalida Jarrar by an Israeli military court is entirely politically motivated.

“Khailda Jarrar is widely recognised as one of the key individuals responsible for ensuring Palestinian accession to the International Criminal Court earlier this year. That step has the ground-breaking potential to set in motion the essential legal examination which could ultimately see the Israeli state and individual Israeli political and military figures being tried at The Hague for possible war crimes.

“It is certainly no coincidence that Jarrar was initially arrested within days of Palestine’s formal accession to the ICC.

“That timing of the original arrest in April, along with the charges later put against Khalida Jarrar, reveal the truly vindictive nature of the Israeli military court system in pursuing Jarrar. Her alleged ‘crimes’ include attending a book fair and visiting a released prisoner in his home.”

Leeson continued, “It is clear that the Israeli state and its occupation forces have targeted Khalida Jarrar simply because she has consistently been one of the most effective and articulate advocates for the human, civil and political rights of the Palestinian people.

“She is a former director of Addameer, a Palestinian human rights group, and is still a vice-chair of the group. Jarrar is one of 5,700 Palestinian political prisoners currently in Israeli jails, 18 of whom are elected representatives.”

Leeson concluded by saying, “As a party, éirígí has no hesitation in condemning Israel’s action against Khalida Jarrar.

“We also add our voices to the international campaign calling for the immediate release of Khalida Jarrar and all other Palestinian political prisoners.

“We believe that there are many people across Ireland who will add their voices to that campaign aimed at securing her freedom, and freedom for the Palestinian people.”

9 December, Toulouse: Rally in support of the accused BDS campaigners

8 December 2015

Wednesday, 9 December
1:00 pm
Metro Palais de Justice
Toulouse, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/919674121419074/

Bernard, Jean-Pierre, Loic and Yamann will face a correctional tribunal in Toulouse on 9 December. Their crime: They are accused of “preventing the normal exercise of an economic activity” at the behest of a complaint by two pro-Israeli organizations to the French prosecutor.

Their acts: They distributed flyers and leaflets in public space in Toulouse in December 2014 and February 2015 in support of BDS.

Why this judicial prosecution for such a normal activity? Following the international successes of the BDS campaign, the Israeli government – composed of the racist right and extreme right – has definied the BDS campaign as a “strategic threat” and has received the support of the French government in its pursuit of the criminalization of the actions of BDS activists following the 2010 issuance of the Alliot-Marie circular.

Their literature distribution was part of the international campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, which is, like the boycott of South Africa in the 1980s, a campaign based on civic, non-violent action, initiated by Palestinian civil society to build global public opinion in support of Palestinian rights and to end impunity of the Israeli state.

We believe that the right to criticize a state that does not respect international law, that occupies and colonizes, that practices apartheid, cannot be questioned. This right is at the heart of the concept of democracy and a democratic society. We denounce forcefully all who misuse the claim of anti-Semitism to silence condemnations of Israeli policy.

We demand the dropping of all charges against Bernard, Jean-Pierre, Loic and Yamann and all BDS activists. We also demand the repeal of the Alliot-Marie circular and respect for freedom of expression, particularly that of the BDS campaign of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The Committee to Support the Accused Toulouse BDS Activists is calling for support:

1) Donate online to help with legal expenses: http://www.leetchi.com/c/solidarite-de-inculpees-bds-toulouse

2) Sign the on-line petition: https://www.change.org/p/madame-la-ministre-de-la-justice-christiane-taubira-bernard-jean-pierre-loïc-et-yamann-doivent-être-relaxées

3) Donate via cheque to BDS France Toulouse: mention « procès BDS » au dos – à adresser à : CASC – BDS France Toulouse, 10bis, rue du Colonel Driant 31400 Toulouse,

4) Join the solidarity rally on Wednesday, 9 December at 13h, and future actions.

Bernard, Jean-Pierre, Loïc et Yamann sont convoquéEs au tribunal correctionnel de Toulouse le 9 décembre.

Leur crime. Ils sont poursuivis pour “entrave à l’exercice normal d’une activité économique » à la suite d’un dossier monté par deux organisations proisraéliennes (dont la section locale LICRA) et adressé au Procureur de la république.

Les faits. Il s’agissait de deux distributions de tracts dans l’espace public toulousain en décembre 2014 et février 2015.

Pourquoi un tel déploiement judiciaire pour 4 dossiers vides ? Devant les succès de la campagne BDS partout dans le monde, le gouvernement israélien – de droite et d’extrême droite raciste – a défini la campagne BDS comme une « menace stratégique » et il reçoit le soutien du gouvernement français qui poursuit la criminalisation des actions militantes BDS qui avait démarré en 2010 avec la circulaire Alliot-Marie.

Ces distributions s’inscrivaient dans le cadre de la campagne internationale Boycott – Désinvestissement – Sanctions qui est, à l’image de celle du boycott de l’Afrique du Sud dans les années 80, une démarche citoyenne et non violente, initiée par la société civile palestinienne pour lancer un courant d’opinion mondial en faveur du respect des droits des Palestiniens et pour en finir avec l’impunité de l’état d’Israël.

Nous considérons que le droit de critiquer un Etat qui ne respecte pas le droit international, qui occupe, colonise et pratique une politique d’apartheid, ne peut être remis en question. Ce droit se trouve au cœur même de la notion de société démocratique. Nous dénonçons, avec force, tous ceux qui prétendent y voir de l’antisémitisme pour faire taire toute condamnation de la politique israélienne.

BERNARD, JEAN-PIERRE, LOIC et YAMANN – et tous les militantEs de la campagne BDS en procès – doivent être relaxéEs. Nous demandons l’abrogation de la circulaire Alliot-Marie et le respect de la liberté d’expression pour la campagne BDS et pour la solidarité avec le peuple palestinien.

Le Comité de Soutien aux inculpéEs BDS toulousains appelle dès maintenant:

– à apporter le soutien financier nécessaire aux frais de justice :

– par la cagnotte en ligne : http://www.leetchi.com/c/solidarite-de-inculpees-bds-toulouse

– en signant la pétition en ligne : https://www.change.org/p/madame-la-ministre-de-la-justice-christiane-taubira-bernard-jean-pierre-loïc-et-yamann-doivent-être-relaxées

– par chèques à l’ordre de BDS France Toulouse – mention « procès BDS » au dos – à adresser à : CASC – BDS France Toulouse, 10bis, rue du Colonel Driant 31400 Toulouse,

– à participer au rassemblement de solidarité devant le tribunal de Toulouse le mercredi 9 décembre à partir de 13h, et aux futures initiatives du comité de soutien.

Palestinian Female Political Prisoners and Detainees: Resistance and Steadfastness towards the Liberation of Palestine by Reham Alhelsi

8 December 2015

Palestinian writer Reham Alhelsi wrote and published the following comprehensive piece on Palestinian women prisoners in Zionist prisons on her blog, A Voice From Palestine. It is republished below, and the original may be found online: https://avoicefrompalestine.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/palestinian-female-political-prisoners-and-detainees-resistance-and-steadfastness-towards-the-liberation-of-palestine/

O darkness of prison, reign, we love the darkness
For after the night there is nothing, but the dawn of a glory that is rising

They fight the darkness, they fear it not. To them, it is the constant companion that will only end with either martyrdom or the glory of freedom and defeating the jailor. Every minute and every day, Palestinians held captive in Israeli dungeons present tales of heroism, steadfastness and resistance; they resist the occupation with their steadfastness, with their patience and with their refusal to surrender. They break the chains of captivity every day with their strong will and their unity. They defeat the Israeli jailors every day with their belief in the inevitability of victory.

Since 1967, more than 800,000 Palestinians were detained by Israeli occupation forces, including over 15,000 women. During the First Intifada at least 3000 women were detained and during Al-Aqsa Intifada more than 900 women were locked up behind Zionist bars. Palestinians are subjected to raids by the Israeli occupation forces, whether day or night raids, to their houses, villages, refugee camps or towns, and subjected to kidnappings at checkpoints or workplaces. Sometimes those detained are released after a few days, after a few weeks or remain in detention indefinitely. These kidnapping and detention take place in violation of international laws and conventions, whereby the treatment of Palestinian female prisoners during arrest, interrogation and detention is a clear breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, in particular Articles relating to the protection of civilian prisoners at the time of war, particularly Article 32, Article 76, Article 49 and Article 27. In average, the Zionist entity kidnaps and detains 5-8 Palestinian women and girls monthly for various reasons and periods. Often, Palestinian female prisoners are accused of being involved in or supporting Palestinian resistance, or as a means to pressure their wanted relatives to hand themselves in or in order to obtain confessions from their imprisoned relatives. Additionally, the Israeli occupation Prison Service (IPS) uses psychological and physical torture as a means to extract confessions and information from the Palestinian prisoners, including women. For example, interrogators deprive Palestinian female prisoners of sleep for long periods during interrogation, which may last from 20 to 120 days, and they are tied to plastic or wooden seats in interrogation cells as a means to achieve physical pressure.

Additionally, Palestinian female prisoners are subjected to various forms of psychological torture; including verbal harassment, insulting religious and national beliefs of the prisoners, uttering obscenities in front of them during the investigation, threats of sexual assault and rape to force Palestinian women to surrender and submit confessions. Additionally, Palestinian female political prisoners, like their male comrades, are held under inhumane conditions in cells that are overcrowded, dirty, humid, cold in winter and hot in summer, and lack ventilation and the basic needs for living. They also suffer from various punishments, ranging from malnutrition, medical negligence, to denial of family visits and isolation.

According to latest statistics, there are currently around 7000 Palestinian political prisoners and detainees held captive in 22 Israeli jails and detention centres, including 39 women, 430 children and 5 PMs. They are kidnapped either from their homes, at checkpoints, or during day and night raids. Some of those detained were released later, some kept in captivity, others deported from occupied Jerusalem for weeks or months. Since the beginning of the current Al-Quds Intifada in October, more than 2500 Palestinians were detained, including over 1200 children, 90 women, and many sick and former prisoners (including those released later). Many were beaten during arrest, others were shot deliberately before arrest. The highest rate of detention was registered in occupied Jerusalem with 850 detainees, followed by occupied Hebron with 780, Palestinian areas occupied in 1948: at least 150 detainees, occupied Ramallah and Al-Bireh: 320 detainees, occupied Bethlehem: 170 detainees, occupied Nablus: 220 detainees. Additionally, children younger than 10 years old were detained, such as: 7 year-old Mohammad Shweiki, the brothers 7 year-old Mu’tasim and 9 year-old Ahmad Rajabi, 9 year-olds Nabil Khatib, Mohammad Khweis and Amer Abbasi. Others were detained after being injured by the IOF or the Zionist colonists, such as 12 year-old Ahmad Manasrah, 12- year-old Ali Alqam, 15 year-old Istabraq Nur, 16 year-old Marah Bakeer, and 14 year-old Nourhan Awwad. It is worth mentioning that the Zionist entity used administrative detention against women and children for the first time in years, whereby 14 administrative detention orders were issued against 12 children (3 of whom from occupied Jerusalem), and 2 women: Asma’ Hamdan from occupied Nazareth and Jurin Qadah from Shuqba in occupied Ramallah.

The registered increase in the number of minors detained, mostly from occupied Jerusalem, resulted in the opening of a new detention centre, the Givon prison in Ramleh, which detains Palestinian minors from occupied Jerusalem and Palestinian areas occupied in 1948. There is also a registered increase in the number of administrative detentions, which are detentions without charge or trial, whereby over 500 Palestinians are held currently in administrative detention, including 181 administrative orders in October 2015, from which 129 were new orders. Some administrative detention orders are new, while others are renewals; for example, the administrative detention order for Omar Abdel Halim Talahmeh, 25 years old from Dura, was renewed 7 times. In occupied Jerusalem, 21 administrative detention orders were registered in October 2015, including for 3 children: Fadi Abbasi, Mohammad Gheith and Kathim Sbeih (all 17 years old). Additionally, 44 cases of women detentions were registered in October 2015, including 12 children, 8 of whom were released, some placed under house arrest. The youngest being 13 year-old Reem Qunbar from Jabal Al-Mukabir who was released on condition of house arrest and a 3000 NIS fine. Also, 14 year-old Tamara Abu Laban and her mother were detained after IOF raided their home in At-Tur on charges of “incitement on Facebook”, and was release a day later.

There are currently 39 Palestinian female prisoners held captive in Israeli jails in inhuman conditions: 9 of from Jerusalem, 2 from Palestinian areas occupied in 1948, 27 from the West Bank (Hebron: 7, Ramallah: 6, Bethlehem: 5, Jenin: 4, Nablus: 3, Tulkarim: 1, Tubas: 1), 1 from Gaza (born in occupied Haifa). Among the detainees and prisoners are: 4 minors under the age of 18, 13 mothers, 5 former prisoners, with Lina Jarbouni being currently the longest serving Palestinian female prisoners. The majority of these prisoners are held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

Palestinian female political prisoners held captive by the Zionist entity:

1. Lina Ahmad Saleh Jarbouni: 40 years old, from Arabet Al-Boutof in Al-Jaleel, held captive in Israeli jails since 18.04.2002.
Lina was born on 11.01.1974 among 9 sisters and 8 brothers. She received her primary and secondary education in the village school, and received her high school degree in 1992. The economic situation of her family prevented her from pursuing university education, so she was forced to work in a sewing workshop. On the early hours of 18.04.2002, more than 30 Israeli army vehicles surrounded her family house, and Israeli occupation soldiers kidnapped her and her brother Sa’id. Both were taken handcuffed and blindfolded to Al-Jalameh detention centre. She remained 30 days in interrogation cells, and was subjected to various forms of psychological torture such as insults, isolation and sleep deprivation. During this time, her sister Lames was also arrested, to pressure Lina into confessing, but she remained steadfast. Lina was charged with “contacting the enemy”, providing assistance for resistance operations, and membership in Hamas, and sentenced by the District Court in the city of Haifa to 17 years in jail. Despite her suffering in Israeli captivity, she is in high spirits and has a strong character, and was mandated by Palestinian female prisoners to represent them and be their spokeswoman. Lina loves reading and was known in her family as a “book warm”, and because she speaks fluent Hebrew, she has a central role in teaching female prisoners Hebrew. Lina comes from a family known for its sacrifices and contribution to the Palestinian resistance: her grandfather Haj Ali was one of the resistance fighters during the revolution of 1936, as well as through the Nakba of 1948, her father was imprisoned several times by the Zionist entity on political issues, and her uncle Omar was killed in Lebanon fighting Israeli occupation soldiers when they invaded Lebanon in 1982. She is currently held in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) and suffers from various diseases, such as permanent headache, swelling in the feet and infections in the gallbladder, which cause her severe cramps and pain. She underwent surgery, and her gallbladder was completely removed by laser. Consequently, she is in need of medical follow-up, but suffers from deliberate medical negligence. It is worth mentioning that the IPS repeatedly refused to release her, as she has spent two-thirds of her sentence.

2. Muna Hussein Qa’dan: 43 years old, from ‘Arrabeh in Jenin governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 12.11.2012.
Muna was born on 25.09.1971 and has 4 sisters and 3 brothers. She is a former prisoner and was detained five times and spent a total of 3 years in Israeli captivity: Her first detention was in 1999, where she was subjected to harsh interrogation in Al-Jalameh integration centre, and went on a hunger strike for a month before being released. Another time, she went on hunger strike for 16 days to protest her isolation, after which she was released from isolation. In 2003, Muna was kidnapped again from her home, and was held in Al-Jalameh interrogation centre for 45 days, after which she was sentenced to 17 months captivity in HaSaron prison (Tel Mond). Here, her health problems began, as she started suffering from ulcers and blood pressure problems. She was also detained on 02.08.2007 and released on 20.06.2008, detained again on 31.05.2011 at a military checkpoint, spent several months in captivity before being released on 18.11.2011 in the prisoner swap deal between Hamas and the Zionist entity. Her last detention was on 12.11.2012, when a huge Israeli occupation force raided her parent’s house at midnight, searched the house and destroyed its property, confiscated her computer and before kidnapping her. She is still held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond), and is accused of running a charity society in Jenin, which provides support and help to orphans. Muna was subjected to over 30 court sessions, and her detention was renewed over 19 times. Israeli military courts deliberately postponed issuing a verdict to increase the psychological and physical pressure caused by the transport of prisoners in the “bosta” to courts and back. In average, she is taken once a month to court in a 12-hour journey as a punishment. During such “journeys”, Palestinian prisoners are not allowed to eat or drink, and are hand and leg shackled. Eventually, on 31.03.2015, Muna was sentenced by an Israeli military court, which cancelled her release in the prisoner swap deal. She received 70 months imprisonment, despite an agreement between her lawyer and the Israeli general prosecutor on a sentence of maximum 36 months. She was also sentenced to 24 months suspended sentence for 5 years from the date of her release, and a 30,000 NIS fine. Muna, currently the second longest serving Palestinian female prisoner, suffers from chronic ache in stomach and joints and blood pressure problems, and doesn’t receive proper treatment. She is deprived of family visits since her detention. During her captivity, Muna lost her mother and was not allowed to say farewell to her. She also got engaged to Palestinian political prisoner Ibrahim Ighbariyyeh, who received 3 life sentences and 10 years. Her brother Tariq is an administrative detainee, but she is not allowed any communication with her fiancé or brother. On 04.05.2015, and following a petition submitted by her lawyer, Muna was allowed to meet with her fiancé. It is worth mentioning that Muna was enrolled at Al-Quds Open University, had a few credits left before graduation, but her studies were interrupted several times due to being detained.

3. Fathiyyeh Abdel Fattah Khanfar: 61 years old, from Silet Al-Thahr in Jenin governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 03.02.2013.
Fathiyyeh is mother of 7. She was detained on 03.02.2013 while visiting her son Rami Khanfar in An-Naqab prison, who is sentenced to 15 years in Israeli captivity. Fathiyyeh was detained for 18 days, after which she was placed under house arrest under the supervision of a bailor in occupied Rahat and fined 30,000 NIS. She remained under house arrest for 9 months before being released and returned to her home in October 2013. She was sentenced to 11 months in jail after 21 court sessions on charges of allegedly attempting to smuggle a mobile SIM card to her imprisoned son. She suffers from arthritis, asthma back pain, pain in the legs, infections in the trachea. Fathiyyeh is held captive in Neve Tirza prison (Ramleh), and is isolated in a cell in the section of Israeli criminals. Her situation is especially difficult because she is old and sick. Her cell is small, dirty and infested with insects, with no drinking water or electrical utilities for cooking, where she sleeps on a very thin mattress placed on the concrete floor, and she is isolated from the outside world and denied visits from and contact with family members. The Israeli criminals in the nearby cells shout loudly all the time and insult her.

4. Dunia Wakid: 38 years old, from Tulkarim refugee camp, held captive in Israeli jails since 27.05.2013.
Dunia worked in a jewellery shop, before being kidnapped from her house by Israeli occupation soldiers in a night raid on 27.05.2013. She was denied to see any lawyers until 16.06.2013, and was sentenced to 42 months in jail on 02.02.2014 on charges of trying to smuggle money and mobile phones to Palestinian political prisoners. Her fiancé Mohammad Wakid is currently serving a prison sentence of 29 years. She is not allowed any communication with him, and she is subjected to medical negligence as she suffers from diabetes and asthma. Two of Dunia’s brothers were killed by Israeli occupation forces.

5. Wi’am Jaber ‘Asidah: 22 years old, from Tel in Nablus governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 11.11.2013.
She is a student of Business and Administration at An-Najah University. She was arrested on 11.11.2013 at Za’tara military checkpoint, whereby Israeli occupation soldiers beat her to the ground, handcuffed her before taking her to interrogation cells. Wi’am was accused of possessing a knife and attempting to stab an occupation soldier, and sentenced on 24.04.2014 to 32 months imprisonment, a fine of 5000 NIS and 16 months suspended sentence. She is currently held in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond). Her brother ‘Asem ‘Asidah was killed by Israeli occupation forces, he uncle was sentenced to 27 years in Israeli captivity. Wi’am is deprived of family visits.

6. Falasteen Fareed Najem: 28 years old, from Nablus, held captive in Israeli jails since 20.11.2013.
Falasteen is a former prisoner; was first arrested on 15.02.2006, sentenced to 16 months jail, and was released on 14.06.2007, and arrested again on 20.11.2013, accused of possessing a knife and trying to stab an occupation soldier, which is the ready excuse to kidnap Palestinian women, whereby 80% of female prisoners are accused of this. She was sentenced on 05.01.2015 to 48 months imprisonment, a fine of 3000 NIS and 24 months suspended sentence for five years. Falasteen talks about her experience with the “bosta”: “It is a journey of slow death; an iron structure with iron chairs and walls, smell of vomit is everywhere, and there is no toilet or ventilation despite the fact that the journey in the “bosta” lasts hours and the weekly “journey” for some prisoners… It is very cold, seats are very close to each other to the point of causing pain to the knee, joints and back. The prisoner cannot sit in a comfortable position, because of the restrictions and hand and leg shackles. She also remembers the waiting rooms at the Ofer prison before the court session: “My court session ends in the morning hours, but they keep me held in the dirty waiting rooms until the end of all trials, i.e. at around 17:00, to send me back to HaSharon…. These rooms are as dirty as a dumpsite; there are insects and cockroaches, the smell of humidity is stark, there is lack of air and sun, you cannot use the toilet, even if you need it urgently, because of its dirtiness and the filth is beyond description.”

7. Shireen Issawi: 34 years old from Jerusalem, held captive in Israeli jails since 06.03.2014.
Shireen is a human rights lawyer and an advocate for the rights of Palestinian political prisoner. She was also the spokesperson for her brother Samer Issawi during his 270-day hunger strike. Shireen participated in monitoring and documenting Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinian prisoners. She is herself a former prisoner; she was arrested for the first time in 2010 and imprisoned for a year, in addition to being barred from legal practice for three years, a ruling that was extended in 2013 for another two years. On 06.03.2014, Shireen was kidnapped with her brothers Medhat and Shadi by Israeli occupation soldiers from her family house and was held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond). Shireen and Medhat were accused of smuggling funds to Palestinian prisoners. On 22.04.2015, Shireen and 5 other prisoners were punished and isolated in their cells for 4 days and denied family visits for a month; they were accused by the IPS of singing and waving a Palestinian flag while the sirens were on for the dead Israeli occupation soldiers. It was also reported that on 03.05.2015, Shireen and another 4 Palestinian detainees were isolated for a week after an Israeli jailor claimed that the Palestinian female detainees pushed her. Following protest from the other Palestinian female political detainees, the other 4 were returned back to the wing of Palestinian political prisoners, but with the same isolation conditions for a week. The next day, Shireen was transferred to isolation in Neve Tirza (Ramleh). Her cell was small, very hot, smelly, without windows, and had a tap that is connected to a douche in the ceiling, when the tap was turned on, the whole floor become wet. She was held in isolation until 13.05.2015, to be isolated again on 25.05.2015 for a week after being accused of sending a letter to Palestinian media. Shireen reported that during her trial on 12.10.15, Nahshon occupation forces threatened her by saying that she “deserved a bullet in the head instead of jail”, and that “this land is the land of the Israelis and Palestinians have to leave it”.

8. Thuraya Kamal Taha Al-Bazar: 21 years old, from Beit Ilu in Ramallah governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 26.07.2014.
Thuraya is a student of Media and Technology at Al-Quds Open University. She was arrested on 26.07.2014 in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, and 12.02.2015 was on sentenced to 22 months imprisonment. She is held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

9. Ihsan Hsan Abdel Fattah Dababseh: 28 years old, from Nuba in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 13.10.2014.
Ihsan is a former prisoner: she was arrested the first time on 11.12.2007 and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on charges of membership in Islamic Jihad, and was released on 06.09.2009. On 13.10.2014, she was arrested for the second time, and is still waiting to be sentenced. Israeli occupation soldiers raided her house several times, sent her 4 summons and threatened to blow up her house of she didn’t come to interrogation centre. She went with her mother to detention centre and was detained and her personal computer was confiscated, while her mother told to leave. During her first arrest at “Etzion”, Israeli occupation soldiers filmed her while handcuffed and her eyes blindfolded. They were dancing and singing around her, while pushing, humiliating and harassing her. She recalls in an interview: “They handcuffed and blindfolded me, and threw me into a military jeep. After a while, I was thrown at the yard of the Etzion detention centre in front of criminals. It was very cold and raining, and I was left under rain for a while…. After some time, I started hearing loud music and felt that someone was trying to touch me. I tried to keep close to the wall, but it was useless. One occupation soldier brought a bottle of wine and offered me a drink, which I refused, so he continued to harass me… After a few moments, they began attacking me like rabid dogs, and began beating me with their rifle butts and their feet. One of the soldiers beat my head against the iron military jeep until I fainted… I regained conscience to find myself in front of a female doctor wearing military dress, and after a configurable medical examination, I was taken to the interrogation cell, and there began the journey of torment and humiliation.”… “The officer who began interrogating me was called Peran; he began threatening to demolish my family’s house and arrest my brothers. The interrogation continued two hours, and afterwards I was taken blindfolded to another interrogation centre, I think it was the Russian Compound. There were three interrogators, and the minute I entered the room, they started insulting me and saying curses I don’t want to repeat. One of the interrogators was pulling my hair, and all the time I was handcuffed. This lasted till eleven o’clock at night, and afterwards they transferred me to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond), where I was charged with attempting to stab an occupation soldier and the membership in the Islamic Jihad.” She concluded: “I will never rest until the occupation soldiers are punished judicially in order to be a warning to anyone tempted to insult or humiliate any Palestinian prisoner.” Ihsan was subjected to various punishments, including isolation for a week with another 4 fellow Palestinian female detainees and were denied family visits on charges of raising the Palestinian flag in the prison yard on the anniversary of the Nakba. Ihsan was brought to court 4 times, but without any verdict. It was also reported that on 03.05.2015, Ihsan and another 4 Palestinian detainees were isolated for a week after an Israeli jailor claimed that the Palestinian female detainees pushed her. Following protest from the other Palestinian female political detainees, they were returned back to the wing of Palestinian political prisoners, but with the same isolation conditions for a week, with the exception of Shireen Issawi, who was transferred to isolation in Neve Tirza (Ramleh).

10. Yasmin Tayseer Sha’ban: 32 years old, from Al-Jalameh in Jenin governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 03.11.2014.
Yasmin is a mother of four. She was kidnapped from her home on 03.11.2014, and underwent five days in interrogation at Al-Jalameh Detention Centre, during which she was tortured; she was left to stand on a chair tied with chains for long periods, and was threatened with the arrest of her husband and children. She described the interrogation cells as “very bad, with rough walls, and dirty mattresses, high humidity and lack of hot water”. She was denied to meet any lawyers, and was transferred to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) on 09.11.2014. Israeli interrogators alleged that Yasmin was planning to carry out a resistance operation together with another 4 young men from Tulkarim governorate. She suffers from thyroid problems and shortness of breath and asthma and is in need of regular medical follow-up. On 22.04.2015, Yasmin and 5 other prisoners were punished and isolated in their cells for 4 days and denied family visits for a month; they were accused by the IPS of singing and waving a Palestinian flag while the sirens were on for the dead Israeli occupation soldiers. Also, it was also reported that on 03.05.2015, Yasmin and another 4 Palestinian detainees were isolated for a week after an Israeli jailor claimed that the Palestinian female detainees pushed her. Following protest from the other Palestinian female political detainees, they were returned back to the wing of Palestinian political prisoners, but with the same isolation conditions for a week, with the exception of Shireen Issawi, who was transferred to isolation in Neve Tirza (Ramleh).

11. Amal Ahmad Al-Sa’dah: from Halhoul in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 16.07.2015.
Amal was detained on 18.11.2014, after which she was released on conditions of a 12,000 NIS fine and imposing house arrest on her in Kisifyeh in Bir As-Sabis’ with a bailor who is holder of Israeli ID, and depriving her from visiting her brother Mohammad, who is held captive in Israeli jails. After 6 months under house arrest, Amal’s house arrest order was cancelled and she was returned to Halhoul, on condition of appearing before the district court in Bir As-Sabi’. After five court sessions, she was sentenced on 16.07.2015 to 14 months imprisonment on charges of trying to smuggle a mobile SIM card to her imprisoned brother Mohammad. The court also added 18 months imprisonment to her brother Mohammad who is serving a 17 years sentence since 2005. It is worth mentioning that Amal suffers from a number of diseases, including diabetes. She is currently held in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

12. Hala Msallam Abu Sall: 18 years old, from Al-Arroub refugee camp in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 28.11.2014.
Hala was arrested on 28.11.2014 by Israeli occupation forces after she refused to be searched at an Israeli military checkpoint in the Old City of Hebron. She was forcibly searched by the Israeli occupation soldiers under threat of guns, and was accused of possessing a knife.

13. Amal Ahmad Taqatqa: 20 years old, from Beit Fajjar in Bethlehem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 01.12.2014.
On 01.12.2014, Amal was shot with 5 live bullets by Israeli occupation soldiers near the “Gush Etzion” colony block after a colonist claimed that she tried to stab him. She was seriously injured in the chest, her left hand, her left waist and her left leg, and her legs were chained to the bed in hospital. Amal was subjected to interrogation while in hospital, and was told by Israeli interrogators that there was no need for her confession, as evidence was available from cameras at the scene; evidence they never provided. On 19.12.2014, and despite denying the accusation and the lack of evidence, Amal was charged with “attempted murder”. She was transferred to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) on 30.12.2014. Her family’s house was raided and her father arrested. Despite various cameras being present at the “Gush Etzion” junction, no evidence was ever provided by the Israeli occupation forces that Amal tried to stab the colonist till this day. While in hospital, she woke up one night to find a colonist pulling her hair.

14. Haniya Munir Naser: 23 years old, from Deir Qadis in Ramallah governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 10.12.2014.
Haniya is a former prisoner, arrested on 12.09.2011 and sentenced to 38 months, and was released on 18.12.2011 in the prisoner swap deal between Hamas and the Zionist entity. On the dawn of 10.12.2014, Haniya’s house was raided by Israeli occupation forces, and she was kidnapped. Her release in the prisoner swap deal was cancelled and her original sentence was re-imposed by a special Israeli military court on 30.04.2015, and she was returned to prison to finish her original sentence. On 03.05.2015, Haniya and another 4 Palestinian detainees were isolated for a week after an Israeli jailor claimed that the Palestinian female detainees pushed her. Following protest from the other Palestinian female political detainees, they were returned back to the wing of Palestinian political prisoners, but with the same isolation conditions for a week, with the exception of Shireen Issawi, who was transferred to isolation in Neve Tirza (Ramleh). She is member of the Media Support Team for Palestinian Prisoners. Her brother Naser is also held captive by the Zionist entity.

15. Khalida Jarrar: 52 years old, from Ramallah, held captive in Israeli jail since 02.04.2015.
Khalida is a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) for the Abu Ali Mustapha bloc, a prominent political and civil society figure, the head of the Prisoner’s Issues in the PLC, and mother of two. On 20.08.2014, Israeli occupation forces issued a “deportation order” in an attempt to displace Khalida from her home in Ramallah to Jericho. She rejected the order and received huge popular support. On 02.04.2015, Israeli occupation forces raided her home in Ramallah, destroyed the main door, searched the house and confiscated 2 laptops and a mobile phone, before kidnapping Khalida. She as subjected to a 4-hour interrogation at Ofer military camp, where Khalida refused to talk, take water or food. She was later transferred to HaSharon priosn (Tel Mond). Khalida was initially sentenced to administrative detention for 6 months, which was replaced with detention after one month and two days, following international pressure. Her detention was extended on 28.05.2015 until the end of legal proceedings, based on 12 charges against her that are related to her advocacy work for the freedom of Palestinian political prisoners. Her trial has been delayed several times deliberately due to lack of evidence and witnesses against her. She suffers from health problems, whereby the journey in the “bosta” is extremely exhausting for her. It is worth mentioning that Khalida is banned by Israeli occupation military from travelling outside occupied Palestine. Full profile of Khalida Jarrar, Khalida Jarrar resource page on Samidoun.

16. ‘Alia Al-Sheikh Al-‘Abassi: 49 years old, from Silwan in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 14.04.2015.
‘Alia was born on 25.03.1966 and is a mother of six. She was arrested on 02.01.2012 and released on 23.02.2012 under condition of house arrest and a fine of 7,500 NIS. ‘Alia was sentenced on 14.04.2015 to 26 month imprisonment and a fine on charges of carrying a knife and attempting to stab an occupation soldier at a military checkpoint in Shu’fat. The next day, she was transferred first to Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle) and later to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond). She suffers from various health problems, such as Asthma, problems with the spinal column, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol. She is mother of Palestinian political prisoner Issa Abbasi.

17. Ibtisam Yousif Taha Hamarsheh:60 years old, from Ya’bad in Jenin governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 26.05.2015
Ibtisam was detained on 26.05.2015 during a visit to her imprisoned son Ali in Gilboa prison. She was accused of attempted smuggling of a mobile phone. On 02.07.2015, the court ordered her release on conditions of paying a fine of 30,000 NIS, a bail of 10,000 NIS by a third part and house arrest at her sister’s house in Um Al-Fahim until the finalization of the court procedures for her trial. On 23.07.2015, the Israeli military court in occupied Tiberias sentenced Ibtisam to 6 months imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 NIS. She suffers from poor health due heart and blood pressure problems, and underwent an operation a few days following her detention, and was denied visits while in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

18. Sabrin Abu Sharar: 25 years old, from Dura in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 07.06.2015.
Sabrin was born on 27.11.1990, and graduated from medical school in Egypt in 2014. She is a trainee doctor at Alia hospital in occupied Hebron. She was kidnapped from her family home by Israeli occupation forces on 07.06.2015 and taken to interrogation cells in Asqalan prison. Sabrin was subjected to physical and psychological torture, including pressure, threats and humiliation during the harsh interrogation, which lasted from 08:00 till 23:00 every day, whereby the interrogators took turns in interrogating with her, while they were screaming, shouting, calling her names and threatening her. The cell was small and narrow, not bigger than 1.5m x 2m, dirty and smelly, with little ventilation, and the toilet was inside the small cell. Sabrin also reports that the journey in the “bosta” is another a form of torture; the harsh journey starts at 03:00 in the early morning and lasts up to 8 hours. Sabrin is currently held in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

19. Maysoun Mousa Mahmoud Al-Jabali: 19 years old, from Shawawreh in Bethlehem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 29.06.2015.
Maysoun is a university student. She was detained by Israeli occupation soldiers on 29.06.2015 for carrying out a resistance operation and stabbing an occupation soldier near “Rachel’s Tomb” military checkpoint in Bethlehem. Maysoun was brutally beaten by the Israeli occupation soldiers, who kicked her and beat her with sticks and rifle butts, before being transferred to the detention centre. She is currently held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond). Her family house was also searched, its contents ransacked and her parents were threatened with the demolition of their house.

20. Rawan Abu Matar Ziadeh: 22 years old, from Beit Illo from Ramallah governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 16.07.2015.
Rawan was detained by Israeli occupation soldiers on 16.07.2015 outside “Mahliel” illegal Zionist colony in Ramallah governorate. The occupation soldiers forced Rawan to the ground, and handcuffed her before taking her to interrogation. Rawan was accused of carrying out a resistance operation and stabbing an occupation soldier near a military checkpoint outside the illegal Zionist colony. She is currently held captive in HaSharon prison.

21. Najwan Mohammad Ayman Odeh: 34 years old, from Al-Bireh in Ramalllah and Al-Bireh governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 07.09.2015.
Najwan is an employee in the Palestine Office of Qatar Charity in Al-Bireh, and also works as a presenter at Nisa’ FM radio station in Ramallah. She was kidnapped by Israeli occupation soldiers on the morning of 07.09.2015 after raiding her house in Sateh Marhaba in Al-Bireh. Her house was ransacked by the IOF, the entrance door broken and several PCs were confiscated, and she was taken to interrogation on accusation of transferring money to “hostile organizations”

22. Asma’ Fahid Saied Hamdan: 19 years old from occupied Nazareth, held captive in Israeli jails since 05.10.2015.
Asma’ is a student of medical secretarial work, and was detained on 05.10.2015 during a protest stand against the human rights violations and brutality of the Israeli occupation forces. She told her lawyer that was held in the interrogation centre in Nazareth from 17:30 till 02:30, before being transferred to Al-Jalameh interrogation centre. At Al-Jalameh, Asma’ was strip-searched by a female soldier and interrogated for 10 days. She was subjected to torture, insults and threats during interrogation and she was isolated from the outside world. The cell she was held captive in was very narrow, dirty and smelly, and although it was very cold, she was allowed only one mattress and one blanket. Asma’ was charged with “incitement and threatening the state security” on her Facebook page and allegedly sending text messages to her family expressing the unity of the Palestinian people against the aggression on Al-Aqsa, and received an administrative detention order for 3 months, later reduced to 2, making the first Palestinian female from Palestinian areas occupied in 1948 to receive an administrative detention order in many years. After hearing her sentence, she asked the judge why Israelis who incite against Arabs on Facebook are never detained, and told the judge that their laws are racist. She is currently held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

23. Shuruq Salah Ibrahim Dwayyat: 18 years old, from Sur Bahir in occupied Jerusalem, held captive in Israeli jails since 07.10.2015.
Shuruq is a first-year student of History and Geography at Bethlehem University. On 07.10.2015, while walking in Al-Wad Street in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, Shuruq was shot deliberately and in cold blood by a Jewish colonist from a short distance after he tried to remove her head cover (hijab), and she pushed him away. She was shot 4 bullets in the chest, neck and shoulder, injuring a main vein in her shoulder, and was left bleeding on the street for at least two hours, while Israeli occupation soldiers shouted at her and insulted her. She was later transferred to Hadasa hospital to receive treatment, where she was tied to the hospital bed and denied family visits. Shuruq underwent an operation to plant a vein in her shoulder, after which she was taken on a wheelchair to interrogation cells in Al-Maskubiyyeh detention centre (the Russian Compound), where she was held for 4 hours and was insulted and threatened by the interrogators to be taken to an unknown place and to demolish her family house. She was accused to attempting to stab the Zionist colonists who attacked her. After interrogation, Shuruq was taken to jail in the “bosta”, although she recently underwent an operation and needed medical assistant; she was unable to stand or walk, was in pain, and one time fell on the ground, but the Israeli occupation solders laughed at her. The “bosta” was smelly, without any ventilation, and the journey from Al-Maskubiyyeh to HaSharon (Tel Mond) lasted 8 hours. She was brought in front of an Israeli military court on 13.10.2015, but the trial was postponed. She looked very tired as a result of her injury. Additionally, and clearly a collective punishment to Shuruq’s family, Israeli occupation authorities issued a demolition order for the house of Shuruq’s brother under the pretext of building without a permit.

24. Isra’ Mohammad Ja’abees: 31 years old, from Jabal Al-Mukabbir in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 11.10.2015.
On the morning of 11.10.2015, Isra’ was on her way to work coming from Jericho, where she has a second home, when her car caught fire due to an electrical short circuit that caused the airbag to explode. As her car stopped at the Z’ayem Israeli military checkpoint, and despite seeing the car catch fire, Israeli occupation soldiers rushed to shoot at Isra’. She is currently still receiving treatment in Hadasa hospital, as she suffers from severe burns all over her body. Israeli occupation forces claim that Isra’ attempted to carry put a resistance operation, which eyewitnesses deny and insist that it was a car malfunction and that the car did not explode.

25. Nisreen Hassan Abdallah Hassan: 40 years old, from occupied Haifa, held captive in Israeli jails since 18.10.2015.
Nisreen is from occupied Haifa, and is married to a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip. She is mother to seven children, the youngest of whom is 10 years old. Nisreen was detained at Beit Hanoun Israeli military checkpoint on 18.10.2015, and has since been held in detention. Israeli occupation forces accuse Nisreen of membership in Kataeb Al-Mujahideen in Gaza Strip, and collecting information in 2013 and 2014 on governmental buildings and other sensitive locations in occupied Haifa for the benefit of the Palestinian resistance. Her trial was postponed 4 times, lately till 15.12.2015, under the pretext of “completing the interrogation”. It is worth mentioning that Nisreen suffers from cervical cancer.

26. Istabraq Ahmad Nur: 15 years old, from Madama in Nablus governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 21.10.2015.
Istabraq comes from a family of 11 and is a student in the 9th grade at Madama Girls School. She was detained on the early morning of 21.10.2015, after being shot in the right hand and foot by Israeli occupation forces near the illegal Zionist colony “Yitzhar”. Israeli occupation soldiers claimed that Istabraq attempted to sneak into the Zionist colony to carry out a resistance operation. She lost conscience as a result of the injury and only awoke in the ambulance. Istabraq spent 3 days receiving treatment at Shneider hospital, before being transferred between jails, which refused to take her in due to over-crowding, to finally end up in Asqalan prison together with Jihan ‘Ereqatand Marah Bakeer. The three girls were held in isolation in Asqalan prison, where they were held in a small and narrow cell that was dirty, infested with insects and cockroaches, high humidity and lacked basic needs for living. The cell was close to the section of Israeli criminal prisoners, who often shouted and insulted the three Palestinian minors. When first transferred to Asqalan, the three minors were left several days without blankets and suffered from the harsh cold, lack of winter clothing, the food was of bad quality and they were not allowed to go regularly to the yard. Istabraq was brought to Salim military court several time, and one time she was beaten by an Israeli occupation policewoman during the court session. On the way to Asqalan prison, one of the Israeli policewomen removed the bandages from her hand although not fully recovered, as she still needs treatment, and since her transfer to Asqalan, she’d been suffering from deliberate medical negligence. On 22.11.2015, the three minors Istabraq, Jihan ‘Ereqat and Marah Bakeer were transferred from Asqalan prison to an isolation cell in Neve Tirze (Ramle) for Israeli female prisoners held on criminal charges. They suffer from abuse, can’t sleep because of the shouting coming from the section of Israeli criminal prisoners, and haven’t received a family visit since their detention. On 29.11.2015, it was reported that the IPS issued a decision to transfer the three minors to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

27. Shifa’ Fadel Obeido Shaloudeh: 33 years old, from Silwan in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 21.10.2015.
Shifa’ has been held captive in HaSharon (Tel Mond) since 21.10.2105. She was kidnapped with her 11 year-old son Fadi from their home in Silwan during a raid of the Israeli occupation special forces, on charges of throwing stones at Israeli occupation soldiers. While in the Israeli jeep, Fadi was beaten repeatedly, and was ordered to keep his head down and not to move; and whenever he would move, the soldiers would beat him. Shifa’ shouted at them and cried and told them that her son was but a child, but the soldiers ordered her to be quiet and even threatened her. She told reporters: “The soldier deliberately beat my son in front of me to see my reaction, imagine the feeling of a mother seeing her son being harassed. It’s a very difficult situation and no person can endure this. I felt hopeless and unable to protect my son who was being beaten in front of me.” While at the interrogation centre in Al-Mukabir, Israeli interrogators brought Shifa’s son into the interrogation cell, made him stand in the cell without allowing both to talk to each other. Fadi was released a day later on conditions of “home confinement” at his uncles house and a bail of 8,000 NIS, while Shifa’s detention in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) was extended several times, during which the occupation soldiers detained her other son; 17-year-old Samer, and transferred him to the new section in Givon Prison in Ramleh, recently opened to imprison Palestinian minors from Jerusalem and Palestinian areas occupied in 1948. Additionally, the IOF summoned Shifa’s husband Hamza and their 15 year-old son Basil for questioning. Both Samer and Fadi were charged with “throwing stones and bricks and empty bottles” at Israeli occupation soldiers, while their mother was charged with “incitement and helping young men prepare stones” and “illegal residence in Jerusalem” as she is a holder of a West Bank ID. Fadi is currently under house arrest, he is not allowed to leave his uncle’s house, and is prevented from going to school. Also, Hamza is prevented from visiting his wife in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond), on grounds that he was held captive in Israeli jails 24 years ago. Although the Israeli magistrate court agreed to the conditional release of Shifa’ last week on condition of house arrest and a fine of 10,000 NIS, the Israeli prosecutor appealed at the district court, which in turn agreed to freeze the release and extend Shifa’s detention pending the issuance of a report of the so-called “behaviour officer” on three bailors, to consider the possibility of releasing her on condition of home confinement and a fine.

28. Jihan Hatem Abdel Aziz ‘Ereqat: 17 years old, from Abu Dees in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 27.10.2015.
Jihan is a high school pupil. On 27.10.2015, she was detained with her sister Nour near the Ibrahimi Mosque in occupied Hebron on claims of possessing a knife. Nour was released later and Jihan was taken to the Maskubiyyeh detention centre (Russian Compound) for interrogation, after which she was transferred to Asqalan prison. Jihan was isolated, together with Marah Bkeer and Instabraq Nur, in a cell in Asqalan prison. The cell was small, dirty, infested with insects and cockroaches. They complained from the bad food and the lack of drinking water. They also suffered from the various raids of the IPS, the searches, humiliation and racist ridicule by Israeli occupation soldiers. They asked to be transferred to HaSharon (Tel Mond) to be with other Palestinian female political prisoners. On 22.11.2015, the three minors Jiahn, Istabraq Nur and Marah Bakeer were transferred from Asqalan prison to an isolation cell in Neve Tirze (Ramleh) for Israeli female prisoners held on criminal charges. They suffer from abuse, can’t sleep because of the shouting coming from the section of Israeli criminal prisoners, and haven’t received a family visit since their detention. On 29.11.2015, it was reported that the IPS issued a decision to transfer the three minors to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

29. Jurin Saied Qadah: 19 years old, from Shuqba in Ramallah governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 28.10.2015.
Jurin is a second-year Media student at Birzeit University. On 28.10.2015 at 03:00 am, Israeli occupation forces raided Jurin’s family house, searched the house, beat her and kidnapped her, because she wrote the following sentence on her Facebook page: “If I ever leave, cover me with your prayers for me”. Jurin was subjected to a degrading treatment during the harsh interrogation, and she fainted during the transfer to Ofer military court because of extreme fatigue and the length of the journey in the “bosta” from the prison to the court. On 04.11.2015, Jurin received an administrative detention order of 3 months renewable; making her the second Palestinian woman in years to receive an administrative detention order. Jurin is currently held captive in HaSharon prison (Tel Mond). During her detention, she was subjected to harassments and in one incident, a female occupation soldier beat Jurin, causing her bruises in her foot.

30. Marah Jawdat Bakeer: 16 years old, from Beit Hanina in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 03.11.2015.
Marah was leaving school in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied Jerusalem after the end of the school day on 03.11.2015, when Zionist colonists shouted at her and falsely claimed that she attacked them. Israeli occupation soldiers present immediately shot her several times; 10 bullets according to various reports, in the upper body and in the left leg and arm causing fractures in both and shrapnel in the face. She was left to bleed for some time, before being taken to Hadasa hospital for treatment, where she stayed for 24 days while hand and leg tied to the hospital bed. She was later transferred to Asqalan prison, as HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) refused to take her in due to over-crowding. Marah was held captive, together with Jihan ‘Ereqat and Instabraq Nur, in a cell in Asqalan prison; the three minors told lawyers that the cell was small, dirty and that they suffered from allergies because the cell was infested with insects and cockroaches, and the lack of hygiene material such as shampoo, in addition to bad food and a delay in providing drinking water. They also complained from the various raids of the IPS, the searches, humiliation and racist ridicule by Israeli occupation soldiers, and asked to be transferred to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond) to be with other Palestinian female political prisoners. On 22.11.2015, the three minors Marah, Jihan ‘Ereqat and Istabqar Nur were transferred from Asqalan prison to an isolation cell in Neve Tirze (Ramle) for Israeli female prisoners held on criminal charges. They suffer from abuse, can’t sleep because of the shouting coming from the section of Israeli criminal prisoners, and haven’t received a family visit since their detention. On 29.11.2015, it was reported that the IPS issued a decision to transfer the three minors to HaSharon prison (Tel Mond).

31. Hilweh Mohammad ‘Elayan Hamamreh: 25 years old, from Husan in Bethlehem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 08.11.2015.
Hilweh is married and has 1 daughter. She was shot and severely injured by Israeli occupation soldiers on 08.11.2015 in the abdomen and leg after carrying out a resistance operation in which she slightly injured an Israeli security guard outside the Zionist colony “Beitar Ilit”. Hilweh was transferred to the intensive care unit at Hadasa hospital due to her critical condition. The doctors told her lawyer that there is slight improvement in her condition, but refused to disclose further information. On 22.11.2015, Ofer military court extended the detention of Hilweh for another 8 days under the pretext of “incomplete interrogation”.

32. Samya Mashahreh: 30 years old, from Jabal Al-Mukabir in Jerusalem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 08.11.2015.
Samya is mother of two girls and one boy, and is wife of Palestinian prisoner Fahmi Mashahreh who is serving a 20-time life sentence. She was detained and her two children, 13 year-old Obeidah and 2 year-old Aziza, on 08.11.2015, while visiting her husband in Eshel prison, and were taken to Bir As-Sabi’ police station. Her children were sent to her parents, while her detention was repeatedly extended. She is held captive on charges of “trying to smuggle a mobile phone to her husband, disrupting the work of the police and helping a terrorist organization”. It is worth mentioning that her second daughter Aziza, born in 2003, was conceived after samples of her father’s sperm were smuggled out of prison.

33. Abeer “Amira” Ahmad Hmeidat Al-Qadi: 43 years old, from Sourif in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 16.11.2015.
At 20:00 on 16.11.2015, more than 30 military vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces raided Abeer’s house in Sourif. They shouted at the residents, insulted them, and ransacked the house for 3 hours before kidnapping Abeer while handcuffed. Israeli occupation soldiers also beat Abeer’s husband Ahmad, when he tried to prevent the soldiers from stealing money and other possessions from the house, whereby they took 65,000 NIS. She suffers from various health problems, including Asthma, and underwent an operation 5 years earlier to remove a tumour. Abeer is held captive in Asqalan interrogation centre and denied family visits.

34. Dunia Ali Misleh: 19 years old from Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 16.11.2015.
Dunia is a student at Palestine Ahliya University in Bethlehem and is active in the Progressive Student Labour Front at the university. On 16.11.2015, Israeli occupation forces conducted a dawn raid on Dheisheh refugee camp, during which several houses were raided, accompanied with firing live bullets, gas and sound canisters at the houses and the Palestinian protesters who came out to defend confront the IOF and defend the refugee camp. 4 young men were injured with live bullets and Dunia was detained. Dunia’s house was raided, its main entrance forced open and it was thoroughly searched. It is suspected that Dunia is detained on accusation of incitement on Facebook, as she received a phone call weeks before her detention from someone claiming to be from the Israeli intelligence and threatening her over her Facebook activity. Her court session was postponed twice.

35. Lynn Haitham Tawfiq Al-Heeh: 18 years old, from Sourif in Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 18.11.2015.
Lynn was held captive by Israeli occupation soldiers on 18.11.2015 at the entrance to Al-Shuhada Street near the “container” military checkpoint in Hebron city. She was accused of trying to cross the military checkpoint and was transferred to the occupation police station.

36. Tamara Mohammad Ahmad Shreiteh: 27 years old, from Yatta on Hebron governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 21.11.2015.
Tamara is a mother of four. She was detained by Israeli occupation soldiers on 21.11.2015 near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of occupied Hebron under the pretext of “possessing a kitchen knife”. Tamara was beaten by the occupation soldiers before being taken to the occupation police station in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi for interrogation.

37. Nourhan Awwad: 14 years old, from Qalandia refugee camp, held captive in Israeli jails since 23.11.2015.
On 23.11.2015, Nourhan and her 16 year-old cousin Hadeel were on their way to school, when they were harassed and threatened by Zionist colonists. They tried to defend themselves with a little scissor they had, at which point Israeli occupation policemen shot at the two minors, whereby Hadeel was martyred and Nourhan was critically injured in the liver and the foot. She was also subjected to severe beating and insults. Nourhan is held captive in the hospital on accusation of stabbing of Zionist colonists. On 27.11.2015, it was reported that Nourhan told interrogators that: “I did not intend to stab anyone, but when I heard them say “terrorist, terrorist” I pulled out a scissor to protect myself.” A video appeared that shows Israeli occupation policemen shoot at Nourhan although she was lying on the ground motionless.

38. Mariam Arafat Sawafta: 21 years old, from Tubas, held captive in Israeli jails since 28.11.2015.
Mariam is originally from Tubas, but is married and resides in the Jordan Valley. On the morning of 28.11.2015, Israeli occupation soldiers detained Mariam at Al-Hamra military checkpoint in Jericho governorate on accusation of “attempting to stab an occupation soldier”.

39. Nada Ahmad Yousif Shusheh: 52 years old, from Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem governorate, held captive in Israeli jails since 29.11.2015.
Israeli occupation soldiers detained Nada on the morning of 29.11.2015 when she went to visit her two imprisoned sons Hamzeh and Mohammad in An-Naqab prison. She was detained at Ath-Thahriyyeh military checkpoint and accused by Israeli occupation soldiers of carrying a “knife”, which her brother says was a pair of small scissors for trimming the nails, which she always keeps in her handbag. Nada was taken to interrogation in the police station in “Kiryat Arba” Zionist colony.

In addition to Palestinian female prisoner in Israeli jails, the Zionist entity imprisons the bodies of 8 Palestinian female martyrs:
1. Martyr Dalal Said Mohammad Al-Mughrabi, martyred on 11.03.1978.
2. Martyr Darin Mohammad Abu Eisheh, from Jenin, martyred on 17.02.2002.
3. Martyr Wafa‘ Ali Khalil Idris, from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, Ramallah, martyred on 21.02.2002.
4. Martyr Hanadi Tayseer Abdel Malik Jradat, from Jenin, martyred on 04.10.2003.
5. Martyr Tharwat Ibrahim Salman Al-Sha’rawi, from Hebron, martyred on 06.11.2015.
6. Martyr Rasha Ahmad Hamid ‘Eweisi, from Qalqilya, martyred on 09.11.2015.
7. Martyr Ashraqat Taha Ahmad Qatanani, from Askar refugee camp, martyred on 22.11.2015.
8. Martyr Hadeel Wajeh Awwad, from Qalandia refugee camp, martyred on 23.11.2015.

Freedom for ALL Palestinian Political Prisoners in Israeli Dungeons

Sources:
http://www.assra48.com
http://www.waed.ps
http://www.samidoun.net
http://www.addameer.org
http://www.freedom.ps
http://www.wofpp.org
http://www.ahrarwledna.com

10 December, Manchester: G4S – Human Rights Abusers – Leave Our City

8 December 2015

Thursday, 10 December
8:15 am
Picadilly Gardens, Manchester
Facewbook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1640666526201426/

Global security firm G4S continues to abuse human rights around the world, from Israel to Australia, the UK to Guantanamo Bay.

10th December is UN Human Rights Day, commemorating the day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

To mark UN Human Rights Day join us outside G4S’ Manchester offices to demand that a company with such an apalling human rights record leaves our city.

20 December, NYC: Say No To Racist Trump and His Media Megaphone

8 December 2015

Sunday, 20 December
2:00 pm
Trump Tower, 725 5th Avenue between 56th & 57th Streets
New York City
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/706156566150674/

#TrumpFascism #NoTrumpZone #TrumpRacism #DumpTrump
Add your support (EndorseNoTrump@gmail.com)
Endorsers listed below

Today we face the most extreme national and international crisis since 9/11. This is a crisis that can quickly expand.

The time is now to focus on Trump and the corporate media. Trump is inciting violence, filling stadiums with racist, bigoted mobs and mobilizing them into an ominous force.

The media is acting as giant megaphone, providing constant coverage of fascist proposals like a national database and ID cards for Muslims, causing vicious attacks on immigrants and refugees, and all the while justifying new wars, vastly increased police violence and publicizing the most disgusting racism.

The shooting of five Black Lives Matter activists in Minneapolis, the deadly shooting at the Colorado Planned Parenthood, the attacks on Mosques and the Muslims pulled off of flights, desperate refugees barred from entering the U.S., the vicious anti-immigrant slurs and escalating police killings – all are a result of a poisoned political climate that encourages fascist violence.

From the Middle East to East Europe to Asia Pacific, the Pentagon is moving in the direction of wider war. Racism, fear of immigrants and anti-Muslim bigotry is being used to justify new crimes.

This is not an election issue. It is clear now that Trump and his corporate supporters are trying to actually build a fascist movement.

Whenever fascism rears its ugly head, it is the duty of all progressive forces to unite in struggle and solidarity against it.

This is an urgent time to bring together all those who fight for justice and human rights in a powerful show of unity and solidarity.

Coalition Partners: List in Formation – Add your support (endorsenotrump@gmail.com)

Al-Awda USA: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
Al-Awda NY: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
American Muslim Alliance
American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights & Elections
Ayotzinapa Student Front
Addicted To War
Bail Out the Peoples WI
BMCC Students Without Borders
Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network – B.A.N
CCNY Students Without Borders
Community Labor United with Postal Jobs & Services
Coordination Dessalines (KOD)
Equality for Flatbush
Fight Imperialism–Stand Together
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition
Friends of Human Rights
Guyanese American Workers United
Haiti Liberté Newspaper
Humanist Society of Metro NY
International Action Center
Internt’l Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
International League of People’s Struggle-U.S.
Jersey City Peace Movement
Justice for Aiyana Jones Committee
Labor Against Racist Terror
May 1st Coalition for Worker & Immigrant Rights
Millions March NYC
National Congress of Black American Indians
NYC Shut It Down
NYC Students for Justice in Palestine
NYU Students for Justice in Palestine
Party of Communists USA – NY Metro Branch
Pakistan USA Freedom Forum
Parents to Improve School Transportation
Peace Action – Manhattan
People’s Organization for Progress
People’s Power Assemblies
Revolutionary Student Coordinating Committee
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
SI-Solidarity with Iran
South Asian Fund for Education, Scholarship & Training
Students for Justice in Palestine at Hunter College
Students for Justice in Palestine at St. Joseph’s College
Students for Justice in Palestine at College of Staten Island
Students Without Borders at Hunter College
Southern Christian Leadership Conference – Baltimore SCLC
Syrian American Forum
Teamsters Local 808 IBT
TransJustice
United National Antiwar Coalition-UNAC
U.S. Peace Council
Women’s Fightback Network
Workers World Party

Addameer: Palestinian Legislative Council Member Khalida Jarrar to Spend 15 Months in Prison

7 December 2015

Addameer released the following statement on 7 December on the imprisonment of Khalida Jarrar:

Palestinian Legislative Council Member Khalida Jarrar to Spend 15 Months in Prison

On 6 December 2015, the charge sheet of Palestinian Legislative Council member was modified from 12 charges to 2 charges: namely, membership in an illegal organization and incitement. Her sentence has been set to 15 months, with a fine of 10,000 NIS and a suspended sentence of 12 months within a 5 year period.

Palestinian Legislative Council member Khalida Jarrar was arrested on 2 April 2015 and initially placed under an administrative detention order of 6 months, which was subsequently limited to one month and two days. She was then charged with 12 charges, following international outcry at her administrative detention order.

Addameer underlines that the information used against Mrs. Jarrar involved information as old as 2009, and that the fact that she was charged years later in 2015 indicates the arrest is a politically motivated one. The charge sheet was also built on witness testimonies including those from released prisoners, whose presentation of testimonies was delayed by the prosecution’s failure to bring them forth. These such delays in addition to the exhausting transfer process of the detainees in their transfer from prisons to the military court itself leads to the willingness of the accused to consent to plea agreements.

Addameer also underlines that the continued use of these military courts in the trials of Palestinian civilians and Palestinian representative leaders are not in compliance with international law, particularly in contravention with Articles 64 and 66 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (12 August 1949), and Article 43 of the Hague Conventions (1907).

Addameer calls for a national legal stance for the boycott of these military courts which are in contravention with international law. It also calls for the referral of the continued use of these military courts in the trials of Palestinian civilians and representative leaders to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, as these military court trials fail to provide the minimum standards of fail trial guarantees as codified by the Fourth Geneva Conventions, and these violations against prisoners and detainees may constitute crimes of war.

11 December, New York City: Emergency Protest to free Khalida Jarrar and all Palestinian prisoners

6 December 2015

Friday, 11 December
4:00 PM
G4S Office – NYC – 19 W 44th Street
New York City
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/964922716911672/

Organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Demand an immediate end to support for Israeli prisons, security and military forces by British-Danish security company G4S and the unconditional release of Khalida Jarrar and all Palestinian political prisoners.

Jarrar, a Palestinian leftist and feminist parliamentarian and advocate for political prisoners, was sentenced by an Israeli occupation military court in Ofer to 15 months imprisonment on Sunday, 6 December 2015. Arrested by occupation military forces who invaded her Ramallah home on 2 April, the imprisonment of Jarrar, former executive director and current vice-chair of the board of directors of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, has sparked widespread Palestinian, Arab and international outrage.

Jarrar is a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Abu Ali Mustafa bloc, the parliamentary bloc affiliated with the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In 2014, she had been targeted for forced displacement to Jericho from Ramallah by an occupation military order, which she succeeded in defeating after a month-long sit-in at the PLC office and an international support campaign.

In April, she was immediately placed in administrative detention without charge or trial following her arrest. An international outcry – including a vote by the Portuguese parliament demanding her release – followed, and she was then charged in Israeli military courts. While the military courts present an appearance of a “trial,” these trials are in reality no more just or fair than arbitrary administrative detention. 99.74% of Palestinians who come before them are convicted.

Jarrar was charged with twelve entirely political charges relating to her public political activity, including giving speeches, attending public forums, and calling for the freedom of Palestinian political prisoners. She was accused of “incitement” for allegedly calling for the capture of Israeli occupation soldiers by the Palestinian resistance in order to free Palestinian prisoners. Despite this statement by the occupation military, they could produce no witness to confirm that Jarrar had ever said this – and the witnesses they brought forward all indicated that they were threatened and tortured into giving statements against Jarrar.

Despite the obviously political nature of the charges against Jarrar, an internationally-recognized parliamentarian and political leader, and the steadfast advocacy of her lawyers of Addameer, she was convicted by the Israeli military courts – as is entirely standard – and sentenced to fifteen months in Israeli occupation prisons.

G4S, the world’s largest security company and second-biggest private employer, equips and maintains the Israeli detention centers and jails where Palestinian political prisoners, like Jarrar, are held and tortured, the occupation forces and infrastructure that routinely massacre Palestinians while holding millions under military rule, and the military checkpoints that prevent ethnically-cleansed Palestinian refugees from returning to their homes.

The Palestinian prisoners’ movement recently issued an unprecedented appeal for escalated boycotts of G4S over its participation in Israel’s colonial policies of occupation and repression.

Join a growing international campaign against G4S and support Jarrar and all Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Resistance, and the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea.

Video: Farewell to the martyr Moataz Zawahreh in Dheisheh

6 December 2015

Mondoweiss published the following video and story, by Sheren Khalel and Abed Al Qaisi, on the release of Ghassan Zawahreh, Palestinian prisoner and former hunger striker – and the killing of his brother Moataz Zawahreh by Israeli occupation forces in Dheisheh refugee camp:

Video & Story by Sheren Khalel and Abed Al Qaisi

BETHLEHEM — Mutaz Zawahra was having the time of his life in France on a youth program with two other friends when he got the news that his oldest brother had fallen dangerously ill. His brother, Ghassan, was on hunger strike in Israeli prison protesting his internment without trial or charge, and family members told Mutaz that his older brother may not make it through his strike alive.

Mutaz returned home immediately to be with his family, just in time for the start of the unrest that was about to erupt. Not long after, on Sept. 29, Israeli authorities announced that they would release Ghassan, 40 days into his hunger strike. Ghassan ended his strike and began to look forward to home. Exactly two weeks later, his brother was shot dead.

Israeli forces shot and killed Mutaz during a particularly intense bout of clashes coined “A Day of Rage.” He was the 30th Palestinian to be shot dead that month.

Mutaz, a well-known supporter of the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was loved by his community — a fact that was apparent at his funeral, as thousands of mourners flooded the streets of Bethlehem.

His brother Ghassan, was not one of them.

When Ghassan was finally released on Nov. 30, he went straight to his brother’s gravesite before even thinking to go home.

Two days later he was giving a speech at a commemoration ceremony, which should have marked the 40-day anniversary of his brother’s death, as Islamic tradition. The commemoration was held for several days however, so Ghassan could at least have the honor of paying his respects to his brother on a special day just for him.

During his speech, Ghassan is flanked by three other younger brothers, giving him the strength to continue when tears threaten to break his voice.

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