PFLP leaders Sa’adat and Jaghoub transferred by occupation prison authorities

2 February 2014

The branch of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the occupation prisons reported that the Zionist prison authorities are engaged in a series of transfers of PFLP leaders within the prisons, beginning with imprisoned PFLP general secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, who was transferred from Shata prison to Gilboa prison on January 25.

The PFLP said that this action was intended to obstruct the efforts of Sa’adat as a leader in the prisons to unify the national prisoners’ movement and build the struggle within the prisons, and that Sa’adat and other leaders of the prisoners’ movement are always subject to vindictive measures and are closely monitored by the Zionist prison authorities in attempts to obstruct their leadership and influence within the prisons.

On February 2, the PFLP prison branch announced that another leader, Wael Jaghoub, had been transferred from Ramon prison to Shata prison, linking Jaghoub’s transfer to Sa’adat’s, and saying that “this action is part of an ongoing campaign by the occupation Prison authority against the prisoners’ leadership in various Israeli jails, including the leadership of the PFLP, so as to sabotage efforts to build the unity and activity of the prisoners’ movement and undermine activities to re-activate the protest movements inside the prison against the abuses of the prison authorities.”

Sa’adat, the PFLP’s leader, is serving a 30-year sentence since he was kidnapped from a Palestinian Authority prison in 2006 with his comrades; Jaghoub is serving a life sentence and has been held in Israeli prisons since 2001.

Palestinian prisoners in Nafha demand rights, plan protest

2 February 2014

Palestinian prisoners in Nafha prison stated through the Palestine Prisoners Society that they will begin to take protest steps that may escalate to a hunger strike in April 2014 if their demands are not recognized.

The prisoners are demanding:

1. The provision of professional and quick medical treatment to all patients in the prisons, particularly those held in the Ramle prison clinic.

2. Full implementation of the visiting agreement for the families of prisoners from Gaza. Following the April-May 2012 Karameh hunger strike, prison authorities committed to allow regular visits every two weeks, but the prison authorities have repeatedly failed to adhere to this agreement.

3. A full conclusion to the issue of solitary confinement, which was agreed to be ended following the strike; however, Dirar Abu Sisi’s isolation was not ended and other prisoners have since been held in isolation.

4. End the use of the “Bosta”, with iron chairs and shackles, particularly for the transportation of sick prisoners to hospitals.

5. Waiting rooms for prisoners’ families for visitation, and the waiting room for treatment at Ramle prison clinic, are dirty and not properly maintained; they are also too small and must be enlarged.

6. End the prohibition of family visits to prisoners under the pretext of “security” to exclude relatives from the prisons.

7. End the exploitation of prisoners through the high prices in the canteen, in the hands of the private corporation which has a monopoly on the canteen and providing prisoners with food.

Minnesota solidarity with Ahmad Sa’adat and Palestinian prisoners

2 February 2014

From Fight Back News Service:

Saint Paul, MN – Activists from the anti-war and the Palestine solidarity movement gathered here, Jan. 24 to demand the release of all Palestinian political prisoners and an end to Palestinian Authority (PA) security cooperation with Israeli occupation forces. The group rallied for an hour in the midst of a snowstorm. The vigil was held in response to a call from the Campaign to Free Ahmed Sa’adat for Freedom Weeks to commemorate the 12th anniversary of Sa’adat’s abduction by PA forces.

Observed by hundreds of drivers at one of St. Paul’s busiest rush hour intersections, the group included members of the Minneapolis-based Anti-War Committee, the Minnesota Cuba Committee, students from nearby Macalester College and regular attendees of the long-running weekly Palestine solidarity vigil held in the same location.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network Samidoun, “Ahmad Sa’adat, General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, is one of over 5200 Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails. These political prisoners – men, women and children – are activists, organizers and political leaders of the Palestinian people.”

At the conclusion of Friday’s vigil, Anti-War Committee member Sophia Hansen-Day shared the following words, “We are here today to demand the release of all Palestinian political prisoners and for an end to Palestinian Authority security cooperation with Israeli occupation forces. We are here today to commemorate the 12th anniversary of Ahmed Sa’adat’s abduction by PA security forces and to call attention to his ongoing imprisonment by Israeli occupiers.

“We are here today to acknowledge the power of solidarity. In the words of heroic freedom fighter Samer Issawi prior to his release, ‘Your solidarity gives me the power to continue my hunger strike until I achieve my demand for freedom. It strengthens my steadfastness because it makes me realize that I’m not alone in the battle for freedom and dignity.’ Today we celebrate the release of Samer Issawi whose determination galvanized the Palestinian resistance, and we acknowledge the work yet to be done.

“We are here today on land stolen from the Dakota people to mark the ongoing occupation of Indigenous territory both in the U.S. and Palestine, to recognize the crimson blood on all our hands and to adamantly refuse silent complicity with settler colonialism and its ongoing violence.

“So, today, we raise our voices to the power of resistance, to the power of solidarity, to the power of demanding dignity and justice for all! Another world is necessary, another world is possible, another world is on her way. Long live Palestine!”

For more information, please go to www.freeahmadsaadat.org or attend an Anti-War Committee meeting held 7-9pm Thursday evenings at 4200 Cedar Ave in Minneapolis.

Imprisoned journalist Mohammad Mona’s appeal denied hearing

2 February 2014

The Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammad Mona of Quds Press, from Nablus, demanding his release. Mona has been imprisoned since August 7, 2013.

He is being held in administrative detention without charge or trial since that time and his first detention period is scheduled to expire soon. Ahmed al-Betawi of Solidarity Association said that the Supreme Court generally refuses to hear these petitions from prisoners in their first period of administrative detention. Palestinians may be held for indefinitely renewable periods, each being up to six months, under administrative detention, without charge or trial.

Mona was arrested after a raid on his home east of Nablus. On August 15 he was sentenced to a six-month term in administrative detention; no charges were raised against him. His term should end in early February, unless occupation officials extend his administrative detention for an additional period.

Who Profits report: Corporations profit from Israeli prisons

25 January 2014

Who Profits released the following report on the involvement of Israeli and multinational corporations in the Israeli prison system:

On December 2013, the Israel Prison Service (IPS) responded to a freedom of information request by Who Profits, which was submitted three months earlier, regarding twenty-two corporations that provide services to Israeli prisons.

These companies mainly provide security equipment and services to incarceration facilities that hold Palestinian prisoners and detainees inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank. These incarceration facilities hold Palestinian political prisoners in violation of international law, and torture and systematic violations of human rights take place within their walls. According to Addameer’s latest monthly detention report (December 2013), there are 5033 Palestinian political prisoners in the Israeli prisons, 173 of whom are minors and 145 are administrative detainees.

The following table is an English translation of information provided by the Israel Prison Service to Who Profits, regarding twenty-two corporations that provide services to Israeli prisons and detention facilities.

Company Name	Characteristics of Contract	End of Contract	Comments	Financial Scope
G4S	Maintaining supporting management systems, magnetometer gates, scanning machines and ankle monitors	During the fiscal year 2015	According to an IPS tender	Tens of millions of shekels
3M			Based on occasional bids
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS ISRAEL	Maintaining wireless systems and lighting bridges Repairing wireless devices	During the fiscal year 2016	According to an IPS tender	Tens of millions of shekels
HEWLETT- PACKARD (HP)	Printers Maintaining HP systems and central servers	During the fiscal year 2016	Tenders by the Accountant General + tenders by the IPS	Tens of millions of shekels
MERKAVIM TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES			Based on occasional bids
MAYER’S CARS AND TRUCKS			Based on occasional bids
VOLVO GROUP			Based on occasional bids
Biosense	Supplying and maintaining a dog-bark identification system	During the fiscal year 2014	According to an IPS tender	Hundreds of thousands of shekels
Myform			Based on occasional bids
MIRS COMMUNICATIONS	Purchase of battery services Providing wireless services	During the fiscal year 2016	Tenders by the Accountant General + Tenders by the IPS	Hundreds of thousands of shekels
AFCON HOLDINGS	Installing, providing year-round service and maintaining fire detection systems	During the fiscal year 2015	According to an IPS tender	Tens of millions of shekels
Contact			Based on occasional bids
SHAMRAD ELECTRONICS	Relocating communication infrastructureSupplying electronic equipment Repairing sound system	During the fiscal year 2015	According to an IPS tender	Tens of millions of shekels
B.G. ILANIT GATES AND URBAN ELEMENTS			Based on occasional bids
Dadash Hadarom Distribution	Purchase of canteen products	31/07/14	According to a tender
Shekem			Based on occasional bids
Shiran			Based on occasional bids
S.I.R.N.			Based on occasional bids
Shekel			Based on occasional bids
ASHTROM GROUP			Based on occasional bids
Lymtech			Based on occasional bids

Who Profits also provides documentation and research on several of these companies at the links below:

G4S Israel (Hashmira)

Hewlett Packard (HP)

Motorola Solutions

Merkavim Transportation Technologies

Mayer’s Cars and Trucks

B.G. Ilanit Gates and Urban Elements

Ashtrom Group

Medical neglect: Former prisoner Ashraf Abu Tharee’ died after years of medical neglect

25 January 2014

On the first anniversary of the passing of Ashraf Abu Tharee’, another critical story of the impacts of medical neglect on seriously ill Palestinian political prisoners in occupation prisons:

On Jan 22^nd2013, the former prisoner Ashraf Abu Tharee’ (27 years old), passed away after entering a coma and being hospitalized at the Augusta Victoria hospital in Jerusalem.

His death was a cause of deliberate medical neglect by the occupation’s prison administration against the Palestinian prisoners. Ashraf spent more than six years in captivity in his wheelchair at the hospital of the Ramle prison following his arrest. He was released on Nov 15, 2012 after he had suffered medical negligence for years which lead to the deterioration of his health.

It only took two months after his release for his body to finally give in to death.

The occupation prisons are full of prisoners who are victims of medical negligence and suffer major threats to their lives. Currently, more than 1400 prisoners are suffering the lack of basic medical care, 75 of them with severe illnesses.

Palestinian prisoners with illnesses continue to suffer in occupation jails

23 January 2014

Palestinian political prisoners with severe illnesses continue to suffer in occupation prisons, Palestinian lawyer Hanan al-Khatib reported.

Salahedin Ahmed al-Titi, of Arroub refugee camp, has been detained since 2013, held in Ramle hospital. He fell unconscious during Khatib’s visit and was taken to the clinic for urgent tests. He has suffered since birth with major stomach and intestinal issues for which he has undergone 10 surgical procedures. He continues to suffer from kidney and bladder problems.

Khatib reported that Titi has not received medication for his high blood pressure, he suffers from impaired vision and has difficulty standing.

She also reported that Thaer Halahleh, former long-term hunger striker who was re-arrested following his release, continues to suffer from poor health. Halahleh contracted Hepatitis C during a dental procedure at Ashkelon prison during his previous imprisonment.

Halahleh fell on multiple occasions on December 28 when he was transferred to Soroka hospital from the prison; he continues to have chronic fatigue as well as severe pain in his abdomen, back and kidneys. Halahleh is demanding that he be allowed to bring in a private doctor for his treatment. He is receiving critical treatment only and refusing painkillers.

The family of Mansour Moqtada renewed the call for his release. Moqtada uses a wheelchair and has an external artificial stomach and intestines following multiple surgeries. He was shot by Israeli occupation military forces during his arrest and continues to suffer from severe health consequences of that injury. He continues to be denied release by the Israeli military courts, despite spending nearly twelve years in prison and his serious physical injuries.

Administrative detainees plan to boycott military courts through March 2014

23 January 2014

The Higher Committee of Administrative Detainees announced a statement on Sunday, January 19, stating that administrative detainees will boycott the military courts until the end of March, 2014.

The statement, addressing supporters of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement, said that administrative detainees had been engaging in various protests since October 25, 2013, including boycotting the military courts, one-day hunger strikes, and other actions. Various negotiations have been held between the prisoners, lawyers, and the Israeli Prison Services.

Administrative detainees are held without charge or trial, for indefinitely renewable terms of up to six months. They are demanding an end to the process of detention without charge or trial.

The statement announced that they hope to receive concessions from the prison administration and the occupation security forces prior to the end of March 2014; they stated that if not, administrative detainees plan to engage in a mass hunger strike as well as a medicine strike in April 2014.

e a bit of time to study the crisis and results. Accordingly, the Commission decided the Supreme Administrative prisoner administrators in the prisons of the occupation comments steps not to go to court until the end March 2014 and added: “We hope to reach the desired results in terms of administrative detention Otherwise, the prisoners administrators will go to the mass strike for food and medicine in the month of April next year.

Ibrahim Hamed ends hunger strike in agreement

23 January 2014

Palestinian political prisoner Ibrahim Hamed launched a 3-day hunger strike that ended on January 16 with an agreement about his isolation in Israeli prisons.

Hamed, who is serving 57 life sentences, was moved to isolation on January 9, sparking protests in various prisons and strong concern among Palestinian prisoners that the policy of isolation, particularly used against leaders among Palestinian prisoners, would come back in full force. Hamed was one of 19 Palestinian leaders who was removed from isolation in May 2012 following the agreement ending the Karameh mass prisoners’ hunger strike.

The Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies reported that Hamed’s wife said that he had ended his hunger strike on the basis of an agreement between the leadership of Hamas prisoners in Israeli prisons and the Prison Service. He will be held in isolation until April 9.

Voice of Palestine Radio: Muath Abu Al-Qumssan on Freedom Weeks and Palestinian Prisoners

13 January 2014

Voice of Palestine radio has released a new interview with Muath Abu Alqumssan from the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat for Freedom Weeks. Muath, himself a former political prisoner, discusses the upcoming events to call for freedom for all Palestinian political prisoners, including Ahmad Sa’adat, and for an end to Palestinian Authority security cooperation with Israeli occupying forces.

Our final piece of music is by Palestinian American singer George Kurmoz entitled Ansar, after the infamous Ansar prisons maintained by Israel to incarcerate Palestinians. The song is dedicated to the Palestinian political prisoners, whose day of freedom and justice will surely come soon.

Click on this link to access a download of the show: http://www.voiceofpalestine.ca/?p=4225

Browse our archives for the past ten years on our homepage: http://www.voiceofpalestine.ca/

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