Rafah municipality holds day of solidarity with Abdullah Barghouthi as health threatened in 91st day of hunger strike

3 August 2013

Rafah municipality held a day of solidarity with hunger striking prisoner Abdullah Barghouthi, who has been engaged in a hunger strike for 91 days. Barghouthi is currently held in Afula hospital, shackled to his bed. Osama Abu Zayd of Rafah municipality said that it is a national duty to support all political prisoners and prisoners of war.

The health condition of prisoner Abdullah Al-Barghouthi has seriously deteriorated after 91 days of hunger strike along with four other Jordanian captives.

Meanwhile, Palestinian lawyer Mohammed Al Shayeb, who visited Barghouthi on August 1 in Afula, warned of the serious deterioration of the striker’s health condition due to his continued hunger strike.

The lawyer quoted the prison doctor as saying that Barghouthi risks death at any moment, noting that his medical condition is monitored twice a day to check his heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels.

The IPS in Afula has refused the doctors’ demand to conduct the hunger striker physical examination to his nerves under the pretext that his transfer from his room to the clinic causes a security problem, the lawyer added.

Abdullah al-Barghouthi has declared since early May an open hunger strike along with four other Jordanian captives, Mohammad Rimawi, Muneer Mar’i, Hamza al-Dabbas Othman, and Alaa Hammad.

Image: Nidal El-Khairy connects prison struggles from Pelican Bay to Palestine

3 August 2013

Nidal El-Khairy’s image marking the connection between Palestinian hunger strikers and California hunger strikers was published at the Electronic Intifada: “In Pelican Bay and other prisons throughout California, approximately 30,000 inmates are nearing their second month of the largest prison hunger strike in US history. Committed to maintaining the strike indefinitely, they are demanding an end to a vast range of abuses, including solitary confinement, long-term isolation, denial of family contact, and absence of legal protections.

Palestinian hunger strikers have expressed their solidarity with inmates in California, urging them to stay strong in their commitment to ending their isolation and to remember that they are not alone. Internationally, as one, we stand — internationally, as one, we resist.” – Nidal El-Khairy

Palestinian prisoner Bassam Obeid protests isolation in Ramon prison

3 August 2013

Palestinian prisoner Bassam Obeid, of Arraba village outside Jenin, has been held in isolation in Ramon prison for 39 days, as part of the policy of arbitrary transfers exercised against him and his fellow prisoners by the Israeli Prison Service.

Raghab Abu Diak of the Palestinian Prisoners Society said that the prison administraion regularly engages in arbitrary transfers in order to break the prisoners’ ranks and confuse the prisoners’ movement, and create instability.

Abu Diak noted that Obeid’s health situation is difficult, and that he has suffered significant hearing loss. When he is isolated and apart from his fellow prisoners, he does not receive needed care to support his life and health.

Walid Obeid, Bassam’s brother, called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to pressure the Israeli Prison Services to move Bassam to a collective cell so that his fellow prisoners can provide necessary care for him. Obeid has been imprisoned for over 9 years.

Palestinian student detained for Facebook ‘likes’ and comments

3 August 2013

Israeli investigators detained a Palestinian Ph.D. student for affiliation to Islamic Movement Hamas, based on comments and ‘likes’ on Facebook, the Solidarity Foundation for Human Rights (SFHR) reported in the Middle East Monitor.

SFHR researcher, Ahmed al-Betawi, said that the Israeli forces detained the 26 year old Palestinian student, Mosab abul-Reesh, who is carrying out Ph. D research in Cyprus, when he entered the country to spend the holiday with his family in Hebron.

Investigators at an Israeli prison accused him of being a member of Hamas based on comments and ‘likes’ that he had made on Facebook.

Information from Abul-Reesh’s Facebook account indicates that he ‘liked’ several comments of Palestinian Facebook users who the Israeli’s accused of being affiliated to Hamas.

Ahmed Al-Betawi said that Israeli investigators have recently started asking prisoners whether they have Facebook accounts or not. “It they answer yes, they are obliged to give the investigators access to it and they search the accounts, violating the right to privacy,” he said.

Israeli prison guards raid Negev prison

3 August 2013

Israeli prison guards broke into ward eight in Negev prison on August 2, the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported, causing a number of injuries among the prisoners.

The PPS charged, in a statement on Saturday, August 3, that the Israeli guards brutally assaulted and attacked the prisoners while praying.

The statement pointed out that the Israeli prison service (IPS) isolated seven prisoners, imposed heavy fines on them, and deprived them of family visits, in addition to confiscating all electric appliances in the room.

The IPS guards routinely break into the prisoners’ rooms under the pretext of searching for mobile phones.

Protest at Ramallah police headquarters demands freedom of detained protesters

28 July 2013

Palestinian protesters took to the streets outside the Ramallah police headquarters on the evening of July 28, 2013, demanding the release of five detainees, Ali Amer Hamdullah, Fayeq Meri, Yousef Farouq Hamdullah, Tamer Arar, and Iyan Ayaydeh, held by Palestinian Authority security forces following the demonstrations to reject resumed negotiations earlier in the day. The protest was attacked by PA security as it sought to proceed to the Muqata’ presidential compound. The protesters are demanding that the PA retreat from its decision to return to negotiations with Israel under US auspices.

As of 12:45 am, July 29, the 5 detainees were released after their families and the demonstrators refused to leave the area outside the police station:

Video of the protest:

PA police attack and arrest demonstrators against negotiations with occupation

28 July 2013

Palestinian Authority security forces attacked Palestinian protesters as they marched in Ramallah on Sunday, July 28, 2013, injuring dozens and arresting a number of protesters. The marchers were protesting the PA’s return to negotiations with Israel, warning that the negotiations represent threats to Palestinian rights and a path to dangerous concessions. The protest, organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was attacked as the approximately 200 demonstrators marched toward the Muqata’, PA presidential headquarters. Security forces attacked the protesters with batons in order to prevent them from reaching the Muqata.

Photo via Addameer of injured protester taken from Ramallah Hospital in police van

In a statement following the police attack, the PFLP said, “The PA decision – the individual act of President Mahmoud Abbas – was contrary to the decisions of Palestinian national institutions, including the PLO Central Council – and reflects a culture of recklessness, irresponsibility, lack of accountability, and disregard for the law and the national traditions of our people,” and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for their actions.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association reported that among the dozens of injured was Khalida Jarrar, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, PFLP leader and longtime prisoner advocate. Injured demonstrators were arrested and taken away from Ramallah Hospital, where they were receiving treatment. Demonstrators said that the Sunday protest is just the beginning of a popular movement against negotiations, both inside and outside Palestine, including “ending the absurd negotiations and the entire path of Oslo, holding accountable those who normalize with the occupation, returning to international institutions, including the UN, to struggle for Palestinian rights, ending the division, and creating an alternative national strategy of resistance.”

A rally was held simultaneously in Gaza City as well in protest of the negotiations. A protest will take place at 9 pm tonight outside Ramallah police station demanding the release of the 5 people who are currently in PA detention following the protest.

Imprisoned Palestinian leader Ahmad Sa’adat had issued a statement supporting the protests, calling for Palestinians to “Break the barriers of silence and bang on the walls of the tank” against the negotiations.

Video of the protest in Ramallah:

Motassem Raddad, suffering from cancer, calls for early release

25 July 2013

Palestinian prisoner Motassem Raddad, 32, from Tulkarem, is suffering from intestinal cancer and continuous bleeding and must be released immediately for medical treatment, said Palestinian lawyer Fadi Obeidat.

Obeidat, who visited Raddad in Hadarim hospital, reported that he is suffering from chronic and acute intestinal bleeding. For the past five years, he has been moved to multiple hospitals. His disease is impacting all areas of his body, including his heart, joints and abdomen.

Raddad was transferred to Soroka Hospital and the Hadarim and received a blood transfusion as he had lost so much blood. Nevertheless, he is transferred by “Bosta” (a prisoner transport vehicle) rather than by ambulance, increasing his suffering. No paramedics are available during travel by Bosta.

Raddad reported he had no new medical tests or scans since last year, despite such being required every 6 months. A previous application for early release due to health reasons was declined, and Obeidat emphasized that Raddad’s life is at stake and must be released now.

Palestinian patients and family members arrested at Beit Hanoun crossing

25 July 2013

Ma’an reported that Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian man at the Erez crossing in northern Gaza on Tuesday, Palestinian security officials said.

Hussam al-Zanin was accompanying his sick mother to Israel for treatment, but was detained by Israeli forces. Al-Zanin’s mother was then asked to return to Gaza by Israeli forces at the border.

In response, Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights strongly denounced the ongoing Israeli practice of arresting Palestinian patients and their families while seeking entry to Israel or the West Bank for treatment through Beit Hanoun/Erez crossing. Use of the crossing requires prior travel permits, which are already highly difficult to obtain.

Al-Mezan said that the kidnapping of patients at Beit Hanoun crossing violates Israel’s legal obligations under the international humanitarian law, especially the fourth Geneva convention.

The center outlined some incidents in which patients from Gaza were taken prisoners by the Israeli occupation forces, including al-Zanin’s case, although they had obtained travel permits, noting that the detention of patients at this crossing increased during the current month. Other cases in the past month include those of Ibrahim al-Harbi and Mahmoud Shamallakh.

The center urged the international community to urgently intervene to curb Israel’s violation of the international law regarding the right of Gaza citizen to have access to health care outside the besieged Strip.

Beit Hanoun crossing is almost the only passage for Gaza citizens whose medical conditions cannot be treated in Gaza hospitals, especially after the Egyptian army closed the Rafah border crossing and imposed travel restrictions, said the centre.

Abu Sisi remains in solitary confinement

25 July 2013

Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said on July 23 that Palestinian prisoner Dirar Abu Sisi, 42, from Gaza is the only Palestinian prisoner still held in solitary confinement, at Eshel Prison, where he has been isolated since he was abducted by Israeli intelligence while traveling by train in the Ukraine, his wife’s homeland, in 2011.

PPS called for an immediate intervention to end Abu Sisi’s isolation and suffering, as Abu Sisi suffers from several diseases and living in a cell which is not suitable for human living. In addition, Abu Sisi is held in the section of the Israeli criminal prisoners, who frequently scream and curse.

The PPS warned from the seriousness of Abu Sisi’s situation, considering the continued isolation against Abu Sisi is a means to humiliate him. Solitary confinement and isolation are a form of torture, with significant medical and physical impacts on those forced to undergo it. Ending solitary confinement was one of the key demands of the mass Palestinian hunger strike in April-May 2012.

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