PPS reports Issawi remains on open hunger strike for two months

30 September 2012

The Palestinian Information Centre reported that a Palestinian Human Rights organization reported the deterioration of the health situation of Jerusalemite prisoner Samer al-Issawi, on hunger strike since 59 days.

Prisoner al-Issawi, 38, has launched an open ended hunger strike on 1st August in protest at his re-arrest by the occupation authorities to continue his sentence of 30 years after being released in a prisoner-exchange deal.

Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a press statement on Friday that the Israeli prison administration is continue its repressive measures against prisoner al-Issawi in an attempt to force him to halt his hunger strike.

According to the statement, the Jerusalemite captive has been suffering extremely serious health deterioration, a constant headache and pains in the muscles and joints, as he became unable to walk normally and lost 15 kilograms of weight.

The Prisoners Club quoted Samer Tarek al-Issawi as saying that the prison administration has insisted on holding him in a cell with six other prisoners who are not on hunger strike in an attempt to undermine his determination. However, he stressed that he will continue his strike until his release.

Over 75,000 Palestinians arrested since beginning of Al-Aqsa Intifada

30 September 2012

by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies

Former Political Prisoner, Palestinian Researcher, Abdul-Nasser Farawna, issued a report marking the 12th Anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Intifada (September 28 2000), and said Israeli soldiers conducted more than 75.000 arrests, and deported hundreds of residents.

Farawna said that more than 9000 children were kidnapped by the army in addition to nearly 940 women, including four who gave birth in prison; the army also kidnapped dozens of disabled and wounded Palestinians, in addition to dozens of elected legislators, ministers and officials.

Israel also issued more than 22.000 Administrative Detention orders to forcibly imprison thousands of Palestinians without charges.

He added that, currently, there are 4500 Palestinians who are still imprisoned by Israel including 198 children, eight women, 14 legislators, 115 Administrative detainees and hundreds of ailing and disabled Palestinians.

Farawna stated that the arrests carried out by the army targeted all sectors of the Palestinian society, including wives and mothers of political prisoners, and added that these arrests are not concentrated in one area. and are carried out on a daily basis.

He said that Israel is still holding captive the remains of dozens of Palestinians killed during the Al-Aqsa Intifada and hundreds who were killed before the Intifada started.

The researcher added that the arrest ratio dropped over the last five years, yet, the violations carried out against the detainees witnessed a serious escalation.
Israel also reopened several prisons such as the Negev detention camp and Ofer, and built new prisons, such and Ramon; these prisons are used to detain hundreds of detainees under strict and harsh conditions. The large number of arrests also pushed Israel to expand existing prisons.

Farawna stated that there are 23 detainees who were kidnapped and imprisoned since more than 20 years, including some detainees who have been detained since more than 25 and 30 years.

79 detainees have died in prison since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada due to torture, medical negligence, excessive use of force by the soldiers and interrogators, in addition to several detainees who were executed by the arresting officers.

A total of 202 detainees died or were killed in Israeli prisons since 1967; dozens of detainees also died after they were released due to diseases they encountered in prison or due to complications resulting from extreme torture and bad conditions in prisons.

Farawna further stated that the Prisoner Swap deal that was carried out in October of 2011, managed to secure the release of 1027 detainees in exchange for the release of Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit.

He also saluted the repeated hunger strikes and the ongoing struggle carried out by the detainees demanding their internationally guaranteed rights.
Also, Israel deported more than 280 West Bank detainees to the Gaza Strip, in addition to dozens of detainees who were forced into exile.

Although the Israeli Authorities deported dozens of detainees throughout the years since Israel occupied Palestine, the occupation stepped-up its illegal policy on May 2002 when it forced into exile 39 detainees who were taken prisoner after taking shelter in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem when Israel surrounded the church for 40 days.

13 of the exiled detainees were sent to a number of European countries, and 26 were deported to the Gaza Strip under a Palestinian-Israeli deal that ended the siege, but its full details were never made public despite the fact that 10 years have passed since then.

Following the deal, Israel reinstated its illegal deportation policies and forced into exile 40 detainees who were released under the Shalit swap deal, and addition to 163 West Bank detainees who were deported to the Gaza Strip.

Farawna voiced an appeal to human rights groups around the world to intervene and act on obliging Israel to respect International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army, and armed settlers, shot and killed more than 5000 Palestinians since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, including 1077 children and 244 women. Two Egyptians were killed by Israeli army fire in 2002, two international peace activists killed in 2003, one British activist was killed by Israeli fire in 2004, and two Egyptians killed in 201. Dozens of thousands of Palestinians were wounded, including thousands who suffered permanent disabilities.

The ongoing Israel assaults since September 2000 led to the total destruction or more than 5694 homes and caused partial damage and destruction of approximately 8000 homes.

Addameer: Remaining hunger striker held in limbo while his health continues to deteriorate

26 September 2012

Ramallah, 26 September 2012—Addameer and Al-Haq are deeply concerned for the life of the remaining Palestinian hunger striker in Israeli prison, Ayman Sharawna, who is now on his 88^th day of hunger strike. Ayman was visited on 24 September by Addameer lawyer Fares Ziad at Ramleh prison medical center, who reported that there has been a serious deterioration in his health.

In response to the refusal of the Israeli authorities to release him and to further escalate his strike, Ayman decided to stop drinking water for five days from 16-20 September, during which time he lost seven kilograms in weight. The deterioration in his health includes loss of sight in his left eye and the loss of all feeling in his right leg.

As previously reported, Ayman has already lost 80 percent of his vision in his right eye, which means that Ayman has become almost totally blind. He continues to suffer from severe kidney problems and has begun to suffer from partial memory loss. Ayman also continues to suffer from pain in his back, which remains untreated as the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has said it will only give him pain relieving medication if he ends his strike.

According to Adv. Ziad, Ayman did not want to start drinking water again but reluctantly did so out of fear for the deterioration in his health, particularly with his loss of eyesight and feeling in his legs. If he is not released, Ayman has declared that he will once again refuse water starting this Friday, 28September. Ayman was re-arrested in January after being released in the prisoner exchange deal in October 2011. He is currently held without charge and the military committee has not yet reached a decision regarding whether or not Ayman will be returned to his prior sentence.

Adv. Ziad also visited Hassan Safadi who suspended his hunger strike on 21 September after 93 days of renewed hunger strike. Following an appeal on 20 September against his continued administrative detention by Israel, the military judge ruled that his current administrative detention order, which is due to expire on October 29, would not be renewed after that date.

Adv. Ziad was unable to meet Samer al-Barq, who reportedly also suspended his historic 123- day renewed hunger strike on 21 September, following negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Egypt, which resulted in Egypt agreeing to accept Samer if he is released by Israel. To date Israel has not made any announcements regarding his transfer.

Addameer and Al-Haq salute the courageous hunger strikes of Hassan and Samer and hope for a just resolution to Ayman’s case as soon as possible. Nevertheless, while the potential release of Samer from administrative detention should be welcomed, Addameer and Al-Haq are obligated to highlight their concerns with aspects of the proposed agreement that are fundamentally at odds with international law. Samer’s proposed release is conditional on his deportation to Egypt.

There are numerous examples of similar agreements made by Israel regarding the forced transfer or deportation of Palestinian political prisoners or “wanted” persons. Most recently, former hunger striker and administrative detainee Hana Shalabi was forcibly transferred to the Gaza Strip for a period of three years. In the October 2011 prisoner exchange deal, 18 West Bank prisoners, including those from East Jerusalem, were also forcibly transferred to the Gaza Strip for a period of three years while an additional 146 were forcibly relocated there on a permanent basis as conditions of their release. An additional 41 prisoners were deported outside of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

The terms of these expulsions violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits forcible transfers and deportations of protected persons, a proscription that is part of customary international humanitarian law. Unlawful deportation or transfer also constitutes a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention (GC IV) and therefore qualifies as one of the most serious war crimes. Given the stark asymmetry in power, resulting from the belligerent occupation, between the Palestinian and Israeli parties involved, neither the potential “consent” of the prisoner, in this case Samer Al-Barq, nor the fact that these deals have been negotiated by a Palestinian authority can serve as justification for the deportation as this contravenes the spirit of articles 7, 8 and 47 of the GC IV concerning the inviolability of the protections afforded by the Convention.

Addameer and Al-Haq reiterate that forcible transfer and conditional release is not an alternative to Israel ending its practice of administrative detention. It is imperative to demand a permanent resolution to Israel’s practice of arbitrary detention, in compliance with international humanitarian law. Addameer and Al-Haq call on the international community to intervene and demand that Israel immediately comply with its legal obligations, cease its policy of administrative detention and provide adequate and trusted healthcare for all hunger striking prisoners.

Hadarim prisoners plan to escalate solidarity with hunger strikers

24 September 2012

Prisoners in Hadarim prison declared on September 24, 2012 that they would begin escalating solidarity actions with the prisoners on hunger strike.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society confirmed that prisoners confirmed in a visit with a PPS lawyer that they plan to return their meals once weekly and take further steps against the prison administration so long as it refuses to implement the agreement of May 2012 ending the mass hunger strike, in particular ending the continued isolation of Dirar Abu Sisi and Awad al-Saidi.

The prison administration has transferred several prisoners to Gilboa prison in recent days, including Bassam Abu Akar, Maher Younis, Nihad Sabih and Bilal Damra.

Prisoners Club: Safadi and al-Barq suspend their hunger strikes

23 September 2012

The following article reports that, as per the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Samer al-Barq and Hassan Safadi have suspended their hunger strikes pending the confirmation of their releases/transfers. Ayman Sharawna and Samer al-Issawi remain on hunger strike.

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — Two Palestinian long-term hunger strikers have ended weeks-long fasts after deals expected to secure their release, the Palestinian Prisoners Club said on Sunday.

“Hassan Safadi and Samer Barq have suspended their hunger strikes,” Amani Sarahna, a spokeswoman for the Club, told AFP.

“Safadi will be released on October 29, at the end of his detention period. Barq will be held until the Israelis and Egyptian reach an agreement (on his transfer). If they don’t reach a deal, he will resume his hunger strike.”

Israeli prison spokeswoman Sivan Weizman confirmed the two had ended their hunger strike, and said they were still under medical supervision, describing their medical condition as “adequate.”

Amnesty International said last month that Safadi and Barq had refused food since May 22 and June 21 respectively to protest their administrative detention.

Administrative detention orders are issued without trial or conviction by a military court, and can be renewed indefinitely for periods of six months.

Barq was transferred to intensive care earlier this month, and the International Committee of the Red Cross issued a statement warned that he, Safadi and a third fasting prisoner, Ayman Sharawneh, were close to death.

More than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, including Safadi, in May ended a mass hunger strike for better conditions in a deal with prison authorities.

One of the terms of the accord was that those held without trial in administrative detention would go free at the end of their current terms, unless fresh evidence emerged against them.

Safadi went back on hunger strike after his detention order was renewed.

Egypt has reportedly offered to host Barq, who holds Pakistani citizenship, under a deal with Israel that would see the prisoner ultimately transferred to Pakistan. But the deal has not yet been finalised.

Addameer Board Chair Abdul Latif Ghaith barred from leaving Jerusalem

21 September 2012

Abdul Latif Ghaith, 70, the Chair of the Board of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, former administrative detainee, and longtime activist, was once again prohibited from travelling outside Jerusalem in a military order renewed on September 15, 2012.

The order, signed by Nitzan Alon, a commander of the Israeli Occupation Forces in the West Bank, prohibits Ghaith from entering the West Bank for undeclared “security reasons.” The order is in effect until March 15, 2013. It is important to note that Ghaith received an order from the Israeli Ministry of Defense prohibiting him from travel abroad approximately one month ago.

Ghaith, responding to these orders, said that “the occupation is targeting national, community, religious, and academic leaders in Jerusalem, in order to intimidate Jerusalemites and empty the city of its leading advocates. These racist orders are part of the total war waged by Israel on Jerusalem, a systematic policy of ethnic cleansing.” Ghaith added that “it is time for all of the forces of the international community, and all who claim to care about human rights and democracy in America and the colonialist West to end their silence and compel Israel to respect, apply and implement laws, international conventions and agreements, instead of supporting Israel as a state above the law.”

Addameer and the Association of Democratic Journalists will hold a vigil in support of Ghaith, who, in addition to his leadership with Addameer is a co-founder of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the Association of Democratic Journalists, on Monday, September 24 at 11 am in Ramallah, in front of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights office.

Sharawna in isolation at Ramle prison hospital

21 September 2012

The Palestinian Information Centre reported that Ayman Sharawna, on hunger strike for 80 days, is now being held in isolation at Ramle prison hospital:

RAMALLAH, (PIC)– Family of Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharawna confirmed that occupation authorities moved Sharawna, on hunger strike since 79 days in protest against his administrative detention, to solitary confinement despite his difficult health conditions.

Jihad Sharawna told “Quds Press”that the occupation held his brother Ayman in extremely difficult circumstances in solitary confinement in Ramle prison hospital, pointing out that the health status of the captive is extremely serious, as he became unable to move one foot and has been suffering from internal bleeding since several days.

Sharawna was one of the prisoners liberated under prisoners’ exchange deal between Hamas and the Israeli occupation, through Egyptian mediation in October last year, after being sentenced to 38 years imprisonment. Yet he was re-arrested on the 31st of last January.

Palestinians for Dignity close EU office, demand support for hunger striking prisoners

21 September 2012

The following statement was issued by Palestinians for Dignity, a Palestinian youth organization that sat in at the European Union building, EUPOL COPPS – an EU entity that funds and trains Palestinian Authority police – to protest recent EU free-trade agreements with Israel, and demand that the EU take a clear position to free the Palestinian hunger striking prisoners. Former prisoner and hunger striker Khader Adnan sent a message of support to the youth, saying that “The Palestinian youth closure of the European Union police agency headquarters in Ramallah on Friday morning in support of the prisoners and in rejection of international silence is a blessed action of which all must be conscious.” Former prisoner and at one point the longest serving prisoner in Israeli prisons, Nael Barghouthi, came to the protest to offer his support.

Occupied Ramallah, September 21 2012—On Friday, the youth group Palestinians for Dignity organized a sit-in in front of the headquarters of the European Union Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) on Tokyo Street, Ramallah in protest of a series of decisions undertaken by the EU to develop trade and diplomatic relations with the occupying state of Israel.

The most notable decision came after the International Trade Commission in the European Parliament voted in favor of upgrading trade relations based on the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA), which would remove barriers to trade between Israel and EU member states in industrial products, especially in the pharmaceutical sector.

Additionally, the protest condemns the EU’s passive stance on the issue of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails and particularly those prisoners on hunger strike; in a statement issued by the EU after 116 days of Samer Barq’s heroic hunger strike, the European Union expressed its “concern” on the health of the detainee and the occupation’s use of administrative detention, without addressing any of the state of Israel’s violations of international law, or demanding the immediate release of detainees and prisoners on strike.

Through these stances, the European Union has given the occupying state the green light to continue violating the rights of the Palestinian people both individually and collectively through the development of its relations, and ignores the issues of the Palestinian people who are struggling for freedom, dignity and the right of return, which is seeks to shamefully ignore by supporting the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian police.

All forms of financial support to the Palestinian Authority is meaningless, as simultaneously, the EU offers unconditional political support to the apartheid state. If anything, this indicates that the European Union is participating in supporting and prolonging the Israeli occupation, and thus is a tacit partner in flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.

We, as Palestinian youth and Palestinians in general, categorically reject the EU’s hypocritical and duplicitous positions towards the Palestinian people and our rights. It’s time for the EU to pronounce that it will abide by its obligations under international law and defend human rights the EU’s own regulations, or to be clear about its support for brutal occupation, colonialism and apartheid.

Palestinians for Dignity have previously demanded the EU to review its policies through a statement released on July 30, 2012, warning that they will escalate their actions to include direct confrontation with those who facilitate the work of the occupation and normalization.

From here, we once again urge the European Parliament not to adopt the above-mentioned trade agreement at its next session in October, and we demand:

1) For the EU to issue a press statement demanding the occupying entity to immediately release the detainees on hunger strike, and they are: Samer Barq who continues his hunger strike for the 123^rd day respectively; the administrative detainee Hassan Safadi who has been on hunger strike for 93 days and has stopped drinking water since 4 days ago; and the seven prisoners who were released in last year’s prisoners’ exchange deal who have been rearrested by Israeli forces, and they are: Samer al-Issawi, Ibrahim Abu Hijleh, Ayman Shawarnah, Yousef Shteiwi, Iyad Abu Fanoun, and Ali Zaidat.

2) For the EU to review its existing partnership agreement with the occupying power to ensure that it complies with its legal humanitarian obligations and EU regulations.

3) For the European Union to investigate and stop the work of all European businesses benefiting from the occupation and colonial settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory, at the expense of the Palestinian people and their rights.

We, Palestinians for Dignity, confirm our determination to escalate our protests if the European Union does not respond to our demands quickly and unequivocally.

Long Live Free Palestine

Palestinians for Dignity

IMEMC: Israeli forces kidnap 4 – including 2 children – from Qalqilya

20 September 2012

by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC News

Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, Kufr Qaddoum village, east of the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, broke into several homes and kidnapped four residents, including two children.

Local sources reported that at least fifty Israeli soldiers, supported by armored vehicles, invaded the village approximately at 2 A.M., and surrounded several homes before breaking into and searching them, and kidnapped the four residents.

The kidnapped residents were identified as Taha Mohammad Amer, 17, Mohammad Abdul-Fattah Amer, 16, Tha’er Nader Abdul-Rahim, 23, and Yousef Mustafa Shtewy, 20. They were all cuffed, blindfolded and were taken to an unknown destination.

The Popular Resistance Committee in Kufr Qaddoum reported on its Facebook page that dozens of residents clashed with the invading army, and managed to uncover a hideout location used by the undercover forces who were trying to ambush the residents.

The Committee added that the Israeli army deliberately targets school and university students in the village in order to prevent them from obtaining the needed education, and added that the residents believe in the power of knowledge and education.

Kufr Qaddoum is one of many West Bank villages that are active in nonviolent resistance, including weekly peaceful protests, against the illegal Israeli settlements and Israel’s illegal Annexation Wall, built on privately-owned Palestinian lands, and preventing the residents from reaching their own lands and orchards.

qalqilia | israeli attacks | news r

Take Action: Demand Freedom for Palestinians Arrested by the PA!

20 September 2012

On Tuesday, September 18, 2012, as Palestinian hunger strikers Samer al-Barq, Hassan Safadi and Ayman Sharawna struggle for their lives within Israeli prisons, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank launched a campaign of arrests throughout the area, rounding up 60 political activists, including youth organizers, journalists, writers and former political prisoners. The arrest total has now risen to 114 and none of the detainees have been released. Act today to demand immediate freedom for the arrestees!

Among the detainees are at least 35 freed prisoners, including some freed in recent weeks from Israeli jails. Fuad al-Khuffash, director of the Ahrar Centre in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners – and who has now declared an open hunger strike – was one of the arrestees, as was journalist Walid Khaled, released from occupation prisons only 2 weeks prior. Among the detainees, rounded up by the Palestinian Authority’s General Intelligence and Preventive Security, are participants in the recent hunger strikes in occupation prisons and a number of recently freed prisoners. Adel Shawamra, one of today’s detainees from Bethlehem, was recently released after 13 years in Israeli prisons.

The PA’s role here is nothing new. As part of the Oslo Accords and its subsequent security corollaries, the Palestinian Authority and its Preventive Security/General Intelligence have acted as security subcontractors for the Israeli occupation, trained by US military officials (such as Gen. Keith Dayton) to round up Palestinian resistance fighters and political dissidents.

It is not coincidental that these arrests come shortly after mass protests in response to economic inequality swept the West Bank, soon focusing on the Oslo Accords and their economic corollary, the Paris Agreements. The existence of Palestinian Authority security forces engaging in “security coordination” with the Israeli occupation, effectively undermining the Palestinian resistance, links directly back to the Oslo Accords.

Amid Hassan Safadi’s hunger strike, his brother Saleh was arrested by the PA; Palestinian prisoners including Ahmad Sa’adat, Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, Ahmed Qatamesh and many others have spent time in PA prisons as well as Israeli prisons. This practice has been part and parcel of “security cooperation” with the Israeli occupation from the earliest days of the Palestinian Authority.

As we mark the nineteenth anniversary of the Oslo Accords with a series of PA arrests, we also note that there remain 111 prisoners who have been imprisoned since before the Oslo accords – these prisoners remain inside the occupation’s jails to the present day. Prisoners throughout the Israeli prisons engaged in a one-day hunger strike on Thursday, September 13 – the anniversary of Oslo – and again on Tuesday, September 18 – demanding the freedom of these long-time prisoners. Just as Oslo did not bring freedom, justice or liberation to Palestine, nor did it for its prisoners, a group of Palestinians who despite their centrality to the Palestinian national movement – were ignored and excluded from the Oslo “peace process.” Oslo’s latest victims – the political detainees in the West Bank – are demanding freedom. Act today to support their freedom and united Palestinian struggle against Israeli apartheid, occupation, and settler colonialism.

Take action!

1. Email the Palestinian Embassy or PLO Mission in your country. Click here for a list of contact information. Act now to send this email message! Make it clear that Palestinians around the world and international activists stand together to confront occupation, end security coordination, and free these detainees – including the former prisoners who have already given so much to the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

2. Call the Palestinian Embassy or PLO Mission. This is a case where phone calls can make a real difference! Palestinians and internationals around the world can raise their voice and demand action. Phone numbers for some missions follow: PLO Delegation in Washington, DC: 202-974-6360. Palestinian Mission to the UN: 212-288-8500. Palestinian General Delegation in Ottawa, Canada: 613-736-0053. Palestinian Mission UK: +44 (0)20 8563 0008. More may be found here!

3. Act to support Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons. Hassan Safadi, Samer al-Barq and Ayman Sharawna are all still on hunger strike demanding their freedom! Write now to take action to demand their freedom from occupation prisons!

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