May 9, Victoria BC: Emergency Protest for Palestinian Hunger Strikers

8 May 2012

Victoria Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid is sponsoring a demonstration on Wednesday, tomorrow from 11:30 am- 2:00 pm at Fort and Douglas, Victoria, BC in support of the Palestinians Hunger strikers, prisoners held in Administrative Detention without charges or trials at the behest of the Israeli Military.

They are subjected to repeated interrogation and torture. These political prisoners began a hunger strike to protest their detention; two of them will have been on hunger strike for 71 days on Wednesday. The Israeli Supreme Court denied theim relief. They do not have access to independent doctors as they near death. Join us in protesting tomorrow.

For more information, please contact caia.victoria@gmail.com

May 8, NYC: Emergency Protest for Palestinian Hunger Strikers

8 May 2012

Emergency Rally TODAY for Palestinian Hunger Strikers: UNION SQUARE NYC
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Union Square (14th and Broadway)

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/139096196223014/

Come out and stand with us in UNION SQUARE, NY as our brothers and sisters in Israeli Dungeons are on their death beds DYING 2 LIVE

Some are on their 70th day with no food or water and are at risk of dying. Israel routinely jails Palestinian without charging them with any crime and denying them a fair trial or access to a lawyer. Anyone can be jailed by Israel for no reason other then Israel wanting to have maximum control on the daily lives of the Palestinian people.

Ashira Hakan an activist from Palestine reports on the amount of days some of the Palestinian hunger strikers are on:

Bilal Diab- Day 70 of hunger strike
Thaer Halahleh- Day 70 of hunger strike
Hassan Safadi- Day 64 of hunger strike
Omar Abu Shalal- Day 62 of hunger strike
Mohammad Taj- Day 51 of hunger strike
Jaafar Azzedine- Day 47 of hunger strike
Mahmoud Sarsak- Day 46 of hunger strike
Abdullah Barghouti- Day 26 of hunger strike

Over 2,500 others are also on their 21st day of mass hunger strike.

WE WILL BE IN THE SQUARE ACROSS FROM THE WHOLEFOODS
4,5 AND/OR 6 TRAINS TO 14TH STREET UNION SQUARE

Organized by Existence is Resistance

Solidarity to Bilal, Thaer and the Hunger Strikers from Irish Striker Laurence McKeown

7 May 2012

In 1981, Laurence McKeown took part in the Irish Hunger Strike that was led by Bobby Sands. Laurence endured 70 days without food before ending his fast.

Today, 2 Palestinian men, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh, are on day 70 of their Hunger Strike in an Israeli prison. Plus, over 2,000 other Palestinians are about to enter their 4th week on Hunger Strike.

As Bilal and Thaer suffer in their protest, Laurence sends them a message of support and solidarity.

Children in Amman protest in support of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners

7 May 2012

by Rifat Audeh

In solidarity with the prisoners illegally incarcerated by the Israeli occupation throughout Palestine and conducting an open-ended hunger strike in Israeli jails, a sit-in protest took place on Wednesday May 2nd in Amman, Jordan, in front of the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The protest, organized by independent activists, included many children, and the theme of this protest was banging on pots and pans and blowing whistles, to grab the attention of the ICRC in particular and the society/international community at large, to alleviate the suffering of said prisoners and demand their rights.

It is worth noting that the method the children used wasn’t employed before in any action in the country.

At the end of the protest, a petition – signed by all those at the sit-in including all the children – was handed over to the ICRC official in charge of communications. The petition called for the intervention of the ICRC to alleviate the suffering of those incarcerated and to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to end its oppressive, inhumane and illegal practices against these freedom fighters. The petition further demanded that the prisoners be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, and requested that the ICRC shoulder its responsibility by organizing regular visits for the families in Jordan of these prisoners through the Committee’s transportation and personnel.

http://www.nablustv.net/internal.a sp?page=details&cat=15&newsID=70641
http://www.gerasanews.com/print.php?id=75548
http://www.hasadnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26530:————qq-&catid=59:2009-04-08-10-22-33&Itemid=74

Petition presented to the ICRC on May 2, 2012 regarding the status of prisoners incarcerated by the illegal Israeli occupation

We, the undersigned on this petition, call upon the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with other humanitarian and human rights organizations worldwide, to directly intervene in order to alleviate the suffering of the Jordanian, Palestinian and other prisoners illegally incarcerated by the Israeli occupation throughout occupied Palestine including the areas occupied in 1948.

As the ICRC is aware, these prisoners are subject to degrading and humiliating treatment consistently by the Israeli authorities and are denied their basic human rights while illegally incarcerated. Many of them have not even seen their families for years. Accordingly these prisoners have begun an open-ended hunger strike as of April 17, 2012, while some prisoners have been on strike for more than two months now. Needless to say, the health of many of our brethren in these prisons has deteriorated considerably.

We represent citizens in Jordan from all walks of life, along with the families, friends and relatives of some of these prisoners. We ask that the ICRC work along with fellow organizations with similar orientations and goals, to raise this matter urgently with the media and governments worldwide, in order to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to end its oppressive, inhumane and illegal practices against these freedom fighters. At the very least, these prisoners must be treated as prisoners of war and be granted all their rights accordingly as per the Geneva Conventions.

We also request that the ICRC organize regular visits for the families in Jordan of these prisoners, since family visits is one such right that the prisoners are entitled to and this can be accomplished through the ICRC transportation and personnel.

We thank you for listening to our concerns and receiving our petition.

Rifat Audeh is a Palestinian-Canadian activist, co-founder of Michigan Media Watch (www.mmwatch.org) and a former member of the Palestine Solidarity Movement’s Process Committee. He assisted in organizing a number of divestment conferences throughout USA university campuses between 2001-2004, and has had articles and letters to the editor published in various print and online media outlets including the New York Times, The Palestine Chronicle, The Jordan Times, Al-Ahram, the Detroit Free Press and others. He was on the Mavi Marmara ship during the attack on the Freedom Flotilla of 2010, and participated in a previous convoy to Gaza . He helped organize the ICRC sit-in.

Seattle: Educational vigil for Palestinian prisoners May 5 (photos)

7 May 2012

As reported by SIRATYST, Seattle’s Voices of Palestine held an educational vigil on Palestinian prisoners on May 5, 2012.

Voices of Palestine holds educational vigils every 1st & 3rd Saturday, near Westlake Park, 4th & Pine, Seattle. Join them next Sunday, May 13, 2012, from noon-5 p.m. at Westlake Park for Nakba Commemoration, Palestine Stolen Homeland. For info, email: general@voicesofpalestine.org

70 Days for Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh as their appeal is rejected – take action for 2500 prisoners on hunger strike!

7 May 2012

As Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh enter their 70th day of hunger strike, the Israeli occupation courts have rejected their appeal, refusing to free them from administrative detention where they remain without charge or trial, subject to secret evidence and secret allegations. Today also marks the 20th day of the open hunger strike of now more than 2500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails continuing their resistance to injustice. Act now – send a letter to Israeli authorities expressing your outrage and demanding full implementation of the prisoners’ demands.

Tweet Now: 70 Days of #PalHunger for #BilalDiab #ThaerHalahleh, 20 Days of Empty Stomachs for 2500 #PalestinianPrisoners. Act now: http://samidoun.ca/?p=1119

Addameer reported that:

Both Thaer Halahleh and Bilal Diab’s petitions to the Israeli High Court regarding their administrative detention orders were rejected today. They are on their 70th day of hunger strike and at immediate risk of death. In complete disregard to their critical medical condition, the Court stated in their decision that “hunger strikes are not relevant to decide on length of administrative detention as such”.

The Court recommended in Thaer’s case that since he has already spent nearly two years in administrative detention, the Israeli Security Service should investigate more in depth before extending his detention order to see if there are any possible alternatives to administrative detention. The Court further stated that if his detention order is extended, a more thorough interrogation should occur. The Court reiterated that these recommendations were irrespective of his hunger strike.

In Bilal’s case, the Court also suggested that if his administrative detention order is renewed, and his health permits extended detention, he should also be re-interrogated. The Court recommended that the Security Service shorten his order from 6 months to 3 or 4 months, to allow for a closer date of judicial review.

While Bilal and Thaer are in their hospital beds, on the longest hunger strikes recorded in the Israeli occupation prisons, the Israeli courts have once again revealed themselves to be primarily a mechanism and a tool in the hands of occupation. Indeed, the advising of “more thorough” interrogations against Bilal and Thaer is particularly appalling in light of Israel’s permission of “moderate physical pressure,” well-known as torture through the use of stress positions, sleep deprivation, hitting and beating, and noise abuse – inside its interrogation chambers, and far from being a remedy for Bilal and Thaer, is in fact a prescription for extended suffering.

It was also reported by Azzam Diab, Bilal’s imprisoned brother, that “The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has offered the release and deportation to Gaza for each of Thaer Halahle and Bilal Diab in return for ending their hunger strike.” The Palestine Information Centre reported that “Detainee Azzam Diab, the brother of Bilal, said that he was surprised at the presence of Askalan jail wardens in his cell on Sunday morning. He said that they asked him to go with them to Ramle prison hospital to convince his brother and Halahle to agree to end their strike in return for their deportation to Gaza. Azzam…refused, saying that he would not be used as a pressure tool on his brother.”

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel told CNN that there is no recorded case of prisoners surviving on hunger strike past 75 days without supplements or minerals; Amnesty International has issued a call for the release of Bilal and Thaer.

The prisoners are continuing to resist, making clear they will hold on until their demands are met and that prisoners are unified behind the strike’s leadership (despite Israeli attempts to undermine the leadership, imprisoned Palestinian national leader Ahmad Sa’adat refused to meet separately with Israeli prison management.) It is critical that the voices of people around the world remain raised and clear, calling for freedom for Bilal, Thaer and all of the administrative detainees – and, for all Palestinian prisoners, voices of their national and international struggle for liberation; for an end to isolation; for prisoners’ contact with their families and their lawyers no matter where they are from; and for the prisoners’ rights and dignity.

Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike fighting for their most basic rights:

Bilal Diab- Day 70 of hunger strike
Thaer Halahleh- Day 70 of hunger strike
Hassan Safadi- Day 64 of hunger strike
Omar Abu Shalal- Day 62 of hunger strike
Mohammad Taj- Day 51 of hunger strike
Jaafar Azzedine- Day 47 of hunger strike
Mahmoud Sarsak- Day 46 of hunger strike
Abdullah Barghouti- Day 26 of hunger strike

Over 2,500 others are also on their 21st day of mass hunger strike.

TAKE ACTION!

1. Sign a letter demanding the Israeli state implement all of the demands of hunger striking Palestinian prisoners. Tell the Israeli Prison Services that the world is watching! Click here to sign.

2. Join a protest or demonstration for Palestinian prisoners. Events are taking place throughout Palestine; students have announced solidarity strikes. Nakba day is coming up May 15 – raise the voices of the striking prisoners as you commemorate 64 years of occupation. Organizing an event, action or forum on Palestinian prisoners on your city or campus? Use this form to contact us and we will post the event widely. If you need suggestions, materials or speakers for your event, please contact us at samidoun@samidoun.ca.

3. Contact your government officials and demand an end to international silence and complicity with the repression of Palestinian political prisoners. In Canada, Call the office of John Baird, Foreign Minister, and demand an end to Canadian support for Israel and justice for Palestinian prisoners, at : 613-990-7720; Email: bairdj@parl.gc.ca. In the US, call the office of Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs (1.202.647.7209). Demand that Jeffrey Feltman bring this issue urgently to his counterparts in Israel.

4. Write to the International Committee of the Red Cross and demand they uphold their duties to protect the rights of Palestinian political prisoners. Click here to sign a one-minute letter and make your voice heard!

5. Distribute materials, including factsheets and videos, telling the story of Palestinian prisoners. Click here for videos and here for factsheets.

Meeting between Prison Services and Strike Leadership; strikers insist on demands

7 May 2012

According to sources in the prisoners movement, a meeting was held in Ramon prison between the Prison Service and two members of the Higher committee of the Leadership of the Strike, Jamal al-Hur and Mohannad al-Shraim. The two leaders said that the hunger striking prisoners are holding to their demands at all costs, saying that the hunger strike has reached a point of no return unless the strikers’ demands are met.

Former prisoner Sumoud Karajeh joins solidarity strike as several protesters in Gaza hospitalized

7 May 2012

Solidarity hunger strikes continue to take place throughout Palestine. Sumoud Karajeh, freed prisoner, is now on her 6th day of hunger strike. She said that she “is proud to be engaged in this strike for prisoners who have given their youth to the occupation prisons,” saying she would continue to strike until all of the demands of the prisoners were met, calling for the broadest solidarity with the prisoners.

The Palestine Information Centrereported that five solidarity strikers in Gaza, Amal Abu Sbeitan (40 years), striking for 16 days, Ahmed Shahwan (40 years), Fateh Khalf Allah (50 years), and Salah Abu Samaan (35 years) were taken to the Shifa state Hospital due to the deterioration of their health condition, and after fainting as a result of their participation in the open hunger strike since seven days, in solidarity with prisoners who have launched the strike 19 days ago. Former captive leader Rouhi Mushtaha was taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza on Saturday, for the second time in less than 12 hours.

Sa’adat rejects attempts to meet with him, demands the prisoners’ leadership be respected

7 May 2012

Ahmad Sa’dat, isolated prisoner for over three years, and imprisoned general secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, refused attempts by the Israel Prison Services to meet separately with him to negotiate regarding the hunger strike, reported Addameer Association and the Mandela Associaiton.

Sa’adat told Buthaina Duqmaq, President of the Mandela Foundation, that a delegation of security and intelligence officials had come to his prison hospital bed in Ramleh, asking about the strike. Sa’adat told them that there is a Higher Committee to speak on behalf of the strikers.

Sa’adat reported that “the delegation replied that they wanted to talk with me as human beings, and I said that this is not a dialogue, that there are demands presented by the prisoners which must be met, including ending the prohibition of visits for prisoners from Gaza, ending isolation, and ending collective punishment.” Sa’adat said that there have been prisoners held in isolation for over 10 years without any reason and stressed that the abolition of isolation is essential.

Sa’adat emphasized that there is a Higher Committee responsible for the prisoners’ demands, who is the appropriate party to meet with.

Duqmaq also reported that Ramleh prison hospital is now blocking lawyers until further notice by demanding prisoners in hospital stand to engage in lawyer meetings. She said that this was part of a mechanism to pressure Palestinian prisoners with their deteriorating health.

Duqmaq reported that Sa’adat has lost 9 kilograms of weight, and said that he confirmed that the prisoners are firmly committed to their demands and not to concede on them. He called on the Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and all democratic and progressive forces in the world, to “rally around the struggle of the Palestinian people,” also demanding that the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian leadership uphold their responsibility to the prisoners’ movement and to a political program based on resistance, not on futile negotiations..

Palestinian striking prisoners face medical neglect; independent physicians denied access

7 May 2012

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel told CNN that there is “no recorded case” of prisoners surviving on hunger strike past 75 days without supplements or minerals, urging that Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh be released on their 70th day of hunger strike. The last time PHR was able to visit Diab and Halahleh, they chronicled an increasingly desperate medical situation for the two. In the meantime, the other long-term hunger strikers:

Hassan Safadi- Day 64 of hunger strike
Omar Abu Shalal- Day 62 of hunger strike
Mohammad Taj- Day 51 of hunger strike
Jaafar Azzedine- Day 47 of hunger strike
Mahmoud Sarsak- Day 46 of hunger strike
Abdullah Barghouti- Day 26 of hunger strike

have been continually denied outside medical support. PHR reports that it is pursuing 3 cases today in court seeking access to hunger striking prisoners.

10 prisoners from Negev prison have been taken to hospital, one reporting partial paralysis due to hunger strike and medical neglect. In addition, imprisoned member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Mohammed Jamal Natsheh, after being on an open hunger strike since 20 days, called urgently to be sent specialist doctors to see his deteriorating health condition. Natsheh’s family demanded all official, human rights and international bodies to intervene immediately in order to save the MP’s life endangered due to the strike.

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