Sa’adat: Strike continues until victory despite hospitalization

30 April 2012

Imprisoned Palestinian leader Ahmad Sa’adat, the General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, confirmed he is continuing his open-ended hunger strike until the just demands of the prisoners’ movement is achieved, noting that these demands are fair, humane, and revive the prisoners’ movement and its great history of struggle.

Sa’adat said this during a visit with Mahmoud Hassan, a lawyer with Addameer, in Ramleh prison hospital, where he was moved yesterday. Hassan reported that Sa’adat called for the masses of the Palestinian people and the Arab nation, and all solidarity organizations and progressive movements around the world to support the prisoners’ strike and the prisoners’ struggle as part and parcel of the Palestinian national struggle to resist occupation.

Sa’adat called for the Palestinian leadership to support the prisoners’ strugle at all levels, including supporting releaed prisoners, rehabilitation for freed prisoners, and treating Palestinian political prsioners as prisoners of war.

Sa’adat praised all of the prisoners engaged in the battle of the empty stomachs, saying that struggle is the only way to achieve the prisoners’ just demands, and greeted the Palestinian people, the prisoners, his family, and all peace and justice activists wherever they are.

Hassan said that Sa’adat’s health was steadily deterioriating, and protested the Prison Service’s refusal to give him salt in violation of international laws allowing prisoners on hunger strike to access salt to maintain their bodies.

This visit came after an earlier lawyer visit, by Hassan al-Ramla was rejected by Israeli prison services.

Israeli Supreme Court to consider Diab and Halahleh cases Thursday

30 April 2012

The Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem will consider the appeal of imprisoned hunger strikers Thaer Halahleh and Bilal Diab on Thursday, May 3. Both are on their 63rd continuous day of hunger strike, in protest of administrative detention, under which both are held without charge or trial. Both are suffering serious health problems.

Earlier, on April 23, the occupation court in Ofer rejected the appeal submitted by Halahleh and Diab’s lawyers and continued their detention based on secret evidence, stating that they are a “security risk.” Nevertheless, Halahleh and Diab have not been charged.

Prisoners’ advocates in Palestine noted that the occupation bears full responsibility for the lives of Thaer Halahleh and Bilal Diab, and called for all international institutions and human rights organizations, particularly the UN Human Rights Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross to take action. They also called for all in ocupied Palestine ’48, including all Palestinian leaders inside Israel, to protest in solidarity with the striking prisoners and demand their freedom.

Haniyeh calls for intifada for prisoners

30 April 2012

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called on Monday for a new intifada to support Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, who started a mass hunger-strike two weeks ago.

The premier urged Arab and Islamic nations to intervene to support detainees, in remarks at a rally for prisoners in Gaza City.

Haniyeh stressed the unity of the government and the people in support of Palestinian detainees.

Prisoners are our first priority, and all Palestinians are behind them, he said. The prime minister charged human rights groups to “break their silence” to free all Palestinians jailed in Israel.

More than 4,000 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israel, around 320 of them without any charge.

On April 17, marking Palestinian Prisoners Day, at least 1,200 prisoners in Israeli jails launched an open-ended hunger strike, with prisoner groups estimating that 2,000 people are now refusing food.

They are demanding a change in their living conditions, and an end to solitary confinement, night raids and bans on family visits for prisoners from Gaza.

Prison authorities have responded by denying them family visits and separating them from inmates not taking part in the protest.

On Monday, PA ministry of prisoners affairs said a prison chief met imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and other prisoners’ representatives, saying authorities will respond soon to prisoner demands.

Palestinian Forum delivers message on prisoners to British Prime Minister

30 April 2012

LONDON, (PIC)— The Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) is to deliver a message to the office of British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday asking for pressure on Israel regarding the issue of Palestinian prisoners.

Zaher Al-Beirawi, the PFB spokesman, told the PIC on Sunday that the message would ask for British intervention to press Israel into responding to the Palestinian prisoners’ humanitarian and just demands.

He said that the message fell in line with the solidarity campaign launched by the PFB in support of the Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike.

He said that the campaign includes vigils in front of the British parliament next week.

The PFB along with two other non-governmental organizations in the UK had organized a sit-in on Saturday in front of 10 Downing Street in solidarity with those prisoners.

Hunger striker Kenan transferred to Ramleh prison hospital, lawyers to boycott Israeli courts

30 April 2012

Palestinian prisoner Ghazi Kenan was transferred from Gilboa prison to Ramleh prison hospital on Monday, April 30 after 13 days of hunger strike. According to the Palestine Information Centre, his relatives reported that 31 Jerusalemite prisoners in Gilboa are on hunger strike.

105 prisoners at Eshel prison will join the hunger strike on Tuesday, as announced by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club. Lawyers will also not appear in Israeli courts in Tuesday, in solidarity with the prisoners and their calls for broad strikes.

Urgent Updates: Palestinian Prisoners’ Hunger Strike – Diab and Halahleh in crisis; Sa’adat hospitalized; Repression escalates; Solidarity Needed

30 April 2012

Palestinian prisoners’ heroic hunger strike is continuing as strikers enter their 14th day of the “Battle of the Empty Stomachs,” launched on April 17, Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. Palestinian prisoners are demanding an end to isolation and solitary confinement, administrative detention/imprisonment without charge, and access to family visits, education and media. These prisoners have explicitly called for international solidarity – act now to support their struggle! Send a letter to Israeli authorities demanding full implementation of the prisoners’ demands.

Tweet Now: May 1 Strike for #PalHunger Strikers #AhmadSaadat #BilalDiab #ThaerHalahleh Act: http://samidoun.ca/?p=997

Palestinian prisoners Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh, administrative detainees now on their 63rd day of hunger strike, face serious and severe health deterioration, while national leader, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, has been moved to Ramleh prison hospital. Sa’adat had issued an earlier letter speaking of prisoners’ high morale. Palestinian Legislative Council member Jamal al-Natshe is also facing increasingly dangerous health threats.

Prisoners have rejected various attempts to divide them or undermine their demands, including a proposed modified isolation, and an attempt to bargain for Sa’adat’s release from isolation in exchange for PFLP prisoners leaving the hunger strike. Nevertheless, repression against prisoners has continued, as numerous prisoners have been moved from prison to prison; prisoners are fined 250-500 New Israeli Shekels daily; and Addameer lawyers are barred from the prisons.

Nonetheless, the resistance continues. The prisoners’ Higher Leadership Committee issued a new Statement No. 2, vowing to continue until their demands are met. Calls are echoing throughout Palestine and on social media around the world for a general strike May 1, for International Workers’ Day and the prisoners. A protest will take place outside Ramleh prison hospital, where hunger strikers are held, on Thursday May 3, while daily pickets will take place in London in solidarity with the prisoners.

Successful and growing protests are taking place around the world and throughout Palestine – but more action is urgently needed as the prisoners’ lives, health and bodies are on the line for their rights, dignity, and their cause and people.

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. Join in the call for May 1 actions – include prisoners in your May Day activities. 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.

NEWS LINKS:

May 1 calls echo for general Palestinian strike to support prisoners

30 April 2012

ArtuyB5CEAEoK2v — Widely circulated Twitter graphic for May 1 strike

Prisoners’ organizations inside and outside Israeli occupation prisons called for a general strike in Gaza, the West Bank, and in exile and diaspora on May 1, 2012 to coincide with International Workers’ Day and the 15th day of the open hunger strike by thousands of Palestinian prisoners inside the Israeli jails. Calls for the general strike issued widely on Twitter, including the hashtag #May1Strike.

Nashat Alwaheidi, general coordinator of the Popular Movement for Support of Prisoners, said that Palestinian prisoners had sent a letter calling for national and Islamic leaders to unite in a general strike in parallel with the prisoners’ hunger strike, saying that a mass rally will take place in the Field of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza on May 1,

Alwaheidi said that the prisoners’ struggle is a serious responsibility as prisoner are central to the cause and the narrative of the Palestinian people and the first on the front lines to defend the Palestinian and Arab cause. He urged that ther must be no waiting to act with the prisoners, and there is no time to wait so long as Palestinian prisoners languish in the jails of the occupation.

A series of events will take place in Gaza in the coming week, including a march Monday, April 30 at 10 AM by Palestiniaan families to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the mass march and rally on Tuesday May 1, Wednesday, May 2 at 11 am, a raly in solidarity by the National and Islamic Forces in Nusseirat, Thursday, May 3 a strike in Gaza from 10 am to 11 am, followed by 11 am march organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Friday, May 4, Friday prayers and rally for the prisoners, and Saturday, May 5, 11 am mass rally in the Field of the Unknown Soldier.

Video: Jerusalem conference in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners

30 April 2012

Over 150 people gathered in Jerusalem in mid-April to show their support and solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners. It is estimated that over 4,600 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli jails. This week, over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners continued an open-ended hunger strike, in protest of their mistreatment and lack of basic rights in Israeli prisons. For more information, visit http://alternativenews.org

Prisoners reject Israeli intelligence offer of modified isolation

30 April 2012

NEGEV, (PIC)— Palestinian prisoners refused to end their hunger strike in return for an Israeli intelligence offer to end the isolation of about 20 Palestinian prisoners by grouping them in one ward.

Fuad Al-Khafsh, the director of Ahrar center for prisoners’ studies and human rights, said on Sunday that the offer, tabled by an intelligence director in one of the prisons, also stipulated that those prisoners should not have any contact with activities outside the prison walls and should refrain from making statements.

He added that the prisoners told the intelligence director that the offer was not accepted since isolation of prisoners was in violation of the international law and that they would not accept compromises but rather want all their demands met and that isolated prisoners should return to ordinary wards without any condition attached.

Khafsh noted that 50 new prisoners joined the hunger strike in Megiddo jail on Sunday while 120 others joined the strike in Ofer jail.

He said that the number of hunger strikers in all jails has now reached more than 3000 and the number is expected to increase within the few coming days.

For his part, Riyadh Al-Ashqar, a researcher specialized in prisoners’ affairs, said that the Israeli occupation and the Israeli prison service were afraid that all prisoners would eventually join the strike especially when Fatah prisoners, who have not so far joined the strike, announced that they would join it on 1st May.

He said that the IPS fears that it would no longer be able to control the prisons and that it would in the end accept the prisoners’ demands.

Ashqar noted that the health condition of many prisoners deteriorated after 13 days of hunger strike and were carried to hospitals, adding that the prisoners were adamant on carrying on with the strike despite the IPS quelling measures against them. He called for greater solidarity with the prisoners and not to let them alone in face of the IPS cruel measures.

Meshaal: Israel violated October 2011 agreement to end solitary confinement and isolation

30 April 2012

Khaled Meshaal, Hamas leader, on Monday denounced the Israeli state for ignoring its commitments and agreements in the October 2011 prisoner exchange. Meshaal said that “the occupation reneged on its commitments in the agreement…on improving the conditions of prisoners and an end to isolation,” an agreement made through the auspices of Egypt. Meshaal is in Cairo meeting with Egyptian officials about the prisoners’ struggle, calling for Arab, regional and international pressure on Israel to end the policy of isolation against the prisoners.

The Palestinian Information Centre reported: Political bureau chairman of Hamas Khaled Mishaal discussed with Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Arabi and Egyptian foreign minister Mohammed Omar Palestinian reconciliation and the issue of Palestinian prisoners.

Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheq told the PIC that the discussions in the two meetings on Sunday tackled the issue of the Palestinian prisoners, who are on hunger strike in Israeli jails, and the importance of supporting their cause.

The discussion also tackled Palestinian reconciliation and the importance of expediting the formation of the Palestinian government according to the Doha declaration.

Mishaal, who is visiting Cairo at the head of an official delegation, hoped that Egypt would assume its role in obliging Israel to abide by its commitments according to the Egyptian-brokered prisoners’ exchange deal.

Follow us on Instagram @samidounnetwork