Mass Palestinian Prisoner Hunger Strike
12 April 2012
By Stephen Lendman
On April 17, about 1,600 Palestinian prisoners began
open-ended hunger strikes. More on that below.
Palestinians face hellish conditions in Israeli
prisons. They endure torture, deprivation, isolation,
intimidation, and denial of basic rights.
Administrative detainees are held indefinitely without
charge or trial. Children young as 10 are treated like
adults. So-called security prisoners are isolated
punitively for extended periods.
All Palestinian prisoners suffer overcrowding, poor
ventilation and sanitation, lack of proper clothing,
inadequate food in terms of quality, quantity, and
conformity to dietary requirements, and poor medical
care.
They also have limited or no access to family members
and counsel. They get wooden planks with thin
mattresses and filthy blankets. They suffer winter and
summer weather extremes. The Addameer prisoner support
group calls overall conditions "appalling."
Palestinians "are almost completely cut off from the
outside world." Children are treated like adults.
Women are treated like men. Toilets inside cells often
back up through drains.
Essential hygiene necessities like toothpaste, clean
clothes, and cleaning products are denied. Medical
negligence is common. Required surgery may take years
to get if at all. Medications only are given to treat
disease. "Sick detainees inside Israeli prisons live
on painkillers and tranquilizers," says Addameer.
Many released prisoners face chronic health problems.
Often, early death results. Israeli treatment violates
international law. Doing so is official Israeli
policy.
Geneva's Common Article 3 prohibits all forms of
cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment.
The International Covenant Against Torture (CAT)
prohibits it at all times, under all conditions with
no allowed exceptions.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR) states:
"All persons deprived of their liberty shall be
treated with humanity and with respect for the
inherent dignity of the human person (Article 10.1)."
Former Israeli Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak once
ruled:
""The walls of the prison do not separate the prisoner
from human dignity. Life in prison intrinsically
involves a violation of many liberties that a free
person enjoys. But life in prison does not require
denial of the prisoner's right to bodily integrity or
protection against violation of his dignity as a
person."
Israel's Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty states:
"....(B)asic human rights in Israel are based on
recognition of the value of man, the sanctity of his
life and the fact that he is free. The goal of the law
is to defend Human Dignity and Liberty, in order to
establish in a Basic Law the values of the State of
Israel as a Jewish and democratic state."
Last summer, instead of obeying international law, his
own, and his Supreme Court, Netanyahu toughened prison
conditions harshly. As a result, cruel, abusive and
degrading treatment got worse.
Palestinians react the only way they can. Hunger
striking is a common tactic. In 1968, they began. Some
were individual, others collective. At issue are
intolerable conditions, denial of basic rights, and
collective punishment.
Annually on April 17 since 1979, Palestinian Prisoners
Day commemorates Mahmoud Hijazi's 1974 release. He was
the first political prisoner freed in exchange for
Shumuel Rosenwasser, an Israeli held.
On Tuesday, April 17, 2012, about 1,600 Palestinian
prisoners began open-end hunger strikes. Besides their
illegal detention, they want humane treatment and
basic rights observed. Their demands include:
Ending administrative detention.
Ending solitary confinement.
Reinstating the right to education.
Halting abusive cell invasions and gratuitous strip
searches.
Allowing family visitations, especially for detained
Gazans receiving especially harsh treatment.
Proper medical care.
Halting body-searches of family members allowed
visits.
Allowing books and newspapers.
Halting abusive penalties.
Palestinians want to be treated like human beings as
international law mandates. They suffer horrifically
under appalling conditions. Deaths result. Many when
released aren't ever the same. Many die from chronic
and debilitating diseases.
Heroic hunger strikers Khader Adnan and Hana Shalabi
inspired others to refuse food for justice.
On March 30, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
expressed concern for eight current open-ended hunger
strikers. They include:
(1) Mahmoud Kamel Mohammed As-Sersik
On July 22, 2009, he was arrested. On August 23, 2009,
Israel extended his detention under its Unlawful
Combatant Law (UCL).
Israel calls As-Sersik, and others like him, "unlawful
combatants." No proof is needed, just "a reasonable
basis" for believing targeted Palestinians engaged in
belligerent confrontation with Israel or belong to a
hostile group.
As-Sersik's been hunger striking for three weeks. On
April 8, he was transferred to Eshel prison solitary
confinement.
(2) Thaer 'Aziz Mahmoud Halahla
On June 27, 2010, he was arrested. On March 5, 2012,
his administrative detention was extended six months.
He refused food for 44 days. On March 28, he was
hospitalized in Ar-Ramla prison hospital. Deteriorated
health places him gravely at risk.
(3) Belal Nabil Sa'eed Diyab
On August 17, 2011, he was arrested. On February 14,
2012, his administrative detention was extended six
months. He's been hunger striking 45 days against
imprisonment with charge or trial. On March 28, he was
hospitalized in Ar-Ramla prison hospital. His
condition's also grave.
(4) Ja'far Ibrahim Mohammed Eiz Ad-Din
On March 21, 2012, he was arrested. He was
administratively detained without charge for six
months. He's been hunger striking 22 days. On March
28, he was transferred to Al Jalama prison solitary
confinement. He's now in Ar-Ramla prison hospital.
(5) Ahmed Nabhan Da'san Saqer
On November 20, 2008, he was arrested. On January 24,
2012, his administrative detention was extended six
months. Israel often holds administrative detainees
uncharged without trial for years. Doing so has no
basis in international law.
He's been hunger striking 31 days in Shata prison.
(6) Mohammed Rafeq Kamel At-Taj
On November 19, 2003, he was arrested. He was
sentenced to 16 years in prison. He's been hunger
striking 29 days for justice. He and thousands of
others in Israeli prisons get none.
(7) Hasan Zahi As-Safadi
On June 29, 2011, he was arrested. On January 29,
2012, his administrative detention was extended four
months. He's been hunger striking 39 days. On April 6,
he was hospitalized in Ar-Ramla prison hospital. He's
also very much at risk.
(8) Omar Mousa Mesleh Shalaeil
On August 15, 2011, he was arrested. On February 15,
2012, his administrative detention was extended six
months. He's been hunger striking 41 days. Now in
Ar-Ramla prison hospital, his health also deteriorated
severely.
Throughout 45 years of occupation, Israel lawlessly
detained Palestinians "as part of its policy of
restraint and collective punishment...."
The British Mandate 1945 Emergency Law remains in
force. Israel uses it repressively to detain
Palestinians, hold them indefinitely without charge or
trial, and provide no reasons for doing so.
Israel's Unlawful Combatant Law exacerbates harsh
practices.
"Administrative detention amounts to arbitrary
detention in violation of the law when the detainee is
not presented with the reason for his detention, made
subject to criminal charges, or informed when he will
be released."
Doing so violates international law. Israel spurns it
unaccountably. Alleged secret evidence is used.
Detainees and counsel are denied access. Due process
and judicial fairness are nowhere in sight.
Palestinians are guilty by accusation for praying to
the wrong God.
Israel can hold them uncharged without trial forever.
Palestinians risk their lives for justice. Israel
doesn't care if they live or die.
Around 1,600 began protesting today. Hundreds more may
join them. The whole world's watching. Human rights
activists and others who care won't be silent. Israeli
crimes against humanity can't be tolerated.
Mass hunger protests won't stop them. Public rage has
a chance. Maybe fed up Israelis will participate. What
are they waiting for?
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is
titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War" http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html Visit
his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are
archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour.
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