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05 February 2011 By Stephen
Lendman As General Secretary of the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP),
he was sentenced in 2002 to 30 years in prison "for a
range of 'security related' political offenses,"
including his prominence in a prohibited
organization. For over 40 years, Israel
targeted him relentlessly, subjecting him to numerous
arrests, torture, false imprisonments, and isolation
for opposing occupation and wanting Palestine
liberated. On December 28, 2008, he was
sentenced to 30 years in prison, Israel's harshest
political punishment, though illegal under
international law. Refusing to recognize the court's
legitimacy, he calls himself "a prisoner for
freedom." For nearly 700 days (since March
19, 2009), he's been held in isolation with no family
visits, reading material, or contact with counsel,
friends or fellow prisoners. On October 24, 2010, his
status was extended another six months until April 21,
2011 "barred from human contact." The campaign to free him asks
people of conscience everywhere to speak out,
demanding he and other political prisoners be
released. Even in isolation, he's not
silenced. In a statement issued on January 15, he
supported Tunisia's liberating struggle against "a
system of injustice, abuse and exploitation," urging
democratic forces unite to press for legitimate
demands. A January 15 statement on the 9th
anniversary of his PA kidnapping headlined, "We Will
Not Forget and Will Not Forgive," saying: "Today, the campaign in
solidarity with Ahmad Sa'adat (demands) accountability
and punishment (for) perpetrators of this crime...."
Moreover, it rejects PA "cooperation with the
enemy....under the pretext of 'protecting the supreme
interests of the Palestinian people (and) upholding
our commitment to signed agreements.' " "Meanwhile, every day, our people
suffer from occupation, poverty and siege. It is the
duty of leaders and true (patriots) to protect the
Palestinian people and their land, resist the
settlers, and champion the people and their
resistance, as Ahmad Sa'adat" did so heroically and
continues doing under harsh isolation conditions. On January 19, around 25 Dublin
(socialist republican) "eirigi" protesters held a
candlelight vigil in front of the Israeli embassy,
highlighting the treatment and ongoing hunger strike
of Sa'adat and Hamas leader Jamal Abu Al-Haija. In
solidarity with both men, they pledged to keep
focusing on their status, saying: "We in Ireland understand only
too well the seriousness of the situation when you
have no option left but to use your body as a weapon"
for justice. They added that Palestinian supporters
worldwide "will hold the Zionist regime directly
responsible for the well being" of both men and all
other Palestinian political prisoners. On January 21, the Campaign in
Solidarity with Sa'adat, in collaboration with French
allies, "condemned French Foreign Minister Ms.
Michelle Alliot-Marie (during her Gaza visit), and
demanded" she apologize for calling Israeli soldier
Gilad Shalit's detention a "war crime," while ignoring
the thousands of illegally held Palestinian prisoners,
including young children. Refusing to be silenced, one of many Sa'adat quotes affirmed that: "I too possess a will obtained from the justice of our cause and the determination of our people to reject any decision from (Israel's) 'kangaroo court,' and to preserve a logical and cohesive balance, and to continue my determination to resist your occupation alongside the sons and daughters of our people, in spite of the limited space that you impose on my already-limited movement as a 'prisoner for freedom.' " The Friends of Ahmad Sa'adat, a "new international network for coordination of support and solidarity activities" urges activists everywhere united for Palestine's liberation "to come together, network, and coordinate in order to educate and mobilize people around the world to work for him and all illegally held Palestinian political prisoners." More information is available through the following link: http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/friends.html In solidarity, get involved for justice denied him and many others out of sight and mind to most people.
A previous article discussed his background, activism and status in detail, accessed through the following link: http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/07/ahmad-saadat-palestinian-prisoner-of.html Extensive information on him can be found on: http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/ Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also 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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