Call to Resume Hunger-Strike in Face of Israel's Breaches

At a Press Conference outside the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City on Monday, the Higher National Committee for Support of the Prisoners (HNCSP) called for a return to the hunger strike, in the face of Israel’s failure to honour the conditions of the agreement brokered only two weeks ago through Egyptian officials.

Extensions of Administrative Detention
In the two weeks since the signing of the deal, Israel has extended the administrative detention orders of more than 25 prisoners, in direct contravention of the agreement. Fatah MP Hussam Khader, detained without charge or trial since June 2011 and who was slated to be released on June 1st, is the latest to have had his administrative detention order extended without charge or presentation of evidence against him.

Medical Neglect
Thaer Halahle, on hunger strike for 77 days and in a severely compromised state of health, has not been taken to hospital as promised, but is being ‘investigated’ – presumably to try to dig up evidence with which to justify his continued detention.

Not so Hamas official Zuhair Labada, who was released last Thursday – one month early - into intensive care in a Nablus hospital – presumably because the Israeli authorities prefer that he die there rather than in an Israeli jail, with the attendant negative publicity.

Solitary Confinement
Dirar Abu Sisi, an engineer from Gaza who was kidnapped in the Ukraine in February 2011 and ‘rendered’ to Israel, has still not been released from solitary confinement, in direct contravention of the agreement to release him within 72 hours of its signing.

Currently Hunger-striking
Mahmoud Al-Sarsak, a player in the national football team, is in his 71st consecutive day of hunger strike today, to protest being held without charge or trial under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law, which provides even fewer legal protections than administrative detention.He is so weak he can barely even speak.

Akram Al-Rakhawi is in his 47th consecutive day of hunger-strike and due to his pre-existing medical conditions of asthma, diabetes and osteoporosis, is now in an extremely fragile condition.

In addition to the current hunger-strikers, prisoners in the Negev prison, upset at the numerous extensions of administrative detention since the agreement was signed, declared on Sunday that they will initiate rolling hunger-strikes every time an administrative detention order is renewed.

Message from Sarsak and Rakhawi in prison
In a message sent out from Ramle prison to his brother, Mahmoud Sarsak and co-hunger-striker Akram Al-Rakhawi stated their absolute commitment to their open-ended hunger-strike until they achieve their demands, and victory.

“We vow not to accept anything less than our full demands,” they said in the message read out to the press conference.

“Do not abandon us in the battle. Do not leave our bodies bleeding,” they entreated.

HNCSP calls for international observation mission
The HNCSP stressed that the prisoners’ issues are the top priority of all Palestinian factions, and represent a significant international problem for Israel.

“We hold Israel responsible for the lives of the prisoners,” said the spokesperson

“We call upon Egypt, who brokered this agreement, to follow up these breaches and pressure Israel to comply with the agreement.”

He also demanded that international organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and other human rights organisations, compel Israel to implement international conventions and agreements.

“We call on them to send in a fact-finding mission to observe the conditions, and improve them,” he added.

He concluded by saying that prisoners can only achieve victory with the assistance of Palestinian and Arab people in all arenas, and asked them to continue, and extend, solidarity activities.

“Do not leave the mothers and wives alone, with only a picture of their sons and husbands,” he implored.

Mothers

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wives, and kids

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left only with photos.

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ENDS

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