Palestinian Prisoner Cut off From the Outer World

Palestinian Prisoner Cut off From the Outer World at “Eretz” Crossing

NABLUS - - The family of the Palestinian prisoner Mustafa Abed, 39, who remained imprisoned in Beit Hanoon crossing ”Eretz” facility for two months, appealed for the relative legal and humanitarian societies to move immediately to salvage their son.

The prisoner’s brother told IPC correspondent that his brother is currently living in a solitary confinement cell at "Eretz" in a worsening health condition of the severe cold weather there.

Abed’s brother told IPC correspondent that Mustafa, a father of seven, the youngest is an enfant born while Mustafa was still in prison. He has worked as a teacher at Amr Bin Al Ass School in Nablus City.

He noted that he filed a suit to the Israeli Society for Defense of Human Rights “Hamoked “on Friday to intervene at the Israeli Supreme Court of Justice in the appeal over unlawful transfer of Abed to Gaza Strip, but the Israeli society opposed the complain under the pretext that the prisoner Mustafa has his own advocate, rather, his confinement sentence is still in effect.

Abed was arrested on September 28, 2002 as returning back form his school at “Al Bahria” checkpoint located in the northern part of “Tal” Village, his birthplace.

From jail to jail, throughout the first Intifada in 1987, Mustafa had been imprisoned several years inside the Israeli jails, prior to issuing the ”assigned residence” order to Gaza Strip, Mustafa has been sentenced to six months of "administrative detention" that was extended for another six months.

Abruptly, the prisoner Abed has been notified by the prison administration service that he would be among the prisoners to be transferred to Gaza strip. On October 20, 2003. He has been moved to Beit Hanoon crossing “Eretz”, pending expulsion with his comrade prisoners the.

During the last days of the holy month of Ramadan, the Israeli occupying forces expelled 12 Palestinians from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip and kept Abed isolated in jail at Beit Hanoon crossing point “Eretz “, having no idea of his fate. To protest such a misery, Abed went on a hunger strike that started on December 8, 2003.

After three days of the hunger strike, he was allowed to make a phone call with his family. Abed’s wife recalled that the call was very short because the Israeli warden guarding him ordered him to briefly talk. She added “Abed felt resentment of the worsening situation, he was fatigued as his tired tone echoed through the call.”

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