Palestinian human rights institutions and national factions called on Monday for mobilizing mass support for Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails.
Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs undersecretary Bahaa Al-Deen Al-Madhoun called for stepping up solidarity campaigns so as to boost the steadfastness of Palestinian hunger strikers in the face of the Israeli violations.
Al-Madhoun urged the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to take up his duty and speak up for the Palestinian detainees.
He further appealed to the international humanitarian institutions to rally around Palestinian detainees and to defend hunger strikers against the oppressive Israeli policies.
The Muhjat Al-Quds and Waed institutions advocating prisoners’ rights spoke out against the crackdowns and torture perpetrated by the Israeli prison service against the detainees who have been on hunger strike to protest administrative detention.
Ex-prisoner Ahmad Harzallah said the Israeli occupation authorities issued 26000 administrative prison-terms without charge or trial against the detainees including doctors lawyers activists academics and children.
He slammed the policies of collective punishment targeting the prisoners’ families and relatives.
A number of Palestinian detainees have been on open ended hunger strikes to protest administrative detention. Prisoners Anas Shedid 20 and Ahmad Abu Fara 29 started their hunger strike on September 25 2016. Both have been held in the Ramla prison clinic since early August.
Ex-prisoner Hamada Al-Dirawi appealed to the Palestinian resistance to mobilize support for the “battle of empty stomachs” and appoint human rights committees to disclose Israeli violations of prisoners’ rights.
Activist Abdullah Qindil also slammed the PA for dragging its feet over calls to bring the case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) calling for standing up for the prisoners’ cause across international forums.
