24 july 2020
Israel’s Supreme Court rejected yesterday a petition by Adalah, The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, demanding the occupation authorities to implement COVID-19 protective guidelines for prisoners at Gilboa prison, where 30 prison guards and seven Palestinian prisoners are infected, while 489 guards and 58 prisoners are in quarantine.
The court ruled late on Thursday evening that Palestinians held in Israeli prisons have no right to social distancing protection against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Adalah in a press statement.
Earlier on the day, the court had convened to hear a petition filed by Adalah demanding that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) and Israel’s Public Security Ministry take all necessary actions to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak among the 450 prisoners – overwhelmingly Palestinian political prisoners – in the overcrowded Gilboa prison.
Adalah Attorney Myssana Morany, who submitted the petition on behalf of the families of two Palestinian prisoners, responded to the ruling by the top Israeli court: "Israel’s Supreme Court has chosen to accept the fiction pitched to it by Israeli authorities that COVID-19 social distancing policies – essential for everyone else – are not relevant to the Palestinian ‘security prisoners’ it holds behind bars."
"This precedent-setting ruling endangers the lives and health of Palestinians held by Israel, and poses a threat to society as a whole. It flies in the face of health and human rights professionals around the world who have called for social distancing within prisons, and leaves Palestinians held by Israel exposed to the virus with no option to protect themselves,” she added.
Adalah said in a statement, "The Supreme Court justices accepted the claim promoted by Israeli occupation authorities that Palestinians held in prison are no different than family members or flatmates living in the same home, completely ignoring the fact that prisoners are held under duress and Israeli authorities are responsible for their health and the conditions of their incarceration."
"The court ruling has freed the IPS from the obligation to maintain, and or even strive for, safe social distancing in the cells of Palestinian “security prisoners”. This runs contrary to basic COVID-19 health practices employed by prison authorities around the world," the group added.
Materials given by state authorities to the Supreme Court and discussed in yesterday’s hearing stressed that social distancing restrictions should not apply to family members or individuals who live together, but nevertheless, they also recognized the need to reduce the population density inside Israeli facilities amongst prisoners serving time for criminal sentences.
Adalah Attorney Myssana Morany commented immediately following the hearing: "Israeli authorities claimed today in court that social distancing policies essential for protecting prisoners serving time for criminal charges are somehow not relevant for ‘security prisoners’.
The Israel Prison Service should have stood together with us today and demanded that it be granted the means to protect the people for whose health and safety it holds direct responsibility."
She continued, "We were, instead, subject to absurd arguments equating prisons with family living rooms, while prisoners continue to be forced to come into daily contact with guards potentially exposed to COVID-19 outside the prison walls."
The court ruled late on Thursday evening that Palestinians held in Israeli prisons have no right to social distancing protection against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Adalah in a press statement.
Earlier on the day, the court had convened to hear a petition filed by Adalah demanding that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) and Israel’s Public Security Ministry take all necessary actions to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak among the 450 prisoners – overwhelmingly Palestinian political prisoners – in the overcrowded Gilboa prison.
Adalah Attorney Myssana Morany, who submitted the petition on behalf of the families of two Palestinian prisoners, responded to the ruling by the top Israeli court: "Israel’s Supreme Court has chosen to accept the fiction pitched to it by Israeli authorities that COVID-19 social distancing policies – essential for everyone else – are not relevant to the Palestinian ‘security prisoners’ it holds behind bars."
"This precedent-setting ruling endangers the lives and health of Palestinians held by Israel, and poses a threat to society as a whole. It flies in the face of health and human rights professionals around the world who have called for social distancing within prisons, and leaves Palestinians held by Israel exposed to the virus with no option to protect themselves,” she added.
Adalah said in a statement, "The Supreme Court justices accepted the claim promoted by Israeli occupation authorities that Palestinians held in prison are no different than family members or flatmates living in the same home, completely ignoring the fact that prisoners are held under duress and Israeli authorities are responsible for their health and the conditions of their incarceration."
"The court ruling has freed the IPS from the obligation to maintain, and or even strive for, safe social distancing in the cells of Palestinian “security prisoners”. This runs contrary to basic COVID-19 health practices employed by prison authorities around the world," the group added.
Materials given by state authorities to the Supreme Court and discussed in yesterday’s hearing stressed that social distancing restrictions should not apply to family members or individuals who live together, but nevertheless, they also recognized the need to reduce the population density inside Israeli facilities amongst prisoners serving time for criminal sentences.
Adalah Attorney Myssana Morany commented immediately following the hearing: "Israeli authorities claimed today in court that social distancing policies essential for protecting prisoners serving time for criminal charges are somehow not relevant for ‘security prisoners’.
The Israel Prison Service should have stood together with us today and demanded that it be granted the means to protect the people for whose health and safety it holds direct responsibility."
She continued, "We were, instead, subject to absurd arguments equating prisons with family living rooms, while prisoners continue to be forced to come into daily contact with guards potentially exposed to COVID-19 outside the prison walls."
Israeli police forces on Thursday afternoon raided Bab al-Rahma prayer area at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and arrested three Palestinian citizens.
Eyewitnesses said that Israeli police officers broke into Bab al-Rahma prayer area with their shoes on and wreaked havoc on it. video
The police further arrested three Palestinians who were standing near Bab al-Rahma cemetery. The detainees are Khaled al-Zir, Adham Zaitoun, and Mohammed Sandouka. video
Local sources reported that the detainees were transferred to an interrogation center near Bab al-Asbat in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Earlier on the day, dozens of Jewish settlers defiled al-Aqsa Mosque amid heavy police presence, with restrictions tightened on the Palestinian worshipers entering the site.
Eyewitnesses said that Israeli police officers broke into Bab al-Rahma prayer area with their shoes on and wreaked havoc on it. video
The police further arrested three Palestinians who were standing near Bab al-Rahma cemetery. The detainees are Khaled al-Zir, Adham Zaitoun, and Mohammed Sandouka. video
Local sources reported that the detainees were transferred to an interrogation center near Bab al-Asbat in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Earlier on the day, dozens of Jewish settlers defiled al-Aqsa Mosque amid heavy police presence, with restrictions tightened on the Palestinian worshipers entering the site.
Israeli forces today detained four Palestinians, including a Fatah activist, from Jerusalem and Tubas districts, said local sources.
The sources confirmed that Israeli forces rounded up a Fatah activist after ransacking his house in al-Eizariya town, southeast of Jerusalem.
The activist was identified as Secretary-General of Fatah branch in the town Sami Abu Ghalieh.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces rounded up three Palestinians after breaking into their houses in Tubas city.
Israeli forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost on a daily basis across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids, which take place also in areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, are conducted with no need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
According to Palestinian figures, roughly 5,700 Palestinians -- including numerous women and children -- are currently languishing in Israeli detention facilities.
Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
The sources confirmed that Israeli forces rounded up a Fatah activist after ransacking his house in al-Eizariya town, southeast of Jerusalem.
The activist was identified as Secretary-General of Fatah branch in the town Sami Abu Ghalieh.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces rounded up three Palestinians after breaking into their houses in Tubas city.
Israeli forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost on a daily basis across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids, which take place also in areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, are conducted with no need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
According to Palestinian figures, roughly 5,700 Palestinians -- including numerous women and children -- are currently languishing in Israeli detention facilities.
Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
The Palestinian Authority's Governor of Jerusalem Adnan Gheith was remanded in Israeli occupation's custody for an additional seven days today, his lawyer, Rami Othman, said.
Gheith was arrested by Israeli police officers who raided his home in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Sunday. He has been moved to Asqalan prison in the 1948 land ever since.
The Palestinian Authority official has been arrested by Israel at least 17 times since he assumed his current office as Governor of Jerusalem in August 2018.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates demanded all the concerned international bodies, on top of which the ICRC, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions and the UN Human Rights Council, to immediately intervene to pressure the occupation authorities to release Gheith.
Gheith was arrested by Israeli police officers who raided his home in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Sunday. He has been moved to Asqalan prison in the 1948 land ever since.
The Palestinian Authority official has been arrested by Israel at least 17 times since he assumed his current office as Governor of Jerusalem in August 2018.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates demanded all the concerned international bodies, on top of which the ICRC, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions and the UN Human Rights Council, to immediately intervene to pressure the occupation authorities to release Gheith.
23 july 2020
An undercover Israeli police force today abducted an 12-year-old Palestinian child from the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Isawiya, according to witnesses.
Undercover security cops were scene getting off a civil car and abducting Moath Ewewi, 12, and taking him to an unknown destination. video
Over the past two years, al-Isawiya has been a frequent target of daily Israeli assaults.
Dozens of heavily armed Israeli forces from the Border Guards Police and Riot Police units would raid the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood almost every day, raiding and searching homes and arresting dozens of civilians under the pretext of security.
Undercover security cops were scene getting off a civil car and abducting Moath Ewewi, 12, and taking him to an unknown destination. video
Over the past two years, al-Isawiya has been a frequent target of daily Israeli assaults.
Dozens of heavily armed Israeli forces from the Border Guards Police and Riot Police units would raid the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood almost every day, raiding and searching homes and arresting dozens of civilians under the pretext of security.
Israeli occupation forces today detained at least 10 Palestinians, including a Fatah activist and a former lawmaker, from various parts of the occupied West Bank, said the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS).
Four Palestinians, including three former prisoners, from the southern West Bank district of Hebron were detained, two of them identified as former lawmaker Nizar Ramadan and his son. A former minister, Issa al-Jabari, who was also briefly detained before he was released several hours later.
In Jerusalem district, Israeli occupation forces detained Secretary-General of Fatah branch in Shufat refugee camp, Adham al-Hindi, after ransacking his house in the camp. video video
In Bethlehem district in the south of the West Bank, PPS said Israeli occupation forces conducted a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp, south of the city, resulting in the detention of a Palestinian man.
Soldiers also raided the Bethlehem city neighborhood of Jabal al-Mawaleh, resulting in the detention of another.
In Jericho district, an Israeli military raid was conducted in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp, southwest of the city, resulting in the detention of two teenagers, while another teenager was detained at Jalazon refugee camp, north of Ramallah.
Four Palestinians, including three former prisoners, from the southern West Bank district of Hebron were detained, two of them identified as former lawmaker Nizar Ramadan and his son. A former minister, Issa al-Jabari, who was also briefly detained before he was released several hours later.
In Jerusalem district, Israeli occupation forces detained Secretary-General of Fatah branch in Shufat refugee camp, Adham al-Hindi, after ransacking his house in the camp. video video
In Bethlehem district in the south of the West Bank, PPS said Israeli occupation forces conducted a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp, south of the city, resulting in the detention of a Palestinian man.
Soldiers also raided the Bethlehem city neighborhood of Jabal al-Mawaleh, resulting in the detention of another.
In Jericho district, an Israeli military raid was conducted in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp, southwest of the city, resulting in the detention of two teenagers, while another teenager was detained at Jalazon refugee camp, north of Ramallah.
Family of the 20-year-old cancer-stricken detainee Mohammed Salah ed-Din on Wednesday called for the immediate release of their son whose health has gravely worsened lately in Israeli jail.
The family said that they fear Mohammed’s life is at stake given the deliberate medical neglect he is subjected to by the Israel Prison Service.
They demanded that Mohammed be immediately released from Israeli jail and allowed proper medical treatment since only a few months are left in his two-year prison term.
The Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission held the Israel Prison Service fully responsible for Mohammed’s life and called for his unconditional release.
In its Wednesday’s report, the commission also said that the Israel Prison Service has been keeping Palestinian detainee Mohammed Khirwat in solitary confinement for 130 days.
It warned that Khirwat, who has been detained since 2002, and who is serving four life sentences in Israeli jail, is being held in inhumane conditions that have adversely affected his health.
Solitary confinement is one of the punitive measures pursued by the Israel Prison Service to break the will of Palestinian prisoners, humiliate them, and torture them physically and psychologically.
The family said that they fear Mohammed’s life is at stake given the deliberate medical neglect he is subjected to by the Israel Prison Service.
They demanded that Mohammed be immediately released from Israeli jail and allowed proper medical treatment since only a few months are left in his two-year prison term.
The Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission held the Israel Prison Service fully responsible for Mohammed’s life and called for his unconditional release.
In its Wednesday’s report, the commission also said that the Israel Prison Service has been keeping Palestinian detainee Mohammed Khirwat in solitary confinement for 130 days.
It warned that Khirwat, who has been detained since 2002, and who is serving four life sentences in Israeli jail, is being held in inhumane conditions that have adversely affected his health.
Solitary confinement is one of the punitive measures pursued by the Israel Prison Service to break the will of Palestinian prisoners, humiliate them, and torture them physically and psychologically.
