23 june 2014
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday warned doctors in Israel against force-feeding hunger-striking prisoners, saying they could face international prosecution.
Dr. Raid Abu Rabbi, an official of the Red Cross, said that “any doctor who force-feeds prisoners will be violating medical ethics, and in Israel and abroad this doctor could be arrested.”
A law to allow force-feeding prisoners was set to be approved on Monday. However, the Israeli minister of finance threatened to call off the bill and voting was postponed until the coming week.
Dr. Raid Abu Rabbi, an official of the Red Cross, said that “any doctor who force-feeds prisoners will be violating medical ethics, and in Israel and abroad this doctor could be arrested.”
A law to allow force-feeding prisoners was set to be approved on Monday. However, the Israeli minister of finance threatened to call off the bill and voting was postponed until the coming week.
Israeli forces have again arrested former prisoner Samer al-Essawi, after storming his house in al-Eesawiya.
Al-Eesawi served 10 years in Israeli jails and became an internationally recognized icon for the prioners' movement after spending 9 months on hunger strike last year.
The Palestinian News Network (PNN) reports that Samer was released, along with 1027 Palestinian prisoners, as a result of an Egypt-brokered deal between Hamas and the Israeli government for the return of Gilad Shalit.
In July of 2012, however, he was re-arrested for violating the terms of his release when he left Jerusalem into the West Bank.
Convicted for 8 months, to possibly include a reinstatement of the rest of his original 26 year sentence, Essawi began a hunger strike in August, 2012.
In April of last year, when a deal was finally reached where he was to serve 8 months for violating his bail, and then be released to Jerusalem, Samer announced the end of his strike.
Today, Israeli forces raided al-Essawi's village, where clashes broke out with residents before they broke into Samer's house and arrested him again.
According to Ma'an, military forces detained 37 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, earlier, as Israel's massive arrest campaign continued for the 11th day.
Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping three Israeli teenagers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Gush Etzion, near Bethlehem, though no evidence has actually been presented to determine that a kidnapping took place, let alone by Hamas.
Israeli military spokesman General Motti Almoz said, on Sunday, that all information indicates that the teenagers "are alive".
Samer's sister Shireen was arrested with their brothers Medhat and Shadi in March. They were not charged, but Israel has refused to release any details about their arrest, in line with behavior typical of the Administrative Detention policy.
Shireen's detention has been extended by the Israeli court system three times, now, according to the PNN.
In January of 2013, brother Ahmad Issawi’s home was bulldozed.
Al-Eesawi served 10 years in Israeli jails and became an internationally recognized icon for the prioners' movement after spending 9 months on hunger strike last year.
The Palestinian News Network (PNN) reports that Samer was released, along with 1027 Palestinian prisoners, as a result of an Egypt-brokered deal between Hamas and the Israeli government for the return of Gilad Shalit.
In July of 2012, however, he was re-arrested for violating the terms of his release when he left Jerusalem into the West Bank.
Convicted for 8 months, to possibly include a reinstatement of the rest of his original 26 year sentence, Essawi began a hunger strike in August, 2012.
In April of last year, when a deal was finally reached where he was to serve 8 months for violating his bail, and then be released to Jerusalem, Samer announced the end of his strike.
Today, Israeli forces raided al-Essawi's village, where clashes broke out with residents before they broke into Samer's house and arrested him again.
According to Ma'an, military forces detained 37 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, earlier, as Israel's massive arrest campaign continued for the 11th day.
Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping three Israeli teenagers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Gush Etzion, near Bethlehem, though no evidence has actually been presented to determine that a kidnapping took place, let alone by Hamas.
Israeli military spokesman General Motti Almoz said, on Sunday, that all information indicates that the teenagers "are alive".
Samer's sister Shireen was arrested with their brothers Medhat and Shadi in March. They were not charged, but Israel has refused to release any details about their arrest, in line with behavior typical of the Administrative Detention policy.
Shireen's detention has been extended by the Israeli court system three times, now, according to the PNN.
In January of 2013, brother Ahmad Issawi’s home was bulldozed.
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The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers have kidnapped 529 Palestinians, during daily invasions and assaults, since three Israeli settlers went missing ten days ago.
The PPS said that the army, in extensive invasions targeting hundreds of Palestinian homes, has kidnapped at least 61 Palestinians, Monday. As part of the ongoing military invasions, the PPS stated that 179 Palestinians have been kidnapped in the Hebron district, 87 in Nablus, 75 in Bethlehem, 52 in Jenin, 49 in Ramallah, 36 in Jerusalem, 23 in Tulkarem, 13 in Qalqilia, 7 in Tubas, 7 in Salfit, and one in Jericho. |
IDF soldiers search two cars at a flying checkpoint near the intersection the three Israeli settlers went missing on June 12th
As the search for the three missing teenage settlers intensifies, the city of Hebron continues to experience complete lockdown. Checkpoints are set up across the district, barring any residents from leaving Hebron. These checkpoints are additional to the previous ones that have been in place for years. Generally checkpoints aren’t found in Area A (the 18% of the occupied West Bank that the Palestinian Authority has control over) but since the search for the three missing settlers has launched, checkpoints have been set up at the entrances to Area A in Hebron and other districts, as well as flying (temporary roadblock) checkpoints within Area A roads in the middle of Palestinian cities and towns.
As the search for the three missing teenage settlers intensifies, the city of Hebron continues to experience complete lockdown. Checkpoints are set up across the district, barring any residents from leaving Hebron. These checkpoints are additional to the previous ones that have been in place for years. Generally checkpoints aren’t found in Area A (the 18% of the occupied West Bank that the Palestinian Authority has control over) but since the search for the three missing settlers has launched, checkpoints have been set up at the entrances to Area A in Hebron and other districts, as well as flying (temporary roadblock) checkpoints within Area A roads in the middle of Palestinian cities and towns.
IDF soldier talks on her phone while cars wait to exit Hebron at a new Area A entrance checkpoint.
Protests against the siege of the city have become frequent, and injuries and arrests are common. Hebron was the first city and district to feel the force of the army’s crackdown ten days ago, however other population areas throughout the occupied West Bank are now beginning to experience similar tactics. Currently over 350 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank and five Palestinians have been shot dead.
Normal life in Hebron, which due to military occupation and the placement of an illegal Israeli settlement within the city center, has always been difficult, but this week life has become even more grim and problematic.
Protests against the siege of the city have become frequent, and injuries and arrests are common. Hebron was the first city and district to feel the force of the army’s crackdown ten days ago, however other population areas throughout the occupied West Bank are now beginning to experience similar tactics. Currently over 350 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank and five Palestinians have been shot dead.
Normal life in Hebron, which due to military occupation and the placement of an illegal Israeli settlement within the city center, has always been difficult, but this week life has become even more grim and problematic.
A woman walks by a burning tire in the city center, trying to avoid the clashes
On Friday, Hebron’s city center erupted in clashes between the shabaab (young men), and Israeli Defense Force (IDF). While protests and clashes with the IDF are common in the West Bank, they usually occur in the small villages outlying larger cities, and seldom happen in the center of Palestinian cities. However now with soldiers frequently making trips into Hebron city center along with the thousands of soldiers being deployed throughout the whole district, the atmosphere is tense. Friday’s clash in the center of Hebron lasted for over four hours; a ten-year-old boy was arrested, along with a young man, while soldiers opened live fire on protestors.
On Friday, Hebron’s city center erupted in clashes between the shabaab (young men), and Israeli Defense Force (IDF). While protests and clashes with the IDF are common in the West Bank, they usually occur in the small villages outlying larger cities, and seldom happen in the center of Palestinian cities. However now with soldiers frequently making trips into Hebron city center along with the thousands of soldiers being deployed throughout the whole district, the atmosphere is tense. Friday’s clash in the center of Hebron lasted for over four hours; a ten-year-old boy was arrested, along with a young man, while soldiers opened live fire on protestors.
Young man shot in the ankle with live fire during clashes in Hebron city center.
Now raids on houses have become commonplace. In the village of al-Dura a few kilometers from Hebron, a 14 year-old-boy was killed by live ammunition to the chest during one of these night raids. With every day bringing uncertainty around Israel’s next move, it appears the only constant is knowing that the arrests, night raids, and the crackdown will most likely continue.
“The soldiers are now everywhere” Mohammed Rabah, who lives in Halhul in the Hebron district, said. “Last night they were occupying and sleeping in the masjid [mosque] and using it as a base. Every day they are throwing so much gas, raiding people’s homes and arresting people. Yesterday they broke into my cousin’s house and pointed their guns at her and her two year old daughter. I think this is not right, this not looking for the missing settlers, it is just trying to punish us.”
Now raids on houses have become commonplace. In the village of al-Dura a few kilometers from Hebron, a 14 year-old-boy was killed by live ammunition to the chest during one of these night raids. With every day bringing uncertainty around Israel’s next move, it appears the only constant is knowing that the arrests, night raids, and the crackdown will most likely continue.
“The soldiers are now everywhere” Mohammed Rabah, who lives in Halhul in the Hebron district, said. “Last night they were occupying and sleeping in the masjid [mosque] and using it as a base. Every day they are throwing so much gas, raiding people’s homes and arresting people. Yesterday they broke into my cousin’s house and pointed their guns at her and her two year old daughter. I think this is not right, this not looking for the missing settlers, it is just trying to punish us.”
The Israeli military prosecution intends to issue orders to administratively detain half of the Palestinians kidnapped in recent West Bank campaigns, Haaretz newspaper said.
According to the newspaper, such orders have already been issued against 100 Palestinian captives and the same number of administrative detention orders will be approved soon.
The newspaper quoted a number of prisoners’ lawyers as saying that the Israeli intelligence interrogated 30 detainees only out of 400 citizens detained recently.
With these new orders, the number of Palestinians administratively detained without incitement or trial will rise to 400 prisoners.
According to the newspaper, such orders have already been issued against 100 Palestinian captives and the same number of administrative detention orders will be approved soon.
The newspaper quoted a number of prisoners’ lawyers as saying that the Israeli intelligence interrogated 30 detainees only out of 400 citizens detained recently.
With these new orders, the number of Palestinians administratively detained without incitement or trial will rise to 400 prisoners.
Israel Police Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi, who was shot near Hebron on his way to a Passover Seder.
Two Hamas operatives are suspected of opening fire on Baruch Mizrahi, who was killed while traveling with his family on the eve of the Passover holiday.
Two Palestinians were charged Monday with the murder of a senior Israeli police officer. The two were arrested last month, Israel's security forces revealed after a gag order on the case was lifted.
Israel Police Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi was killed on April 14, on the eve of the Passover holiday, when a gunman fired on his car. Mizrahi and his wife, who was moderately wounded, were making their way to Kiryat Arba, where they were planning to celebrate the holiday. A 9-year-old boy who was riding in a nearby car was lightly hurt as well.
The two suspects are a father and son, both Hamas operatives, who reside in the Hebron region. The alleged gunman, Ziad Awadh, 42, was one of the prisoners released in October 2011 as part of the deal that secured the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity. Awadh was serving a life sentence for the murder of Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. The son, Az Adin Awadh, 18, is said to have been the getaway driver.
According to the Shin Bet, Az Adin, the son, gave up the murder weapon – a Kalashnikov – and "divulged additional information that points to Ziad's involvement in the attack." Other suspects interrogated as part of the investigation said that Ziad purchased the motorbike and rifle in order to carry out the shooting. He scoped out the site of the attack a week ahead of time.
A senior Israeli official said the Awadhs' house would be demolished as a punitive measure, subject to court approval. The move would be part of a "new approach" adopted by the security establishment over the past couple of weeks, which also includes the re-arrest of prisoners released in the Shalit deal. The detainees are being brought before military committees that decide whether they will return to jail due to violation of the terms of their release.
"The arrest of the terrorist from Passover eve – a Hamas operative – underlines yet again that this is the same Hamas that carried out the kidnapping and with whom Abbas signed an accord," the official said. "Abbas needs to choose between peace with Israel and the treaty with Hamas.
The arrest stands as the most significant case brought against a prisoner freed in the Shalit deal so far.
Two Hamas operatives are suspected of opening fire on Baruch Mizrahi, who was killed while traveling with his family on the eve of the Passover holiday.
Two Palestinians were charged Monday with the murder of a senior Israeli police officer. The two were arrested last month, Israel's security forces revealed after a gag order on the case was lifted.
Israel Police Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi was killed on April 14, on the eve of the Passover holiday, when a gunman fired on his car. Mizrahi and his wife, who was moderately wounded, were making their way to Kiryat Arba, where they were planning to celebrate the holiday. A 9-year-old boy who was riding in a nearby car was lightly hurt as well.
The two suspects are a father and son, both Hamas operatives, who reside in the Hebron region. The alleged gunman, Ziad Awadh, 42, was one of the prisoners released in October 2011 as part of the deal that secured the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity. Awadh was serving a life sentence for the murder of Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. The son, Az Adin Awadh, 18, is said to have been the getaway driver.
According to the Shin Bet, Az Adin, the son, gave up the murder weapon – a Kalashnikov – and "divulged additional information that points to Ziad's involvement in the attack." Other suspects interrogated as part of the investigation said that Ziad purchased the motorbike and rifle in order to carry out the shooting. He scoped out the site of the attack a week ahead of time.
A senior Israeli official said the Awadhs' house would be demolished as a punitive measure, subject to court approval. The move would be part of a "new approach" adopted by the security establishment over the past couple of weeks, which also includes the re-arrest of prisoners released in the Shalit deal. The detainees are being brought before military committees that decide whether they will return to jail due to violation of the terms of their release.
"The arrest of the terrorist from Passover eve – a Hamas operative – underlines yet again that this is the same Hamas that carried out the kidnapping and with whom Abbas signed an accord," the official said. "Abbas needs to choose between peace with Israel and the treaty with Hamas.
The arrest stands as the most significant case brought against a prisoner freed in the Shalit deal so far.
Israeli forces raided East Jerusalem and nearby villages overnight, arresting 18 Palestinians, local officials said Monday.
Popular committee spokesman Muhammad Abu al-Hummus told Ma'an Israeli troops and intelligence officers raided the al-Isawiya neighborhood of Jerusalem and detained five Palestinians.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian was detained in nearby Shufat refugee camp, a local Fatah spokesman said.
Thaer Abed Rabbu told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided Shufat refugee camp and detained Mutee Abu al-Zayid as clashes broke out at the entrance of the camp.
Israeli forces also raided villages east of Jerusalem overnight, arresting 12 Palestinians, a local official said Monday.
Sami Abu Ghaliya, secretary-general of the Jahalin Bedouin, told Ma'an Israeli soldiers raided Abu Dis, al-Eizariya, al-Sawahira, and Arab al-Jahalin overnight.
The forces raided and searched al-Quds University, two mosques, shops, and houses amid clashes with Palestinians, Abu Ghaliya said.
Soldiers fired tear gas, sound bombs, live fire, and rubber-coated steel bullets at locals, he said.
He identified those detained as Hani Abu Halabiya, Ashraf Dweik, Rami Abu Rumi, Ali Abu Ziyad, Jamil Abu Ziyad, Mahdi Qtmeira, Mopussa Faroun, Jamil Abu Hilal, Ahmad Ayyad, Mahmoud Jaffal, Laith Jaffal, and Mahmoud Ireiqat."
An spokesman for the Israeli police did not answer calls seeking comment.
The raids come amid an ongoing Israeli military campaign to find three missing Israeli teenagers.
Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians while conducting arrest operations, including two men shot dead on Sunday.
Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping three Israeli teenagers from Gush Etzion settlement near Bethlehem, but the Islamist movement denies involvement.
Popular committee spokesman Muhammad Abu al-Hummus told Ma'an Israeli troops and intelligence officers raided the al-Isawiya neighborhood of Jerusalem and detained five Palestinians.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian was detained in nearby Shufat refugee camp, a local Fatah spokesman said.
Thaer Abed Rabbu told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided Shufat refugee camp and detained Mutee Abu al-Zayid as clashes broke out at the entrance of the camp.
Israeli forces also raided villages east of Jerusalem overnight, arresting 12 Palestinians, a local official said Monday.
Sami Abu Ghaliya, secretary-general of the Jahalin Bedouin, told Ma'an Israeli soldiers raided Abu Dis, al-Eizariya, al-Sawahira, and Arab al-Jahalin overnight.
The forces raided and searched al-Quds University, two mosques, shops, and houses amid clashes with Palestinians, Abu Ghaliya said.
Soldiers fired tear gas, sound bombs, live fire, and rubber-coated steel bullets at locals, he said.
He identified those detained as Hani Abu Halabiya, Ashraf Dweik, Rami Abu Rumi, Ali Abu Ziyad, Jamil Abu Ziyad, Mahdi Qtmeira, Mopussa Faroun, Jamil Abu Hilal, Ahmad Ayyad, Mahmoud Jaffal, Laith Jaffal, and Mahmoud Ireiqat."
An spokesman for the Israeli police did not answer calls seeking comment.
The raids come amid an ongoing Israeli military campaign to find three missing Israeli teenagers.
Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians while conducting arrest operations, including two men shot dead on Sunday.
Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping three Israeli teenagers from Gush Etzion settlement near Bethlehem, but the Islamist movement denies involvement.
By Mohammad al-Herbawi
On their 50th day of the longest mass hunger strike in Palestinian history, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails received news of the three Israeli soldiers who went missing in the occupied West Bank with hopes that they were captured by the Palestinian resistance, and held for a future prisoners’ swap deal. The news has breathed life into their emaciated bodies that atrophy day by day throughout their open-ended hunger strike.
In light of the unjustified rush of several official bodies and International organizations to condemn the capture of the Israeli soldiers, it is unjust and illogical to take that action out of its context. In fact, it should be examined in the context of its backgrounds and causes that led up to it.
Palestinian Prisoners at a Glance
Israel has used the detention of Palestinians as a tool of deterrence to counter any form of resistance levelled against its unlawful occupation of the land of Palestine. Over 800,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel since 1967. This staggering number amounts to around 20% of the Palestinian population, and approximately 40% of the Palestinian male population. Put simply, there is no single Palestinian family that is not touched or directly affected by the prisoners’ cause and dilemma.
According to Al-Dameer Institution, there are currently over 5,200 Palestinians in Israeli jails, including 190 held under administrative detention with neither charge nor trial, on the basis of “secret files” that cannot even be revealed to detainees' lawyers. Among the Palestinian prisoners, there are over 200 children, 17 women, 100 elderly, 1,400 ill and 20 Palestinian Members of Parliament (PLC) as well as its Speaker and several former Palestinian ministers and officials.
Prisoners in Israeli jails face every conceivable form of humiliation and ill-treatment including strip searches, prolonged solitary confinement, aggravated abuse and vindictive medical negligence. Over 150 Palestinians died in Israeli jails since 1967, three of them were tortured to death in the past year alone.
Palestinian administrative detainees decided to carry out several protest measures to force Israel to end its arbitrary administrative detention, beginning with the boycott of Israeli military courts, followed by boycotting prisons’ clinics, then carrying out a partial mass hunger strike. Their protests intensified - due to Israeli neglect to their demands - culminating in an open-ended mass hunger strike that began on April 24th and is still ongoing.
Failure of Peace Process
In July 2013, the Palestinian Authority (PA) accepted the resumption of negotiations with Israel, dropping its major precondition of freezing Israeli settlement construction, and accepting to replace this requisite condition with the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners who had been detained before the Oslo Agreement, and who were supposed to be released upon the signing of the agreement in 1993. However, with Israeli stubbornness and Palestinian official negligence of their cause, Israel kept them in its jails for 20 more years, as revealed by Israeli president Shimon Peres in his personal diary.
Israel accepted to release the 104 prisoners in four stages within nine months of negotiations to win more time to further its expansion agenda beneath the umbrella of the “Peace Process." However, the Israeli promise was reneged upon, where only three batches of the prisoners were released, with the fourth one, which was kept in limbo, consisting of prisoners serving the highest sentences as well as prisoners from Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands. The release was halted by Israel to pressure the PA into giving more concessions in the peace process.
Finding an Alternative
While Israel continues its arbitrary detention of Palestinians, placing them in inhuman conditions, and refusing to release them even through the political peace process, the Palestinians have been forced to search for alternatives to free their fellow brothers from Israeli jails.
Capturing Israeli soldiers and exchanging them with Palestinian prisoners proved to be the most effective form of resistance to pressure Israel into releasing them. Throughout the past few decades, Palestinian resistance succeeded in securing the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners through swap deals. The most famous deals are the following:
- In 1983, Israel released over 4,800 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in return for the release of 8 Israeli soldiers who were captured by Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-The General Command.
- In 1985, Israel released 1,150 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in return for the release of 3 Israeli soldiers who were captured by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-The General Command.
- In 2011, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners including 500 prisoners with life sentences in return for the release of the Israeli soldier “Gilad Shalit” who was captured by Hamas and held for 5 years in the Gaza strip.
On the other hand, throughout 25 years of peace process negotiations, Israel has released few hundred Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the PA, arguably to deceive the international public opinion, whereby most of the released prisoners were nearing the completion of their prison sentences, which literally amounted to a few months or days in most cases.
In this regard, it is clearly seen that Israel has never made any concession willingly; furthermore, it has been proven time and time again throughout the past decades that Israel concedes under the pressure of resistance alone.
A Double Standard
Since the capture of the three Israeli soldiers, several pro-Israel organizations have launched a media campaign with the hashtag “#BringBackOurBoys,” claiming that Palestinian terrorists have “kidnapped” Israeli teenagers or boys. It is a clear act of double standards when many international media outlets and organizations adopt the Israeli narrative and refer to the missing Israelis as “teenagers,” blinding their eyes to hundreds of Palestinian children who are being kidnapped and held in Israeli jails, dozens of them are below 16 years old. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Ministry, over 10,000 Palestinian children were detained since the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada in the year 2000.
On the other hand, the missing Israelis are soldiers in the first place, and serving in 1967 lands which are occupied lands according to UN resolutions; the question, therefore, arises as to what were these “boys” doing in an occupied territory?
Resistance in all its forms, diplomatic, popular or armed, is a legitimate right for all peoples suffering from occupation until they restore their land, rights and freedom. Simply put therefore, it is Israel that should bring back our boys.
On their 50th day of the longest mass hunger strike in Palestinian history, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails received news of the three Israeli soldiers who went missing in the occupied West Bank with hopes that they were captured by the Palestinian resistance, and held for a future prisoners’ swap deal. The news has breathed life into their emaciated bodies that atrophy day by day throughout their open-ended hunger strike.
In light of the unjustified rush of several official bodies and International organizations to condemn the capture of the Israeli soldiers, it is unjust and illogical to take that action out of its context. In fact, it should be examined in the context of its backgrounds and causes that led up to it.
Palestinian Prisoners at a Glance
Israel has used the detention of Palestinians as a tool of deterrence to counter any form of resistance levelled against its unlawful occupation of the land of Palestine. Over 800,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel since 1967. This staggering number amounts to around 20% of the Palestinian population, and approximately 40% of the Palestinian male population. Put simply, there is no single Palestinian family that is not touched or directly affected by the prisoners’ cause and dilemma.
According to Al-Dameer Institution, there are currently over 5,200 Palestinians in Israeli jails, including 190 held under administrative detention with neither charge nor trial, on the basis of “secret files” that cannot even be revealed to detainees' lawyers. Among the Palestinian prisoners, there are over 200 children, 17 women, 100 elderly, 1,400 ill and 20 Palestinian Members of Parliament (PLC) as well as its Speaker and several former Palestinian ministers and officials.
Prisoners in Israeli jails face every conceivable form of humiliation and ill-treatment including strip searches, prolonged solitary confinement, aggravated abuse and vindictive medical negligence. Over 150 Palestinians died in Israeli jails since 1967, three of them were tortured to death in the past year alone.
Palestinian administrative detainees decided to carry out several protest measures to force Israel to end its arbitrary administrative detention, beginning with the boycott of Israeli military courts, followed by boycotting prisons’ clinics, then carrying out a partial mass hunger strike. Their protests intensified - due to Israeli neglect to their demands - culminating in an open-ended mass hunger strike that began on April 24th and is still ongoing.
Failure of Peace Process
In July 2013, the Palestinian Authority (PA) accepted the resumption of negotiations with Israel, dropping its major precondition of freezing Israeli settlement construction, and accepting to replace this requisite condition with the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners who had been detained before the Oslo Agreement, and who were supposed to be released upon the signing of the agreement in 1993. However, with Israeli stubbornness and Palestinian official negligence of their cause, Israel kept them in its jails for 20 more years, as revealed by Israeli president Shimon Peres in his personal diary.
Israel accepted to release the 104 prisoners in four stages within nine months of negotiations to win more time to further its expansion agenda beneath the umbrella of the “Peace Process." However, the Israeli promise was reneged upon, where only three batches of the prisoners were released, with the fourth one, which was kept in limbo, consisting of prisoners serving the highest sentences as well as prisoners from Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands. The release was halted by Israel to pressure the PA into giving more concessions in the peace process.
Finding an Alternative
While Israel continues its arbitrary detention of Palestinians, placing them in inhuman conditions, and refusing to release them even through the political peace process, the Palestinians have been forced to search for alternatives to free their fellow brothers from Israeli jails.
Capturing Israeli soldiers and exchanging them with Palestinian prisoners proved to be the most effective form of resistance to pressure Israel into releasing them. Throughout the past few decades, Palestinian resistance succeeded in securing the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners through swap deals. The most famous deals are the following:
- In 1983, Israel released over 4,800 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in return for the release of 8 Israeli soldiers who were captured by Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-The General Command.
- In 1985, Israel released 1,150 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in return for the release of 3 Israeli soldiers who were captured by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-The General Command.
- In 2011, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners including 500 prisoners with life sentences in return for the release of the Israeli soldier “Gilad Shalit” who was captured by Hamas and held for 5 years in the Gaza strip.
On the other hand, throughout 25 years of peace process negotiations, Israel has released few hundred Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the PA, arguably to deceive the international public opinion, whereby most of the released prisoners were nearing the completion of their prison sentences, which literally amounted to a few months or days in most cases.
In this regard, it is clearly seen that Israel has never made any concession willingly; furthermore, it has been proven time and time again throughout the past decades that Israel concedes under the pressure of resistance alone.
A Double Standard
Since the capture of the three Israeli soldiers, several pro-Israel organizations have launched a media campaign with the hashtag “#BringBackOurBoys,” claiming that Palestinian terrorists have “kidnapped” Israeli teenagers or boys. It is a clear act of double standards when many international media outlets and organizations adopt the Israeli narrative and refer to the missing Israelis as “teenagers,” blinding their eyes to hundreds of Palestinian children who are being kidnapped and held in Israeli jails, dozens of them are below 16 years old. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Ministry, over 10,000 Palestinian children were detained since the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada in the year 2000.
On the other hand, the missing Israelis are soldiers in the first place, and serving in 1967 lands which are occupied lands according to UN resolutions; the question, therefore, arises as to what were these “boys” doing in an occupied territory?
Resistance in all its forms, diplomatic, popular or armed, is a legitimate right for all peoples suffering from occupation until they restore their land, rights and freedom. Simply put therefore, it is Israel that should bring back our boys.
The Palestinian administrative hunger-strikers have been without food for the third month in a row in protest at their illegal detention without charge or trial.
Alarm bells have been raised over the health conditions of the prisoners, who have started their hunger-strike last April 24.
The Israeli prison authority has utilized administrative detention as an arbitrary tool to suppress the freedom of any Palestinian. It is a sort of incarceration without indictment and court trials at the pretext of having alleged secret files against the detainee.
The administrative prison term is also subject to the mood of Israeli jailers who renews it for extended periods of time.
According Haaretz newspaper, the Israeli prosecution is planning to issue administration prison orders against half of the Palestinians detained in recent arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank. They are estimated at 468 captives.
There are already 220 administrative detainees in Israeli jails, including lawmakers, human rights activists, lawyers, businessmen and students.
Alarm bells have been raised over the health conditions of the prisoners, who have started their hunger-strike last April 24.
The Israeli prison authority has utilized administrative detention as an arbitrary tool to suppress the freedom of any Palestinian. It is a sort of incarceration without indictment and court trials at the pretext of having alleged secret files against the detainee.
The administrative prison term is also subject to the mood of Israeli jailers who renews it for extended periods of time.
According Haaretz newspaper, the Israeli prosecution is planning to issue administration prison orders against half of the Palestinians detained in recent arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank. They are estimated at 468 captives.
There are already 220 administrative detainees in Israeli jails, including lawmakers, human rights activists, lawyers, businessmen and students.
Israeli Knesset postponed on Sunday voting on law of force-feeding prisoners on hunger strike in the second and third reading as some political parties objected the voting. The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" pointed out on Monday that the Israeli Minister of Finance Yair Lapid demanded the postponement until conducting a comprehensive study and research of the nature of this controversial law. The voting was postponed for a week.
Israeli hospitals union had sent a letter to the Israeli prime minister and the speaker of the Knesset, confirming that it is not possible to implement this law in the Israeli hospitals.
The law stated that the Israeli Prison Service is authorized to issue a decision of force-feeding Palestinian detainees if the hunger strike caused danger to their lives.
The Knesset was due to vote on the bill in final reading Sunday. It was fast-tracked in response to a hunger strike by dozens of Palestinian administrative detainees that has been going on for more than two months and has so far resulted in about 80 of them being hospitalized, Haartz Israeli newspaper said.
On April, 24th, Palestinian administrative Prisoners started an open hunger strike which continues until this moment calling to revoke Administrative detention, since there are prisoners been detained for more than 5 years. There are still 150 prisoners on hunger strike facing critical health conditions, without any kind of understanding from the Israeli side regardless of the prisoners’ basic human needs.
Israeli hospitals union had sent a letter to the Israeli prime minister and the speaker of the Knesset, confirming that it is not possible to implement this law in the Israeli hospitals.
The law stated that the Israeli Prison Service is authorized to issue a decision of force-feeding Palestinian detainees if the hunger strike caused danger to their lives.
The Knesset was due to vote on the bill in final reading Sunday. It was fast-tracked in response to a hunger strike by dozens of Palestinian administrative detainees that has been going on for more than two months and has so far resulted in about 80 of them being hospitalized, Haartz Israeli newspaper said.
On April, 24th, Palestinian administrative Prisoners started an open hunger strike which continues until this moment calling to revoke Administrative detention, since there are prisoners been detained for more than 5 years. There are still 150 prisoners on hunger strike facing critical health conditions, without any kind of understanding from the Israeli side regardless of the prisoners’ basic human needs.
An Israeli senior officer said on Sunday that the ongoing Israeli military campaigns in the West Bank in hunt for the three missing setters are expected to be stalled within days, search operations will continue. Hebrew Walla website mentioned that the Israeli occupation forces have conducted two parallel military campaigns in the West Bank; the first concentrated on Hebron in hunt for the missing settlers. However; the second included all areas in the West Bank with great aims, mainly, destroying the infrastructure of Hamas.
Some analytics pointed out that the reason behind stalling the operation is the growing tension and anger among Palestinians in the West Bank and to prevent breaking in of a new Intifada.
Israeli army has launched military campaigns in the West Bank killing at least five Palestinians, detaining more than 370, and raiding more than 1,100 sites including homes, offices, and universities in hunt for three settlers who were missed last June, 12 in the West Bank city of Hebron. Yet, no clear evidence the three settlers were abducted as Israel claimed.
Some analytics pointed out that the reason behind stalling the operation is the growing tension and anger among Palestinians in the West Bank and to prevent breaking in of a new Intifada.
Israeli army has launched military campaigns in the West Bank killing at least five Palestinians, detaining more than 370, and raiding more than 1,100 sites including homes, offices, and universities in hunt for three settlers who were missed last June, 12 in the West Bank city of Hebron. Yet, no clear evidence the three settlers were abducted as Israel claimed.
Israeli military forces detained 37 Palestinians overnight Sunday in the occupied West Bank as a search operation launched to find three missing Israelis continued for the eleventh day.
Israeli soldiers carried out house-to-house inspections in Nablus and Balata refugee camp and detained Salih Saadi al-Amir, Taha Salous, Ahmad al-Tanbour, Abdul-Rahman al-Bishtawi and Amir Ishtayya, locals said.
Israeli soldiers carried out house-to-house inspections in Nablus and Balata refugee camp and detained Salih Saadi al-Amir, Taha Salous, Ahmad al-Tanbour, Abdul-Rahman al-Bishtawi and Amir Ishtayya, locals said.
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In Bethlehem, Israeli forces confiscated computers and surveillance cameras from a money changing shop and damaged a safe while trying to open it.
Israeli forces also raided four money changers in Hebron, confiscating all computers and security cameras. An Israeli army spokeswoman said 37 Palestinians were detained overnight as Israeli forces raided 80 locations, focusing on northwest Hebron, Jenin and Beit Awwa. Soldiers also raided seven Hamas-affiliated charities, she added. |
A large-scale military operation was launched by Israel 10 days ago after three Israelis went missing in the occupied West Bank.
Under the pretext of searching for the missing teenagers, Israeli forces have detained 471 Palestinians, including 11 parliamentarians, in over 400 targeted raids on homes, civil society institutions, universities and media outlets, according to the PLO.
Israeli forces have also severely restricted the movement of Palestinians, with temporary closures at the main north-south Container checkpoint and a lock-down on the Hebron district, home to over 600,000 Palestinians.
Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians while conducting arrest operations, including two men shot dead on Sunday.
Israel accuses Hamas of having kidnapped three Israeli teenagers from Gush Etzion settlement near Bethlehem.
Hamas has denied the accusations, labeling them as "stupid."
Under the pretext of searching for the missing teenagers, Israeli forces have detained 471 Palestinians, including 11 parliamentarians, in over 400 targeted raids on homes, civil society institutions, universities and media outlets, according to the PLO.
Israeli forces have also severely restricted the movement of Palestinians, with temporary closures at the main north-south Container checkpoint and a lock-down on the Hebron district, home to over 600,000 Palestinians.
Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians while conducting arrest operations, including two men shot dead on Sunday.
Israel accuses Hamas of having kidnapped three Israeli teenagers from Gush Etzion settlement near Bethlehem.
Hamas has denied the accusations, labeling them as "stupid."
