[News] Who Needs Food When Yearning for Freedom!

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Who Needs Food When Yearning for Freedom!
August 31, 2004
By MIFTAH

<http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=4646&CategoryID=11>http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=4646&CategoryID=11


Palestinian prisoners held captive in Israeli Jails, have been on hunger 
strike as of August 15th, 2004. An estimated 7500 Palestinians are said to 
be held illegally by Israeli Prison Authorities. These prisoners have been, 
cumulatively captured since the beginning of the Palestinian civil uprising 
which began on September 28th, 2000. The hunger strike is entering its 18th 
day, with no predicted end in site.

The Palestinian hunger strikers are following this form of non-violent 
protest, which was set as a precedent by Kurdish inmates in Turkish prisons 
as well as, Irish prisoners in British Jails. Israeli prisons are 
notoriously known for their savage treatment of Palestinian prisoners; 
(much like the scandals that broke out concerning Abu Ghraib in Iraq) being 
the only country in the world which legally permits the use of torture as a 
form of interrogation. That is just to mention one of the downsides of 
being held in an Israeli prison.

This huger strike finds its roots, firstly because of the ridiculous claim 
that 7500 Palestinians are deemed by Israel as terrorists and thus a threat 
to Israel's vulnerability. Secondly, for the inhumane treatment that 
Palestinians have had to endure for so long. The list of violations is 
quite nifty:

1) Arbitrary and indiscriminate beating of prisoners in their cells, in 
prison courtyards and during transportation to and from prisons.

2) Arbitrary and indiscriminate firing of tear gas into prisoner's cells 
and prison courtyards and intimidation of prisoners by guards entering 
their cells with guns.

3) Humiliating strip searches of prisoners in full view of other prisoners 
and guards each time they enter or exit their cells.

4) Subjecting prisoners to solitary confinement for excessive periods of 
time, for months and even years.

5) Arbitrary imposition of financial penalties on prisoners for minor 
infractions, arbitrary revocation of visitation rights and extended 
confinement to cells as punishment for minor infractions such as singing or 
speaking too loudly.

6) Confining children with adult prisoners and political prisoners with 
criminals.

7) Withholding or delaying medical treatment and the provision of 
medication to sick detainees.

8) Severely restricting the category of family members entitled to visit 
prisoners thus denying visitation rights to other close family members.

9) Arbitrary denial of travel permits to family members of prisoners living 
in the West Bank or Gaza so that they cannot travel to prisons to see their 
relatives.

10) Imposing conditions on travel for family members and obstacles that 
result in travel of a few hours being prolonged to 16 or 17 hours for a 
45-minute visit.

11) Conducting humiliating strip searches of visiting family members even 
though they are usually separated from the prisoners by a full glass 
barrier as well as a wire mesh barrier.

12) Providing such poor visitation facilities that prisoners find it 
difficult to see or hear their loved ones.

13) Maintaining prisoners on near starvation diets that are insufficient to 
sustain health.

14) Applying rules concerning items that prisoners may receive from their 
families arbitrarily and inconsistently, on the whim of the guards, with 
each visit.

15) Withdrawing studying privileges that in the past allowed prisoners to 
continue their high school or university education through correspondence 
courses.

Throughout its 18 days, the hunger strike staged by the prisoners has 
gained in momentum and exposition, though nothing to compare with the 
scandalous status that Abu Ghraib has reached, snatching headlines around 
the globe. It is becoming evermore apparent to the world what these 
prisoners have to cope with.

With concerns to Israel there seems to be no common ground to negotiate or 
strike a deal in order to free the abductees. Statement such as, "as far as 
we are concerned they can starve to death," given by Israel's Public 
Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi or "I reject outright all the terrorists' 
requests,", can only be interpreted as an attempt to show utter defiance. 
As if this was not enough, Israel's defiance with respect to the prisoners 
does not end here. In an attempt to psychologically demoralize and dispirit 
the Palestinian captives Israeli Prison Authorities staged a Barbeque 
adjacent to the prisoners' cells, to test their steadfastness.

In the initial stages of the hunger strike, Palestinian captives made an 
explicit point that they were refraining from food given to them by prison 
authorities, however not salt and water, which are so vital when 
undertaking such an endeavor. In several petitions issued by the 
Arab-Israeli Human Rights Organization Adalah, the organization made it 
clear to the government of Israel that the confiscation and refusal, of 
giving prisoners sufficient water and salt supplies is in contravention to 
International and Israeli domestic Law. Then again, when has Israel ever 
abided by any law?

However the saga does not end here, following reports that on Sunday the 
29th of August, the prisoner's detained Ashkelon had temporarily suspended 
their hunger strike, in an apparent deal struck with Israeli Prison 
Authorities, turned out to be a failed attempt by the Prison Authorities to 
'Out Smart' the Palestinian Prisoners. The inmates at Ashkelon resumed 
their hunger strike the following day.

What a cheap price to pay for freedom! At least for Palestinians that is. 
August 30th, marked the first Martyr fasting in solidarity with the 
prisoners, 55 year-old Aisha el-Zaben mother of the Palestinian detainee 
Ammar al-Zaben who has been detained for some 20 odd years died of a heart 
attack sustained following the stresses related to her fasting. With no end 
in site, it remains a riddle, what the fate of the Palestinian prisoner 
issue will be.


Forwarded by:
_________________________________
Ravi Khanna, Director
voices from the global village
1world communication
P. O. Box 2476
Amherst, MA 01004
phone: 413-253-1960
cell: 413-687-8150 (new)
e-mail: <mailto:oneworld at igc.org>oneworld at igc.org
Please consider making a contribution by clicking on this link 
<http://svcs.affero.net/rm.php?=surya&p=oneworld>http://svcs.affero.net/rm.php?=surya&p=oneworld
Subscribe to 1world communication's listserve by sending an e-mail to: 
<mailto:1worldcommunication-subscribe at topica.com>1worldcommunication-subscribe at topica.com
Access 1world communication archive of articles: 
<http://www.topica.com/lists/1worldcommunication/read>http://www.topica.com/lists/1worldcommunication/read

The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20040901/a19b1d78/attachment.htm>