5,100 PALESTINIAN AND ARAB PRISONERS BEHIND ISRAELI BARS

Gaza City, 24 Ramadhan 1434/1 August 2013 (MINA) – Israel is holding 5,100 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in its 17 prisons and detention camps, according to The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-detainees.

The ministry said in a statement on the occasion of the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israe,” l 537 prisoner are serving life sentences,” adding ,” Abdullah al-Barghouthi, of Hamas movement, is serving 67 life terms and additional 250 years for masterminding bombing attacks that left 67 Israelis killed.

It pointed out some 250 children IN Israeli jails mainly in the Majido, Sharon and Offer prisons. The statement added that 14 female prisoners are serving their terms in the Israeli jails, Alray Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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The ministry said that 13 Palestinian legislators are behind Israeli bars, including member of President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah’s Central Committee, Marwan al-Barghouthi, the Secretary-General of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Ahmad Sa’adat and the Hamas leader in the West Bank, Hassan Yousef.

It added that Israel holds 104 prisoners who were arrested before the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the majority of them are serving life sentences for the deadly attacks against Israelis. The Palestinians have conditioned the resumption of the peace talks, which came to a halt in 2010, with a freeze of settlements construction, release of the 104 prisoners and negotiation based on 1967 borders.

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According to the ministry, 1400 prisoners are sick 18 of whom are suffering from cancer, paralysis, diabetes, blindness and high blood pressure and also need special medical care that Israeli occupation refuses to extend.

The statement said that 204 prisoners died in Israeli prisons since its occupation of Palestinian territories in the June 1967 war due to torture and medical negligence.

The ministry concluded that 11 Palestinian and Arab prisoners are launching hunger to protest their detention in Israeli jails. (T/P02/E1)

Mi’raj news Agency (MINA)