PALESTINIAN INMATES TO CONTINUE HUNGER STRIKE IN ISRAELI JAILS

Ramallah, 1 Sha’ban 1435/30 May 2014 (MINA) – Hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails say they will continue their strike despite being in critical health conditions.

Israeli medical officials said on Thursday that the prisoners were receiving emergency treatment to recover. Forty Palestinian prisoners, whose hunger strike has entered its second month, were hospitalized after developing severe health conditions.

Israeli officials further expressed hope that the prisoners would soon end their strike. Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Palestinian Authority officials, however, have said that the prisoners will not end their strike until Israel abandons its administrative detention policy.

Issa Qaraqe, the Palestinian minister for prisoners’ affairs, said on Wednesday that some of the hunger strikers are in a very grave condition, adding, “Most are vomiting blood and fainting…. They cannot walk, they are in terrible pain. We are afraid some will die if the situation continues.”

The Palestinian official added that Israeli prison authorities would not care, even if the prisoners died. He called on the United Nations Security Council to move against what he called Israel’s intransigence.

A few days ago dozens more Palestinian prisoners joined in, demanding an end to Israel’s arbitrary administrative detention of Palestinians.

More than 120 Palestinian prisoners have been on an open-ended hunger strike since April 24 in protest at the Israeli administrative detention, which is a sort of imprisonment without trial or charge that allows Israel to incarcerate Palestinians for up to six months. The detention order can be renewed for indefinite periods of time.

More than 5,000 Palestinians are reportedly being held in Israeli prisons, nearly 200 of them under administrative detention orders. (T/P015/E01).

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)