Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Jails Call for Popular Support during Projected Hunger Strike

More Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike.

Ramallah 16 Rajab 1438/13 April 2017 (MINA) – Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails Wednesday called on the Palestinian Authority and the public to support them when they start an open-ended hunger strike on April 17, WAFA reported.

They said in a statement distributed by the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) that as they embark on the hunger strike, they expect wide scale popular support through protests, sit-ins and rallies on campuses, trade s and everywhere to help achieve their demands blocked by the Israel Prisons Service (IPS).

The prisoners are demanding the implementation of the Geneva Conventions in their situation and to move them from jails inside Israel to one in the occupied territories, which would make it easier for their families to visit them.

They also demand to be able to talk to their families through public phones installed in the prisons and to allow larger number of family members to visit them at least twice a month instead of the current one time and to treat the families with dignity at military checkpoints on their way to visit their imprisoned members.

The strike is expected to commence on April 17, which coincides with the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. It was called for by incarcerated popular Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and an estimated 1700 prisoners from various political factions are expected to participate in it.

Israeli reports said the Israeli government is bracing itself for possible outbreak of violence in the occupied territories once the strike begins since the issue of prisoners is considered one of the most sensitive ones that affect almost every Palestinian household.

The Palestinian Authority constantly demands release of prisoners in any political deal knowing very well the positive impact of such a deal on the general public. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)