Mona Kandil
Press TV, Ramallah
A number of Palestinian prisoners are going on with an open-ended hunger strike to protest their illegal imprisonment without charge or trial under Israel’s so-called administrative detention. At least three prisoners insist to continue their strike despite their seriously deteriorating condition until Israel releases them.
Among them is 28-year-old Ghadanfar Abu Atwan, who has started his hunger strike almost fifty days ago, after starting his strike, Israel’s prison authorities placed him in isolation, later he was transferred to Kaplan Medical Center, south of Tel Aviv because of his serious illness and he’s being held there under detention.
Palestinians held a protest in solidarity with the prisoners outside the red cross committee building in Ramallah. The oldest of those taking part, is 59-year-old a senior leader of the Hamas movement Jamal al-Taweel, joined in protest over the detention of his daughter, journalist Bushra al-Taweel.
He’s demanding that Israeli authorities release him and his daughter. Israeli court had extended Bushra’s previous administrative detention order last march. There’s also Sheikh Khader Adnan, prominent leader of the Jihad movement, whom is staging his fifth hunger strike.
This is the twelfth time he has been detained. The Palestinian Prisoners Society said the Israeli authorities have lately increased the use of administrative detention against Palestinians. The committee said Israeli authorities issued 200 administrative detention orders since the beginning of May.
The majority of the hunger striking prisoners are those who are held arbitrarily, under Israel's policy of Administrative Detention. That’s why they put their lives on the line to demand not only their freedom, but an end to the administrative detention policy.