Arab parliament urges international pressure on Israel to release Palestinian prisoners

The Arab Parliament has called on international human rights organizations to pressure Israel to end its repressive measures against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and to immediately release them.

The legislative body of the Arab League urged the international community and relevant international organizations on Monday to convene a conference on Palestinian prisoners and to intervene urgently to halt Israeli practices and violations against detainees, the Palestinian Information Center reported.   

It further held the Tel Aviv regime fully responsible for the lives of Palestinian prisoners, urging Israeli authorities to respect international law and provide the inmates with the necessary protection and put an end to the suffering of administrative detainees.

Palestinian prisoners declare general mobilization in protest at Israel's repressive measures

Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli detention declare a state of general mobilization in protest against the ongoing Israeli regime’s repressive measures.

The Arab parliament also renewed its call on the United Nations to establish a fact-finding committee to visit Israeli jails and to identify violations against Palestinian prisoners.

It further noted that this year's Palestinian Prisoner's Day has coincided with the escalation of violence by Israeli forces against Palestinians across the occupied territories, stressing that "it is imperative that everyone should endeavor to remove injustice against the defenseless Palestinian people."

The regime in Tel Aviv has escalated its crackdown on Palestinians since the beginning of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, arresting a number of Palestinians in occupied East al-Quds, desecrating al-Aqsa mosque, imposing new restrictions on the Palestinian people’s entry into the mosque, and ordering the demolition of Palestinian homes and agricultural facilities.

The Israeli violence, repeated on a daily basis, has led to fierce clashes between Israelis and Palestinians across the occupied territories.

'Number of Palestinian administrative detainees in Israel increased to 650'

Meanwhile, a Palestinian commission for prisoners says that the number of Palestinian prisoners held under Israel's so-called administrative detention has increased to 650.

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs said in a statement on Monday that the reason for the surge is that Israel has intensified its administrative detention orders in March and April, particularly in occupied East al-Quds, Palestine's official Wafa news agency reported.

The number before this stood at 450.

The Commission further noted that the Palestinian administrative detainees often resort to hunger strike to secure their release from prison, adding that some inmates have gone on hunger strike for more than 100 days before securing their freedom.

The latest is Palestinian prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, from al-Khalil, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for 46 consecutive days demanding an end to his detention without charge.

Palestinian prisoners to launch mass hunger strike in protest at Israeli rights abuses

Palestinian prisoners are set to launch a mass hunger strike in protest against rampant human rights abuses by the Israeli regime.

More than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently held in about 17 Israeli jails. Hundreds of detainees, including women and minors, are being held under administrative detention. Rights groups describe Israel’s use of the detention system as a “bankrupt tactic” and have long called on Israel to end its use.

Under the administrative detention, Israel keeps Palestinians without charge for up to six months, a period that can be extended an infinite number of times. Women and minors are also among those detainees. The detention takes place on orders from a military commander and on the basis of what the Israeli regime describes as ‘secret’ evidence. Some prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.

The prisoners have also been subjected to systematic torture, harassment, and repression all through the years of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes to express their outrage.

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