Khader Adnan: Freed for How Long? He's
Willing To Die For Justice
14 April 2012
By Stephen Lendman
On April 17, Palestinian Prisoners Day, Khader gained
freedom. At issue is for how long? As announced,
Israel released him as scheduled. He endured 66 hunger
striking days to be free.
So was Hana Shalabi last October when released with
other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad
Shalit. Held two and a half years without charge, she
wasn't free long.
On February 16, she was again arrested and detained
uncharged. After 44 hunger striking days, she was
lawlessly exiled to Gaza where she's recuperating from
her ordeal. Weeks after he resumed eating, Khader also
perhaps still struggles to regain full health.
On April 18, Maan News quoted him saying:
"The happiness I saw on my peoples' faces made me
forget all the suffering I experienced when I was on
hunger strike."
On arrival in Jenin, he went to an Arraba village
sit-in tent to meet Jaafar Izz Addin's parents.
Imprisoned, he's now hunger striking for justice. So
are hundreds of other other Palestinian prisoners.
On April 17, they began an open-ended strike against
abusive prison conditions and practices. Children
young as 10 are affected. So are women.
Khader, Hana, and others inspired them. They're doing
it en masse for justice. Hundreds more may join them.
Israel holds thousands of Palestinian political
prisoners. Three al-Aridha brothers are among them -
Amjad, serving 20 years, Mahmoud for life, and Raddad
indefinitely without charge.
Khader also went to Kafr Raai village to meet Bilal
Thiab's mother. He's been hunger striking about 50
days. Asked about his last prison moments before
freedom, Khader said:
"It looked like an uprising as all my hunger-striking
fellow prisoners began chanting 'Allahu akbar' (Allah
is greater)."
"I tried to bid them farewell, but I was denied that
and was moved from one detention center to another
until I finally arrived at Salem center in the
northern West Bank."
Abusively moving him from one location to another
delayed his release 16 hours. At Salem, ICRC got
custody. They took him to Arraba. Khader added that
Israel's delay reactivated his hunger strike. He
feared not being released.
"They detained me in the darkness so that nobody could
see them, and when they released me they did it in the
darkness so that nobody could welcome me. They failed
in that because I had a reception which indicates that
our people are still committed to the prisoners' cause
and will support them until they are all freed."
Israeli abuses don't quit. Even on days prisoners are
released they're abused. Windows in other prisoners'
cells were "shut down" to prevent them from seeing
Khader leave.
He believes hunger striking for justice works. He
supports prisoners doing it in "stages." First dozens,
then hundreds, then en masse to expose prison and
occupation harshness. He hopes hundreds more will join
those now striking.
"My hunger strike was not a new form of hunger strike,
but the long duration gave it special importance. This
is like vertical expansion where you construct a
building on a small area of land, but that building
benefits everybody."
On April 17, Al Haq quoted hunger striking prisoners
saying, "We will live in dignity." The human rights
organization highlighted thousands of lawlessly held
Palestinian political prisoners, many without charge
or trial.
Their mistreatment "includes internment, the denial of
family and lawyer visits, prolonged periods of
isolation, and the lack of fair trial." Letting the
whole world know is vital.
On Palestinian Prisoners Day, Al Haq marked the
occasion by highlighting abusive Israeli treatment and
thousands of affected political prisoners.
Special attention was given to Bilal Diab and Thaer
Halahleh. Ignored by the international community,
they've been hunger striking around 50 and counting.
Israel only responds to world condemnation. Even then,
very rarely. Most often, it's to lash out.
UN Member States must pressure Israel to obey
international law, stop abusive practices, or face
sanctions and other measures with teeth. That and much
more needs to happen to end decades of abuse.
On April 17, Addameer and 12 other human rights
organizations "salute(d) all Palestinian political
prisoners, especially those engaging in brave civil
disobedience through ongoing hunger strikes." At issue
are appalling abuses and long denied justice.
They called imprisoning Palestinians "a form of
Israeli institutionalized violence." It includes
torture and other ill-treatment from arrest to
detention. Brutality, injustice, and racism define
Israeli policy.
Corporate profiteers are involved. The British/Danish
security firm G4S was highlighted. In 2007, its
Israeli subsidiary Hashmira contracted with the
Israeli Prison Authority to provide security systems.
Ketziot and Megiddo have them. Both notoriously hold
Palestinian political prisoners inside Israel in
violation of international law. They also service Ofer
prison in the West Bank, as well as Kishon and
Moskobiyyeh where human rights organizations
documented extreme torture and abuse.
G4S is complicit with other occupation practices. It
provides equipment and services for West Bank
checkpoints along the Separation Wall's route. Also to
terminals besieging Gaza and for Israeli police and
business enterprises operating in illegal settlements.
"A panel of legal experts concluded that G4S may be
criminally liable for its activities." At issue is its
involvement with Israel's illegal Wall and other
international law violations.
The EU announced it won't renew its G4S contract
following pressure from Palestinian rights
organizations. Global civil society groups denounce
its complicity with lawless imprisonment, worker
rights abuse, and other human rights violations.
Addameer and other groups "demand that the Palestinian
leadership bans G4S from private and public tenders,
and ask for the strict application of the boycott
legislation in the Arab world against companies
cooperating with the Israeli prison system."
On April 18, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner
Solidity Network highlighted ongoing mass hunger
strikes. On April 17, 1,200 Palestinian political
prisoners began them. Another 2,300 refused meals.
They intend greater solidarity actions against
detentions without charge or trial, abusive isolation,
and other harsh prison abuses.
Last October, as part of the Shalit prisoner swap
deal, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) agreed to cease
abusive isolation and other punitive measures within
three months if prisoners ended hunger strikes.
April 18 marks six months since the agreement. No
policy changes occurred. Business as usual continues.
Israel makes deals, then breaks them. Mass Palestinian
hunger strikes protest what's no longer tolerable
anywhere.
Ten or more Palestinians remain on long-term strikes
of from 28 to about 50 days. Ahmad Saqer is Israel's
longest held uncharged prisoner. April 18 marked his
32nd hunger striking day. Mohammed Suleiman protested
by refusing badly needed medical treatment.
Mohammad Taj demands prisoner of war status. He's been
hunger striking nearly five weeks. Others also against
numerous abuses. All demand justice. Israel provides
none. IPS prohibited Addameer lawyer, Samer Sam'an,
from visiting hunger strikers in violation of IPS
regulations. At issue is further isolating them to
break their spirit.
In response to Israeli abusiveness, Palestinian
prisoners are increasingly determined to hunger strike
for justice. They hope the whole world's watching.
It's time to end decades of abusive injustice.
Palestinian courage needs supportive global pressure.
Both must be sustained for effectiveness. Change won't
happen easily or quickly, but always comes bottom up.
Even Israel's not immune from what's too robust to
ignore. Hopefully, change is just a matter of time.
A Final Comment
April 18 marked Bahraini human rights hunger strike
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja's 70th hunger striking day.
Perhaps doctors can explain how he lasted this long.
He called his wife and said he'll stop allowing IV and
other intravenous fluids. He'll only ingest water.
On day 67, his family finally got to see him after
being denied for days. His daughter Zainab said one
hour was provided. Family members were searched and
escorted by police and soldiers.
His appearance was frightening. "I didn't think he
could look worse than the picture we saw, but he did."
He was a skeletal version of his former self. He
"looks like someone who is in the final days of a long
fight with a terminal illness."
Nonetheless, he greeted family members with a smile,
saying: "Why do you all look so sad?"
His eyes weren't normal or focused. His hands were ice
cold. He hasn't spoken to doctors for days. He's in
imminent danger of death. He could go any time. He
said "Whatever happens is in the interest of the
people." He's willing to die for justice.
Like Khader, Hana, and other long-term hunger
strikers, few anywhere match their courage. They
deserve sustained world support in response.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is
titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War" http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html Visit
his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are
archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour.
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