Palestinian Prisoner Unity: Fighting A
Battle For Freedom And Dignity
07 May 2012
By Stephen Lendman
Commentary is a neoconservative publication. Fronting
for Israel is policy.
Senior editor Jonathan S. Tobin formerly served as
executive editor for the Philadelphia-based Jewish
Exponent. At the time, he was called its most
right-wing voice. Things haven't changed. He writes
often on Israeli/Palestinian issues.
On May 4, his Commentary article headlined "Hunger
Strikers' Goal is Not Peace," saying:
"(T)he Palestinian goal is not their own state living
in peace beside Israel but the end of the Jewish state
and its replacement by one in which Arabs will rule."
"Palestinians view violence against Israelis as not
only a legitimate tactic but also something that is
integral to their nation identity."
Tobin wears blinders. History isn't his long suit.
Before imperial Britain arbitrarily granted Jews a
Palestine homeland, generations of majority Arabs and
small Jewish populations lived peacefully together as
neighbors.
They do now in countries like Lebanon, Syria and Iran.
Tobin, however, equates Arabs with confrontation and
violence. So do hardline Zionists. "(T)he time is long
passed for (hunger striking) stunts whose only purpose
is to embarrass or intimidate the Israelis," he
claimed. Justice isn't one of his priorities.
In a letter Maan News received, Marwan Barghouti said
Palestinian prisoners affiliated with different
political factions are united behind hunger strikers.
They're "fighting a battle for freedom and dignity,"
he said. Late Saturday, reports said Fatah prisoners
accepted Israel's compromise to end hunger strikes.
Twelve concessions were demanded. Prisoners accepted
six, including:
(1) Gazan families will be able to visit relatives in
prisons.
(2) An IPS/prisoner committee will be formed to move
detainees from isolation.
(3) Three satellite TV channels will be restored.
(4) 400 NIS per month will be alloted for canteen
privileges.
(5) Products there will include items prisoners need,
including fruits and vegetables.
(6) Sick or injured prisoners will move by ambulance,
not military vehicles.
Discussions continue on other issues. Barghouti's
dubious. Only the hunger striker committee is
authorized to negotiate on behalf of prisoners, he
said.
Its members include:
Abdul-Rahim Abu Holy, Alaa Abu Jazar and Nasser Abu
Hmeid from Fatah, Jumaa Tayih and Zeid Bseiso from
Islamic Jihad, Jamal al-Hur, Muhannad Shreim and
Mahmoud Shreitih from Hamas, Ahid Abu Ghilmi from the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP),
and Osamah Abu al-Asal representing the Democratic
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).
Nafha Prison detainees said Israeli concessions are
inadequate. Major issues remain unresolved.
Barghouti's letter said:
"We have been on hunger strike for 20 days under the
banner of either we live in dignity or die."
Over a dozen prisoners continue extended fasts. More
on the two longest below.
On April 17, Palestine Prisoners Day, over 1,000 began
hunger striking for justice. Up to 2,500 are now
involved. More join them daily. Virtually all are
political prisoners. Their crime is wanting to live
free on their own land in their own country. Israel
calls them terrorists.
Since 1967, over 700,000 Palestinians were imprisoned.
Over 20% of the population was affected. For males,
it's 40%. For women, it's about 10,000, and for
children around 7,000 since 2000 alone.
By any standard, these numbers are appalling. For
Palestinians, it's a highly emotive issue. Most
families have loved ones unjustly imprisoned or did
earlier. Justice is nowhere in sight. Prisoners use
their only resistance weapon. Yielding to Israeli
pressure assures no chance for redress.
On Sunday, Islamic Jihad leader Mohammad Al-Hindi
warned of a third Intifada if any hunger striker dies.
He said the "battle of the empty stomachs" remains
united.
"This battle will be the gateway for Palestinian
unity," he told supporters. He called on Arab League
leaders to close Israeli embassies and expel envoys.
On Sunday, a Cairo meeting was held. A prisoner
supportive General Assembly resolution was proposed.
Passing one is symbolic only but a step in the right
direction.
Liberation struggles take time. Palestine's occupation
remains unresolved for decades. One day, resistance
will bear fruit. Hunger striking may be remembered as
an important stepping stone toward it. Hopefully,
prisoners will stay the course, united for justice.
On May 7, hunger strikers Bilal Diab and Thaer
Halahleh reached day 70.
On May 6, a joint Addameer/Physicians for Human
Rights-Israel (PHR-I) press release headlined "Concern
Mounts for the Lives of Prisoners on Protracted Hunger
Strikes, as Bilal Diab, Thaer Halahleh and Hassan
Safadi are Subjected to Medical Negligence."
Both men risk imminent death. Nonetheless, repressive
Israeli Prison Service (IPS) officials deny
independent doctors and human rights groups like
Addameer from regular access.
Medical ethics are grievously breached. Emergency
situations are ignored. On May 5, PHR-I petitioned in
District Court. It demanded its right to visit. It
also wants family members given access. Its appeal was
rejected until a May 7 or later hearing.
Bilal is held at Assaf Harofeh (public) Hospital. He's
in grave condition. Thaer remains in Ramleh Prison's
medical clinic. Treatment administered there is
appalling. Breaching medical ethics is policy.
Following a May 3 High Court hearing, Judge Eliakim
Rubenstein announced a later decision without saying
when. He and judges Noam Saulberg and Yuram Dinzinger
dismissed the urgency of the situation. As a result,
both men may die.
Hassan Safadi may follow. On May 7, he reached day 64
without food. In grave condition, he's also at
Ramleh's clinic getting sub-minimal care. He said
guards restrain him to let a prison doctor administer
an injection in his arm.
What's in it isn't known. Doing so involuntarily
violates medical ethics. According to the World Health
Organization's Malta declaration:
"Physicians need to satisfy themselves that food or
treatment refusal is the individual's voluntary
choice. Hunger strikers should be protected from
coercion."
"Physicians can often help to achieve this and should
be aware that coercion may come from the peer group,
the authorities or others, such as family members."
"Physicians or other health care personnel may not
apply undue pressure of any sort on the hunger striker
to suspend the strike. Treatment or care of the hunger
striker must not be conditional upon suspension of the
hunger strike."
Hasan also said Ramleh prison guards beat him. He's
denied visits from independent doctors. PHR-I
petitioned for access. IPS officials rejected it.
Hunger striking for 47 days, PHR-I appealed for Jaafar
Azzedine in district court. Its judge said he won't
consider hunger strike caused medical emergencies in
rendering his decision.
Israel's High Court alone can decide. So far, it
abstained. Only Jewish lives matter. Palestinian ones
have no worth. Expect little help from judges with
these views.
Palestinians are on their own. Sustained resistance is
vital. So is continuing the "battle of empty stomachs"
and willingness to die for justice. What greater
sacrifice than that so one day others can live free.
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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