On Monday, 11
February 2013, the iconic Sheikh Khader
Adnan, 34, made his way to the International Committee for the Red Cross
building in Ramallah’s twin city al-Bireh. He quietly informed the staff that he
would be hunger striking inside their premises in support of the current
Palestinians on hunger strike in prison.
“This is not a solidarity hunger strike,” he clarified. “The prisoners are a
part of us, they are us. I am supporting the prisoners in their battle of empty
stomachs.”
Last year, Khader Adnan launched the first solo hunger strike that lasted for
66 days, objecting his interrogation and detainment without charge. His hunger
strike inspired other prisoners to undertake the same individual action – Hana
Shalabi to Bilal Thiab and Thaer Halahleh. This is in addition to the mass
28-day hunger strike in April in which approximately 2,500 out of 5,000
Palestinian prisoners participated.
As a response to Adnan’s sit in, the ICRC closed down its office, thus
effectively suspending its services to the prisoners and their families. Only
the adjacent room to the veranda where Adnan has been for the past week is open,
where he has been consuming only water.
As an international human rights organization, the ICRC is responsible for
primarily protecting civilians in times of war, and to safeguard the Fourth
Geneva Conventions.
Regarding the prisoners, the ICRC is tasked with making sure the rights of
prisoners are guaranteed, maintaining familial connections by delivering letters
to prisoners from their families as an example, coordinating family visits, and
protecting the basic rights of those who do not have freedom.
The Ramallah based youth group Palestinians for
Dignity released a
statement on Wednesday condemning the Red Cross’ decision to
close its building:
“The closing of the ICRC is an act of
provocation and cheap extortion for our principled people and their right to
support each other, in exchange for the ICRC’s role in providing services, which
are consistent with the Occupation’s policies. These same policies strip the
work of the ICRC from any value, despite it being an international organization
that is supposedly responsible for the protection of our people and prisoners
under international humanitarian laws.”
In a press conference held the same day, Adnan acknowledged that he is not
declaring war on the ICRC, but that their reaction is counterproductive to the
needs of the families of the prisoners.
“Closing their offices only serves to increase the suffering of our prisoners
and their families,” he stated. “The Red Cross has neglected to bring the
prisoner cause to an international level. My hunger strike and sit-in is a
message to the international community and the human rights organizations who
remain silent to the violations the Israeli occupation commits against the
prisoners.”
The spokesperson for the ICRC Nadia Dibsi, has
informed the media that the building will remain closed “as long as Palestinian
protesters stay inside” of it. However, that was not the term that Adnan was
referred to, according to Maher Barghouti, a brother of a prisoner.
“I called the Red Cross on Wednesday morning to ask about the permits to visit
my brother in Rimon prison,” Barghouti said, “but they refused to give me the
permits and told me to call them back once the criminals leave their
building.”
The ICRC went a step further, and accused Adnan of hanging up banners and
flags of the Islamic Jihad political party in the room he is staying in.
“They told the national parties [Fatah, PFLP, DFLP, and Hamas] that I have
hung up banners and flags of the Islamic Jihad here,” Adnan said. “What I am
more upset about is that some figures actually believed this.”
The only flag in the room is a small brown one that has written on it in
white words: We will live in dignity, in solidarity with the prisoners of
freedom.
The room that Adnan is now living in is sparsely furnished. It included two
benches, one mattress, a heater, and a TV with no receiver. No other facilities
are available.
“I feel like I am living as an inmate,” Adnan said, smiling. “I keep water
bottles for drinking and for urinating in.”
On Thursday, three men joined Adnan in his hunger strike. Human rights
activists Yasser Salah and Muhannad al-Azzeh made their way to the Red Cross
building at 11 am and 2 pm respectively, with youth activist Yahya Abu il-Rob
joining a couple of hours later. The men chose to embark on their hunger strikes
in light of the many pressures that Adnan was facing from the Palestinian
Authority, the national parties, and even some of the prisoners’ families.
“Two men who have their brothers in prison came and confronted me about my
act,” Adnan said. “We had a long discussion, but I will not back down on my
decision. The Red Cross must be held accountable for its shortages and failure
to protect the Palestinian prisoners.”
The Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe also visited Adnan, and while
he expressed his support the hunger strike, he wished Adnan would take his
sit-in outside the Red Cross building.
Inside Prison, Strikes Continue
Today marks 208 days of Samer Issawi’s on-and-off hunger strike. The
Jerusalemite prisoner, who was released during the prisoner deal exchange in
October 2011, was re-arrested in summer 2012 in violation of the deal’s
conditions. He has been held under no charge or trial since then.
Shireen Issawi, Samer’s sister and herself a former prisoner in Israel’s
jails, said that her brother has been consuming only water since last January.
Issa Qaraqe described Issawi’s condition as very bad, having lost 35 kilograms
and suffering from pain in his kidneys. Issawi has also lost sensation in his
right half of his body.
Three other prisoners are also on hunger strike. Ayman Sharawneh announced
his strike on 1 July 2012, whereas Jafar Ezzedine and Tareq Qaadan began their
fast on 27 November. All are protesting their administrative detention, which
means that they are held indefinitely by Israel with no charges leveled against
them.
With almost no mobilized mass action in support of the hunger strikers, 15
February witnessed large demonstrations in Ramallah and al-Bireh, and was dubbed
The Friday of Breaking the Silence.
The popular struggle committees galvanized a few hundred people to pray outside
Ofer prison in Beitunia, northwest of Ramallah. After the prayers were complete,
around 600 protesters demonstrated in front of the prison and were driven back
by enormous amounts of tear gas fired by the Israeli occupation army, as well as
rubber bullets and live ammunition. Over 100 protesters received treatment for
on site injuries, but no casualties were reported.
In al-Bireh, several tents were set up in the lot opposite the municipality.
Sheikh Raed Salah, of the Islamic movement in the 1948 territories, arrived and
led the Friday sermon in front of hundreds of people. In an unannounced visit,
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrived and in a brief speech, maintained that the
release of all Palestinian prisoners remains a top priority, but offered no
plan.
For the hunger striking prisoners however, Abbas’ words and the belated
actions of support and solidarity may prove to be too little, too late.
Increasingly alarming reports are issued nearly daily by legal and medical
organizations regarding the critical health situation facing all four hunger
strikers, Samer Issawi in particular. With time being a luxury the prisoners can
no longer afford, actions such as those taken by Adnan to push an organization
whose mandate it is to protect prisoners in the occupation’s jails, may be one
of the last remaining hopes.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian
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