Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike wins concessions

ActiveStills/Haidi Motola

Hundreds of Palestinian political prisoners in Israel ended their 40-day hunger strike May 27 after winning restoration of twice-monthly family visits. The visits for some 6,500 political prisoners were cut in half a year ago when the Red Cross withdrew funding. The Palestinian Authority, which rules the West Bank, agreed to fund the added visits. Sometimes the prisoners didn’t even get one monthly visit, since most of their families live in the Palestinian Authority-run West Bank and Israeli authorities often deny permission to enter Israel.

Among other strike demands are better medical attention; access to books, newspapers and correspondence courses; an end to abusive conditions when prisoners are transported; and an end to solitary confinement and overcrowding in jail cells. Demonstrations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and predominantly Arab towns in Israel backed the strikers. Above, May 9 action in Jaffa, a Palestinian section of Tel Aviv. Signs in Arabic and Hebrew call for freeing political prisoners.

Israeli authorities denied they negotiated with the strikers. However, Israeli media reported that Shin Bet, Israel’s police agency, presented the agreement to prisoners, including the strike’s central leader, Marwan Barghouti. Authorities allowed him to speak with other prisoners and with representatives of the Palestinian Authority. Shin Bet said other demands would be discussed later.

"Just that Israeli prison authorities agreed to have a dialogue with the strike leaders inside the prison is a win itself," Khalida Jarrar, a former political prisoner, told the Militant May 27 by phone from Ramallah, West Bank.

— SETH GALINSKY