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RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Over 5,000 Palestinian prisoners started an open hunger strike on Thursday in solidarity with detainees held in administrative detention by Israeli authorities, a Palestinian official said.

Palestinian Authority Minister of Detainees Issa Qaraqe said that the prisoners are demanding that Israel end the practice of holding Palestinians in custody without charge or trial.

More than 100 Palestinians in Israeli prisons launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on April 24 in protest against their detention without trial.

Qaraqe said he holds Israeli authorities responsible for this "explosion" in protest action. He declared May 9 a 'Day of Rage' in solidarity with administrative detainees, which will see a range of solidarity activities after noon prayers.

A number of the strike leaders have been placed into isolation in Beersheba prison, including Muayad Sharab, Sufian Jamjoum and Abd al-Kareem Qawasmi.

An Israeli prison services spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

A 2012 agreement which ended a hunger strike of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners was meant to end the detention without trial of Palestinians, but as of March 1, 183 Palestinians were still being held under administrative detention.

Palestinians held in administrative detention are often held without charge or trial for months and without access to the evidence leading to their detention, even though international law stipulates this tactic only be used in exceptional circumstances.
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by Chris Carlson of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group (IMEMC)

Over 5,000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons have launched a massive open-ended hunger strike in solidarity with administrative detainees who continue their strike for the 14th day in a row.

Head of the Prisoners Club, Qadura Fares, stressed the importance of this move to support hunger striker administrative detainees, noting in a press release that dozens of prisoners are participating in the strike.

Issa Qaraqe, PA Minister of Detainees, said that he holds Israeli authorities responsible for this "explosion" in protest action, declaring May 9 a 'Day of Rage', in solidarity with administrative detainees.

More than 100 Palestinians in Israeli prisons launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on April 24 in protest against their detention without trial.

The number of striking prisoners has increased and about 20 prisoners in Ofer Prison have joined, according to Al Ray. A number of strike leaders have reportedly been placed into isolation in Beersheba prison, including Muayad Sharab, Sufian Jamjoum and Abd al-Kareem Qawasmi.

Administrative detainees called on all Palestinian parties and people in marking next Friday's day of rage, in support of the issue. In a collective statement, prisoners requested all Palestinians, including journalists, to go to all of the fields and set-in tents, to send a message to the tyrannical Israeli occupation.

The 2012 agreement that ended the hunger strike of 2,000 prisoners was meant to end detention without trial of Palestinians, but as of March 1, as Ma'an reports, 183 Palestinians were still being held under administrative detention.

By late December 2013, 4,768 Palestinian security detainees and prisoners were held in Israeli prisons, 317 of them from the Gaza Strip. An additional 1,284 Palestinians were held by Israel Prison Service for being in Israel illegally, 20 of them from the Gaza Strip.

Since 1967, when Israel first occupied the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, more than 800,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel.

Despite blatant contravention of international law, Israel detains Palestinians in prisons throughout Israel. Their families almost never obtain the necessary permits to travel from the Occupied Territories to visit them.

See Special Report: “800,000 Palestinians Imprisoned By Israel Since 1967” via link below.)

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