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PA: Prisoners to launch solidarity hunger strike
Published Saturday 09/06/2012 (updated) 12/06/2012 12:53
A woman stands in front of a poster depicting Palestinian footballer
Mahmoud al-Sarsak during a rally calling for the release of Palestinian
prisoners from Israeli jails, in Gaza City June 4, 2012.
Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Files
RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Palestinian prisoners are planning a one day hunger strike on Monday in solidarity with three prisoners who are still refusing food in protest against Israeli policies, a PA official said Saturday.

Prisoners affairs minister Issa Qaraqe said that all prisoners would return their meals in a gesture of solidarity with Mahmoud al-Sarsak, Akram al-Rekhawi and Samer al-Barq.

Prisoners announced the action in a statement, Qaraqe said, and Israeli prison authorities have also been also notified.

Mahmoud al-Sarsak, 25, from Rafah in southern Gaza, has been on hunger strike for 83 days. A soccer player on Palestine's national team, he has been detained by Israel for nearly three years without charge and is demanding his release.

Al-Rekhawi, 38, has been held at Ramle prison clinic since his arrest in 2004 and suffers chronic illnesses including diabetes and asthma. He has refused food for 59 days.

Samer al-Barq, 38, joined the mass hunger strike on April 17, but ended the strike on May 14 along with around 2,000 other prisoners when Israel agreed to "facilitate" the detainees' demand to end its policy of detention without charge or trial.

He relaunched his hunger strike after Israel renewed his administrative detention order on May 21.

On Friday, UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk said Israel must present evidence to support charges against al-Sarsak or release him.

Israel will be responsible for any permanent harm caused to prisoners on long-term hunger strike, he added.

Around 2,000 prisoners joined a mass hunger strike launched on April 17 to demand fair prison conditions, according to prisoners groups' estimates.

Another group of prisoners held in administrative detention launched an earlier strike in protest at their detention without charge.

Prisoners' representatives signed an agreement with Israeli authorities on May 14 for prisoners to halt hunger strikes and "security activity" inside Israeli jails in exchange for Israeli "facilitation" on policies toward solitary confinement, family visits and living conditions.
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1 ) someone / somewhere
09/06/2012 13:39
this is supposed to be palestines gate to the world, telling the world the news from palestine, since most english-speaking sites in the US and europe ignore what goes on here. but a look at the upper half of the page we find 10 articles on syria, and all from same source. you didnt do this with egypt or tunis or libya.

2 ) AKeenReader / UK
09/06/2012 13:42
When 50, 60 or even 70 days of hunger strike by palestinians didn't matter in the eyes of barbaric Israeli's then would one day make a difference? The answer is NO. In my view Israeli's are making a fool of Palestinians by making false agreements and then going back to their old behaviour. Why don't the Palestinians learn for their past agreement experiences. I take my hat of to all those prisoners who DID NOT accept the previous agreement. They understand Israeli behaviour better than others.

3 ) Charity Clayton / UK
09/06/2012 19:03
The Israeli authorities have shown themselves to be willing to "bend the truth" on occasions to numerous to count so I fail to see why any of us should be surprised by this one. I believe parts of the agreement between the Israeli Authorities and the prisoners representatives were very carefully worded so as to allow a generous flexibility to the agreement in favour of the Israelis and that all of us who thought this might be a "new "beginning" were very naive indeed.

4 ) @ 1) someone / Palestine
09/06/2012 20:11
Maan isn't a reliable unbiased news source. Even some of the articles about Palestine are slanted sometimes. Try electronicintifada for real Palestinian news.

5 ) @ someone-1 / USA
10/06/2012 00:43
So you are saying that Maan is a propaganda tool - I'm shocked. Most "english-speaking sites in the US and europe do NOT ignore what goes on Palestine", but provide proportionate coverage for the Palestinian's 0.01 Percent of the world population, just like any other, unless there is a crisis, like Syria's with 100 civilians dying evey week !!!

6 ) southparkbear / usa
10/06/2012 04:41
funny that only prisoners are taking on hunger strike. why is that, are the rest non-'refugees'? or is it because one needs to tweet requires lots of calories?
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