Hundreds of
Palestinians held in Israeli jails are beginning a mass hunger strike in
protest against their conditions.
The action is
being led by Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian leader jailed by Israel for life
for five murders.
Barghouti, a
key figure in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction, has been
touted as a possible future successor to Mr Abbas
There are
fears the protest could fuel tensions across the occupied West Bank.
According to
Israel’s prison service, 1,187 Palestinians in Israeli prisons are joining the
hunger strike, which coincides with the annual Palestinian Prisoners Day.
The issue of
Palestinians held in Israeli jails is an ongoing source of tension between the two
sides.
Palestinians
regard the detainees as political prisoners, many of whom have been convicted
of attacks against Israeli and other offences.
Others are
detained under so-called Administrative Detention, which allows suspects to be
held without charge for six-month intervals.
There were
about 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails by the end of last year,
according to Palestinian prisoners’ groups. (NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment