Call US State Dept. to demand Israel free political detainees

Action Alert

Several Palestinian political prisoners near death

(CHICAGO 05/08/2012) – At least six Palestinian political prisoners are near death after hunger striking for between 47 and 70 days, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Bilal Diab, 27, and Thaer Halahleh, 33, have reached the 71st day of their hunger strike and are very near death, with low heart rates, muscle atrophy and lapsing in and out of consciousness. They are joined by Hassan Safadi, 64 days; Omar Abu Shala, 62 days; Mohammad Taj, 51 days; Jaafar Azzedine, 47 days; Mohmoud Sarsak, 46 days; Abdullah Barghouti, 26 days.

These six men, along with nearly 2,500 other political prisoners, are staging the strike to protest Israel’s use of administrative detention, and other abusive practices such as imprisoning children, solitary confinement, banning family visits, seizing all personal property and torture.

Frequent and extended use of administrative detention is illegal under international law. Israel is following the path set by apartheid South Africa, which used illegal incarcerations to intimidate and harass the majority African population. Administrative detention allows Israel to hold Palestinians without charge or trial on “secret evidence,” which is never shown to prisoners or their lawyers. The six-month terms can be renewed indefinitely and some prisoners have spent years in jail without charge or trial. Also, the Fourth Geneva Convention also prohibits occupier Israel from incarcerating Palestinians within historic Palestine or what is known today as Israel.

Halahla, from Hebron, and Diab, of Kufr Ra’i, Jenin, have not eaten or taken nourishment for more than 70 days, the longest-lasting hunger strike among Palestinians in Israeli detention. The Israeli Supreme Court rejected their appeals of their detentions on May 7, effectively sentencing both men to death.

Since 1967,  Occupier Israel has illegally arrested and detained nearly 20 percent -- or 700,000 --  of the Palestinian population in the occupied territories. Children are no exception. Since 2000, Israeli Occupation Forces have arrested at least 8,000 children, some as young as 12 years old, according to Addameer, a Palestinian prisoner rights group.

The American Muslims for Palestine firmly believes in the American values of justice, liberty and the our tradition of due process under the law, and we must urge our government to take a stand and defend these values.

We must not allow the Palestinian hunger strikers’ peaceful resistance to go unnoticed. It is our duty to answer their call by contacting the US State Department to ask then to intervene and force Israel to comply with international law by releasing political prisoners.

TAKE ACTION

The American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) find the resounding silence by the United States to be absolutely deplorable and in direct contradiction to the values due process and also human rights, which we cherish.

AMP calls on its supporters to fast in solidarity with the prisoners. We also call on all those who support human dignity and social justice to call the office of Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, in the State Department and demand the US intervene to force Israel to release all political prisoners immediately.

THURSDAY, MAY 10: Please join AMP in a day of solitary by fasting from sunrise to sunset.
FRIDAY, MAY 11: National Call-In Day. Call US Assistant Secretary of State Jeffery Feltman from noon to 3 p.m. EST to ask the US to force Israel to comply with international lay by releasing all political prisoners.

CONTACT INFO

Call the office of Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs at
202.647.7209

TALKING POINTS

State your name and the city and state where you reside. Be polite but firm.

The fact that Israeli occupation forces deny due process to Palestinians is racist and
Indicative of an apartheid state.

U.S. support of Israeli occupation in light of these facts hurts American interests abroad and threatens our national security.

The US should demand that Israel uphold the basic values of life, liberty and dignity
Inherent to all human beings.

The US should demand that Israel release all Palestinian prisoners.

Once you call, please email AMP at [email protected] with Hunger Strike in the
subject line. Please tell us when you called and what state you reside in.