Call US State Department: Demand US pressure Israel to release Adnan and all prisoners

ACTION ALERT

(CHICAGO 02/11/2012) -- Death may be imminent for Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan, now in the 56th day of a hunger strike protesting Israel’s administrative detention of him without charge or trial and the abuse he’s suffered at the hands of Israeli Occupation Forces. Evoking the slogan, “Dignity Before Food,” Adnan has said he also has stopped eating to raise awareness about the deplorable state of Palestinian political prisoners being held illegally in Israeli prisons, oftentimes without being charged with a crime or allowed to stand trial.

Adnan has been moved to a military hospital, where his feet and hands are shackled to the bed. An Israeli judge, who presided over a hearing at that hospital on Thursday, still has not ruled on his request to be released from detention. All evidence against him is “secret,” and neither he nor his lawyers have been allowed to see it, according to Haaretz reporter Amira Haas.

The situation for Palestinian prisoners is grim. As of Jan. 15, 2012, 4,446 Palestinians were being held as political prisoners. That includes 307 Palestinians being held in administrative detention without charge, including 3 children and 18 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, according to Addameer, the Palestinian prisoner rights NGO. Currently, 132 children also are being held.

Even the much-heralded prisoner swap did not alleviate the situation. In October 2011, Israeli authorities released 477 Palestinian political prisoners and another 550 in December 2011. But they arrested 470 Palestinians – including 70 children and 11 women between October and December, Addameer said.

Human rights organizations have documented deplorable conditions in these prisons. Beatings; sleep deprivation; the interrogation of children – some as young as 12 years old – without parents present; lack of adequate food; and lack of adequate clothing or blankets to fend off the cold are some of common complaints.

TAKE ACTION

The international community must bring pressure to bear upon the US State Department to force Israel to abide by international law and release Adnan and all the prisoners held illegally in Israeli prisons.

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

Demand he pressure Israeli authorities to release Adnan and to provide him adequate medical support.

TALKING POINTS

• The fact that Israel denies due process to Palestinians is racist and indicative of an apartheid state.
• U.S. support of Israel 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 Adnan and all Palestinian prisoners.