2,000 Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike

GlobalPost

Close to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners joined the hunger strike Tuesday night, in hopes of Israel improving jail conditions, the Associated Press reports.

For the last two weeks over 200 Palestinian prisoners have been on a hunger strike, refusing all food and only drinking liquids. The strike has hit most of Israel’s 23 jails, which hold about 5,300 Palestinians for crimes ranging from stone throwing to masterminding militant attacks, the AP reports.

Many of the 2,000 prisoners had been refusing to eat three days a week, said Kadoura Fares, leader of a prisoners’ rights group, the AP reports.

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The strike originally began as a small protest in response to imprisoned Palestinan leader, Ahmed Saadat being placed in solitary confinement. Saadat is serving a “lengthy sentence” for his alleged involvement of an Israeli Cabinet minister 10 years ago, the AP reports. His associates said he has been in poor condition after two weeks without food, the Washington Post reports.

Palestinian lawyers have listed demands to end the hunger strike such as removing screens separating prisoners from their visitors and being unshackled when they see relatives, Forbes reports. Lawyers also want prisoners to have privileges they say were taken from them earlier this year, such as taking university courses, bringing in books and watching Arabic television channels, AP reports.

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An Israeli spokesperson said the numbers of prisoners on strike were exaggerated, AP reports. Only 240 prisoners were refusing food and their health is being monitored, said Sivan Weizman to the Associated Press.

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