The Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” condemned the Israeli Government’s endorsement of a force-feeding bill referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation to be ratified by the Knesset in its second and third reading. This bill is considered a dangerous measurement against the rights of hunger striking prisoners threatening their lives, it is also a breach to the principles of human rights that permit prisoners to hunger strike as a means of self-defense for their basic rights, it is further a breach of the medical ethics as referred to in the Tokyo Declaration of 1975.
Hurryyat sees in the restoration of such racial laws the Knesset’s attempt to enforce racial laws against the rights and livelihood of prisoners. This step manifests the aggressive nature towards prisoners wrapped in the fake concern about the lives and health of the strikers; an exposed deceit. Through this law, the occupation authorities attempt to suppress the hunger strikers and specifically Sheikh Khader Adnan and his peers Abdullah Barghouti and Ayman Sharabati, vigorously terminate the hunger strike, and attempt to contain the phenomena as racist Minister of Internal Affairs Gilad Erdan deemed it a threat to Israel’s security.
Hurryyat warned against the enforcement of the law for the threat it poses upon the lives of the hunger strikers. Previous attempts of “Zonda” and force-feeding the strikers led to the martyrdom of Abdul-Qadir Abu Al-Fah’m in Askalan 1970, and Ali Al-Jaafari and Rasem Halawah in the Nafha hunger strike of 1980.
Hurryyat confirmed that preserving the lives of hunger striking detainees does not occur throughthe force-feeding policy suggested by the Israeli Prison Services, but through fulfilling the prisoners’ demands, releasing administrative detainee Khader Adnan, and terminating the solitary confinement of Abullah Barghouti and Ayman Sharabati. Containing the hunger strike phenomena would not be possible unless the prisoners have their demands fulfilled and are provided with the proper arrest conditions that conform to International treaties and standards.
Hurryyat called on the international community to condemn the unprecedented attack on prisoners, condemn the racist legislations against them, and work towards providing them with the proper legal protection as prisoners of freedom, and particularly as of the United Nations recognition of the State of Palestine as a non-observer member state.
Hurryyat urged again the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the International Human Rights Organizations to intervene and force the Israeli Occupation Authorities to stop this law and any other racial legislations depriving prisoners their legitimate rights, breaching intentionally and continuously the International Humanitarian Law.