MIDDLE EAST: Numbers swell as pro Adnan rallies spread across the West Bank and Gaza.
Record ID:
340664
MIDDLE EAST: Numbers swell as pro Adnan rallies spread across the West Bank and Gaza.
- Title: MIDDLE EAST: Numbers swell as pro Adnan rallies spread across the West Bank and Gaza.
- Date: 22nd February 2012
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (FEBRUARY 21, 2012) (REUTERS) BANNER READING 'SHEIKH KHADER ADNAN' (PALESTINIAN PRISONER IN ISRAELI JAIL ON 66TH DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE) MARCHING TO PROTEST VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING, HOLDING PORTRAITS OF KHADER ADNAN POSTER OF KHADER ADNAN VARIOUS OF WOMEN HOLDING POSTER OF KHADER ADNAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHAMAD AL- HINDI, ISLAMIC JIHAD LEADER
- Embargoed: 8th March 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Gaza, West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7DJLOAPX6N9OEI4RSWZ9H95NC
- Story Text: Palestinians call a general strike in the West Bank, as thousands rally across the region in support of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan on the 66th day of his hunger strike.
A Palestinian held without trial by Israel agreed on Tuesday (February 21) to end his 66-day hunger strike after Israeli authorities promised to release him in April in a deal that avoided judicial review of the detention policy.
Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza held a general strike on Tuesday, in support of hospitalised Khader Adnan. In the biggest show of support yet, thousands of Palestinians attended rallies in local towns and cities.
Speaking from Gaza, one local leader of the Islamic Jihad movement said Adnan was defending the freedom of the Palestinian nation.
"Today Sheikh Khader Adnan enters his 66th day of defending the dignity and freedom of the Palestinian nation in the face of the administrative detention policy which is implemented by the enemy," said Mohamad Al- Hindi during a rally.
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad addressed a rally in Ramallah, saying the demonstrations taking place across the West Bank showed solidarity with all prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
"This is a stance of solidarity with all our prisoners who are always in our midst, our conscience will not rest until their freedom, because their freedom is an inseparable part of this nation," said Fayyad.
One demonstration near Ofer military prison turned violent as Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and water cannons at the demonstrators.
Adnan, 33, has been refusing to eat since mid-December and doctors voiced fears about his deteriorating health.
Israel's High Court, in light of the agreement, cancelled at the last minute a scheduled hearing of the Islamic Jihad member's appeal against his imprisonment, avoiding a high-profile examination of the issue of detention without trial.
The court has upheld the procedure for decades, siding with the government's argument that detention without trial is a necessary security measure that can be used to avoid exposing confidential and information in trials.
Human rights groups have condemned the measure and the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, issued a statement on Saturday saying she was following Adnan's case with "great concern".
She reiterated "the EU's long-standing concern about the extensive use by Israel of administrative detention without formal charge".
West Bank officials said Adnan's hunger strike was the longest staged by a Palestinian detainee and his Jihadist supporters had warned of violent reprisals against Israel if he died.
Adnan's case had put a spotlight on Israel's so-called "administrative detention" that enables it to hold suspects without trial or charge indefinitely. A local rights group, al Haq, said 315 Palestinians were being detained under the edict.
The Israeli army has said in a statement he was arrested "for activities that threaten regional security", but it did not elaborate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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