Palestinian Prisoners Plan to Carry out  Open Hunger Strike in Israeli Prisons

Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons have decided to start an open hunger strike to improve the conditions of their lives behind bars as of Friday.

The strike comes as a response to security strengthening taken by the Israeli authorities after the escape of six Palestinian prisoners from Gilboa prison in the northern part of Occupied Palestine.

Qadri Abu Bakr, chairman of Freed and Palestinian Prisoners, made radio statements, pointing out that the Palestinian prisoners are exposed to the worst conditions in the prisons of Israel.

He added that representatives of detaining centers, leaderships of Palestinian factions, and the two well-famed prisoners Kareem Yunis and Marwan Barghothi will join the strikers.

Abu Bakr made clear that 400 prisoners in Rymon Prison, 200 in Nafhah, 300 in Offer Prison, 200 detainees in Maggedo, 50 prisoners from Hadareem, 80 prisoners in Echel, and 50 prisoners held in Gilboa and Shatah, will join the Friday strike.

He revealed that the other prisoners in the Israeli prisons will join the strikers as of Tuesday.

Abu Bakr affirmed that juniors, women, and elders will be exempted from joining the strike in the Israeli prisons.

Abu Bakr pointed out that Israeli has two options only, to answer the demands of the prisoners or release them.

He considered the second option as difficult for the authorities of Israel as a group of the prisoners will escalate the defying of the authorities next Wednesday when they stop drinking water.

He went to say that Palestinian prisoners ask the Israel authirities to return conditions as they were before September 5   and remove the glass barrier between the prisoners and their relatives during the weekly visits.

The prisoners also ask them to permit the Gazans to visit their sons in prisons and install telephones in all departments of prisons.

Abu Bakr calls for international and public movements to activate the Palestinian society in favor of the prisoners along with sending messages to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and the Red Cross Organization.