Israeli forces attack rally in support of Palestinian prisoners

Israeli forces have attacked Palestinian demonstrators in the occupied West Bank, who took to the streets to express solidarity with prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails. Witnesses say Israeli forces on Wednesday fired tear gas and stun grenades to break up a protest outside Ofer military prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah, where some Palestinian prisoners are being held. A similar protest was also held in the northern West Bank village of Araba, near Jenin. Palestinians have held several demonstrations to demand the release of prisoners since 1,600 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails began an open-ended hunger strike on April 17 to protest against Israel’s administrative detention rules, the use of solitary confinement, maltreatment of sick detainees, and difficulty in securing family visits and strip searches that are imposed on visitors. Meanwhile, the non-governmental Palestinian prisoner support and human rights association, Addameer, has announced that two Palestinian prisoners, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla, who have refused to eat since 64 days ago, are at risk of death. According to an April 1, 2012 report published by Addameer, at least 4,610 “political” Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails. Addameer figures show 322 of the Palestinian prisoners are administrative detainees. Independent sources put the number of the inmates at 11,000. The administrative detention, often implemented by the Israeli regime against Palestinians, means a prisoner can be held for up to six months without trial or charge. However, the detention order can be renewed for indefinite periods of time.