September 4 International Day in Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners' Hunger Strike!

International Solidarity Movement Action Alert
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Palestinian Political Prisoner Hunger Strike

September 4 International Day in Solidarity with Palestinian
Prisoner's Hunger Strike!

*In Occupied Palestine internationals go on hunger strike in
solidarity with the prisoners, their families and friends
*In Israel demonstrations organized in front of prisons
*Hunger strikes declared in numerous cities in the United States and
Europe

Since August 15, more than 3,500 Palestinian prisoners have joined
the strike protesting conditions that are contrary to both
international as well as Israel's own military law. Another 4,000
prisoners are expected to join the strike in the upcoming days,
including women, children and prisoners.

Israel's official response was expressed on August 13th by the
Israeli Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who told reporters
that the prisoners "can strike for a day, a month, even starve to
death, we will not respond to their demands."

This approach condemns all Palestinian political prisoners in
Israeli jails to a slow death sentence.

In contrast to this callous Israeli reaction, the prisoners seek
only their basic human rights. The prisoners are demanding an end to
the excessively harsh treatment of Palestinian political prisoners
and their families and to ensure that the conditions under which
they are imprisoned are consistent with international norms of human
rights and basic decency.

We call on the international community to take action to demand
Israel abide by international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Mobilize and Organize for September 4 in Solidarity with the Hunger
Strike!

We thank those of you who are mobilizing on behalf of the prisoners
and their families and friends. PLEASE CALL, FAX OR E-MAIL the
following offices and demand that they abide by international and
Israeli law concerning the treatment of political prisoners!

Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon
Tel: 972-2-6705555
Fax: 972-2-6512631
E-mail: pm_eng [at] pmo.gov.il

Ministry of Defense, Shaul Mofaz
Tel: 972-3-5692010
Fax: 972-3-6916940
e-mail: sar [at] mod.gov.il

Ministry of the Interior, Avraham Poraz
Tel: 972-2-6701411
Fax: 972-2-6701628
e-mail: sar [at] mops.gov.il

Ministry of Justice, Yosef Lapid
Tel: 972-2-6708511
Fax: 972-2-6288618
e-mail: sar [at] mops.gov.il

Let us know about your actions by replying to: info [at] palsolidarity.org
For more information contact:
ISM Media Office: 972-2-277-4602 or 547-358-579

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INFORMATION ON PALESTINIAN POLTICAL PRISONERS

For background information on Palestinian political prisoners under
Israeli occupation, please refer to ADDAMEER (Arabic for conscience)
Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association website
(http://www.addameer.org).

Excerpts from Addameer's website:

Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian
territories in 1967, over 650,000 Palestinians have been detained by
Israel. This forms approximately 20% of the total Palestinian
population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Considering the fact that the majority of those detained are male,
the number of Palestinians detained forms approximately 40% of the
total male Palestinian population in the OPT.

As of 15 August 2004, there were approximately 7,500 Palestinian
political prisoners being held in Israeli prisons. Over 750 of these
are administrative detainees, held without charge or trial for
indefinite periods of time. 380 of the political prisoners are aged
18 and under, 78 of whom are 16 years and under. After the age of
14, Palestinian children are tried as adults. There are no juvenile
courts and children are often held and serve their sentences in
cells with criminal prisoners and are often not separated from
adults, illegal under international law. There are 106 Palestinian
female political prisoners, 20 of whom are mothers and 2 of whom
gave birth in prison, with their children remaining in prison with
them. Of the total 7,500 political prisoners, 3,800 are being held
in civil prisons, with the remaining political prisoners held in
Israeli military detention centers and prison camps.

The arrest and detention of Palestinians living within the OPT is
governed by a wide-ranging set of military regulations that govern
every aspect of Palestinian civilian life. There are approximately
1,500 military regulations governing the West Bank and over 1,400
governing the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military commander of the
region issues military orders, and the issuance of new orders often
remains unknown and become apparent when they are implemented, as
the military commander may issue new military regulations at any
moment.

Israeli prisons and military detention camps are primarily located
within the 1948 borders of Israel. There are a total of 5
interrogation centers, 6 detention/holding centers, 3 military
detention camps, and about 20 prisons in which Palestinians from
the OPT are held. The location of prisons within Israel and the
transfer of detainees to locations within the occupying power's
territory are illegal under international law and constitute a war
crime. The Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly states
that "Protected persons accused of offences shall be detained in the
occupied country, and if convicted they shall serve their sentences
therein." (Article 47) Most of the Palestinian Prisoners are being
held in detention facilities located outside the OPT.

As a result of an arbitrary permit system which governs Palestinians
movement within the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East
Jerusalem, and to and from the 1948 borders of Israel, family visits
to detainees are often not possible, extremely infrequent, or
impossible. Since the beginning of the current Intifada in September
2000, family visits have been prevented repeatedly and for long
periods at a time.

END