Khader Adnan's Heroic Struggle for Justice

Khader Adnan's Heroic Struggle for Justice

by Stephen Lendman

Saturday marked his 56th hunger striking day. "My dignity is more precious than food," he said. He's willing to die courageously defending it.

He's protesting his lawless detention and treatment by repressive Israeli prison authorities. They're committing willful, malicious slow-motion murder.

He's uncharged because he's innocent. Yet Israel illegally detains him under horrific conditions. Without food for eight weeks, his life hangs by a thread. He could die before this article's published.

On February 9, a special Military Court appeal on his behalf was held at Safad's Zif medical center where he's held shackled to his bed near death.

For the hearing, he was moved to a separate room still shackled except for his hands. Despite his condition and gross injustice, Judge Moshe Tirosh won't rule until next week. By then it may not matter, and that's the whole idea.

His contemptible excuse was needing more documents to disguise state-sponsored murder.

As a result, expect him to be detained until he dies regardless of innocence and injustice. Arrested Palestinians are guilty whether or not charged. Rarely are detainees freed. Repressive military courts refuse. Israel's Supreme Court seldom intervenes. Repression defines Israeli policy. State terror enforces it.

Adnan symbolizes its ruthlessness. He's willing to die telling the world. Supporters called for worldwide hunger strikes in protest. Online social networks promote it.

A Free Palestine supporter said, "I am a Palestinian living in Qatar. I am in solidarity with captive hero Khader Adnan." Other support came from New York, Chicago, Washington and other US cities, Argentina, Honduras, Canada, England, Mexico, Lebanon, Algeria, South Africa, Slovakia, France, the Czech Republic, Italy, Israel, Palestine, and elsewhere.

Street protesters held signs saying "Dignity over food," waved Palestinian flags, and chanted "Khader Adnan epitomizes the resilience, the steadfastness, and resistance of the Palestinian people."

On February 11, Ma'an News reported that Palestinian Authority prisoners affairs minister Issa Qaraqe said Egypt's intervening to help. How seriously isn't known. Its ruling military junta breaches international humanitarian laws egregiously.

Nonetheless, Qaraqe said Egyptian officials asked Israeli authorities to release Adnan. He added that Palestinian leaders Abbas and Salam Fayyad contacted other countries to help. In support, hundreds of Palestinian detainees plan supportive hunger strikes.

In a letter to prison authorities, they warned the situation may escalate if Adnan dies. So far, UN authorities have done little. UN special coordinator for the Middle East Robert Serry merely said he's following Adnan "with concern."

A weak-kneed statement said his office calls on Israel "to do everything in its power to preserve the health of the prisoner and resolve this case while abiding by all legal obligations under international law."

His office is also "following up on some of the issues related to the question of prisoners, particularly on the use of administrative detention, which should only be employed in exceptional circumstances."

In fact, his office substitutes rhetoric for action. Instead of demanding Adnan's immediately release and condemning Israeli ruthlessness, his faint-hearted weasel words assure no positive response.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) notoriously supports Washington's imperial agenda. As a result, its appeal on behalf of Adnan appears more PR stunt than real. Its Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said:

"Israel should immediately end its unlawful administrative detention of Adnan and charge or release him."

Charge him with what? He committed no crime.

Short of stressing it, Whitson added:

"He may be approaching death from his hunger strike, and yet Israel is chaining him to his hospital bed without bothering to even charge him with any wrongdoing."

She urged, but didn't demand, Israel "end, today, before it's too late, its almost two-month-long refusal to inform Adnan of any criminal charge or evidence against him."

A Final Comment

Adnan's a world hero. His death won't go unnoticed. The Addameer Prisoner Support/Human Rights Association said:

"Adameer holds the Israeli Occupying Forces accountable for Khader's life-threatening condition and also the international community responsible for not taking action to save his life."

"Addameer demands that the European Union, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross intervene with Israel immediately before it is too late. Addameer further hails all local and international solidarity efforts made on Khader's behalf and urges individuals to continue calling attention to this most urgent matter."

Help by contacting your political representatives now, and telling others to do the same thing. Demand they intervene to help. Also write, call, or email Israeli government, military and legal authorities and demand Adnan's immediate release.

Addameer provided names, positions, addresses, phone numbers, and email information for:

Brigadier General Dani Afroni
Military Judge Advocate General
6 David Elazar Street
Harkiya, Tel Aviv
Israel
Fax: +972 3 608 0366; +972 3 569 4526
Email: arbel [at] mail.idf.il; avimn [at] idf.gov.il

Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi
OC Central Command Nehemia Base, Central Command
Neveh Yaacov, Jerusalam
Fax: +972 2 530 5741

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak
Ministry of Defense
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 3 691 6940 / 696 2757

Col. Eli Bar On
Legal Advisor of Judea and Samaria PO Box 5
Beth El 90631
Fax: +972 2 9977326

Act on behalf of a man too courageous to let die. Do it now and tell others to show support in solidarity!

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen [at] sbcglobal.net.

Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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