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Amidst the international soccer fever generated by the European Cup of Nations currently underway, the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) took time to urge the Israel Football Association to immediately seek help for a Palestinian player in eminent danger of death due to a hunger strike. The Palestinian in question is 25 year old Mahmoud Sarsak, who is now nearing the 90th day of his hunger strike after being detained without charges by Israeli authorities under the controversial “unlawful combatant” policy in July 2009. The policy is more formally know as “administrative detention” and allows Israeli authorities to detain Palestinians indefinitely and without charges. Sarsak’s hunger strike is the latest in a series of hunger strikes by more than 1,600 Palestinians in detention.

Most of the striking prisoners ended their protest a month ago, after an Egyptian-mediated agreement between Israeli and Palestinian authorities to improve prison conditions. However, Sarsak and a handful of other prisoners who are still being detained have continued to starve themselves even after the compromise. Aside from the compromise, and a few other minor concessions, the Israeli government has largely ignored the protestors’ demands.

Meanwhile here in Los Angeles, a group called the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel has just erected a series of billboards in the LA area as well as in neighboring states and cities aimed at shifting American public opinion towards ending US financial support for Israel. The billboards, which simply say “Spend our money at home, Not on the Israeli Military,” can be found locally in San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood and Atwater village and more. Similar billboards have also been erected in New Mexico and Colorado.

GUEST: Mosab Qashoo, founder of the Palestine Farm Project, originally from the West Bank, now based in New York. During his study at the Arab American University in Jenin and An-Najah University in Nablus, he was involved in student activities on campus, as well as non-violent international activism across the West Bank.

Activists are urging people to write to the Israeli Embassy at info@washington.mfa.gov.il asking the Israeli government to release Mahmoud Sarsak to the West Bank.