Jun 04 2012
AFP: Palestinian threat to relaunch prisoner hunger strike
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — Palestinian prisoners in Israel are threatening to relaunch a hunger strike, a Palestinian official said on Sunday, blaming Israel for reneging on a deal that ended a recent one.
“There are still provocations in the prisons, and the prisoners are threatening to resume the strike if the situation remains as it is,” Palestinian prisoners minister Issa Qaraqaa said at a press conference in Ramallah.
Some 1,550 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel ended a hunger strike on May 14 in exchange for a package of measures which would allow visits from relatives in Gaza, and the transfer of detainees out of solitary confinement.
Israel also said it would not extend administrative detention orders, unless new evidence emerged.
In return, prisoner leaders committed to not engage in militant activity inside jail and to refrain from future hunger strikes.
Administrative detention is a procedure that allows suspects to be held without charge for renewable periods of up to six months.
But Qaraqaa said Israel was not keeping its end of the deal.
“Israel has begun to violate the deal it signed with the prisoners, and within ten days after announcing the end of the strike, Israel renewed administrative detention orders for approximately 30 prisoners,” Qaraqaa charged.
“Israel wants to punish the prisoners for striking with these renewed orders,” he said.
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