Protests intensify as hunger strikers “could die at any moment”

Protests across the West Bank and within Israel intensified yesterday, as a prison doctor visiting Thaer Halahleh, who along with Bilal Diab is on his 73rd day of hunger strike warned that he “could die at any moment.”

Ruth Michaelson

Protestors blocked the entrance to the International Red Cross building in Ramallah, echoing a similar action undertaken on Wednesday to prevent access to the UN headquarters there.

Many were dissatisfied with what they see as the intransigence of both organisations concerning the 2000 Palestinian prisoners who today reached their 25th day without food inside Israeli prisons.

Separate protests also reached the Muqata presidential compound and Ofer prison, where eight activists sustained injuries from rubber-coated steel bullets fired by the IDF, including one serious head injury.

Another protest also took place in Haifa later on Thursday evening.

Despite a meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry, where both officials stated that they agreed on the urgency of the issue, protestors were angry at the perceived inaction of both the PA and the UN.

According to human rights organisation Addameer, Thaer Halahleh’s weight has dropped to 55 kilograms: he is now vomiting blood and bleeding from his lips after beginning his hunger strike on 29 February.

The organisation also criticised the Israeli Prison Service for cancelling a visit from his family scheduled for today.