Palestinian Youth Remain Camped Out On Hunger Strike For 17th Day

Tuesday April 12, 2011 11:34 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

A group of Palestinian youth who began a sit-in and hunger strike in Ramallah 17 days ago say they will continue the strike until the Palestinian Authority releases political prisoners, as promised by the Palestinian President eight days ago.

One of the hunger strikers, Ma'ath Musleh, who has remained without food for 17 straight days, has grown so weak that he is barely able to speak.

The protest began with marches held on the same day in Ramallah, in the West Bank, and Gaza City, calling for national unity and an end to the internal divisions in Palestine.

An earlier hunger strike was called off when support dwindled, but a group calling itself the 'March 15th movement' rekindled support for the idea of a hunger strike, and some of the original group and new recruits began a new hunger strike on March 26th.

One of the organizers of the March 15th movement, Fadi el-Salameen, told Time magazine, “I met some of the leaders of the Tahrir Square movement at a conference in Doha. They don't fit the usual profile of a 'youth leader.' They are low-key, well educated but not wealthy. They are figuring it out as they go along, trying to figure out what works.”

The Palestinian youth protesting at al-Manara Square in Ramallah are also demanding that the two major Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, stop using the media for incitement against each other.

Both Fatah and Hamas blamed one another for the youth protests that have taken place in Palestine, and for the ongoing sit-in at al-Manar Square.

Duwaik stands in 'full solidarity' with Manara Square protesters

[ 11/04/2011 - 07:20 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Speaker Dr. Aziz Duwaik has declared his ”full solidarity” with the Manara Square hunger strikers, who have demanded the outlawing of political arrests in the West Bank.

Duwaik, accompanied by PLC members Hamed al-Beitawi and Mohammed Abu Teir, paid a visit to those protesters on Monday and called the political arrest phenomenon a ”national crime against the Palestinians who suffer from the Zionist occupation and live in a phase of national liberation.”

He said that he called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in the West Bank while meeting with Abbas to discuss ways to end the Palestinian political split.

Dozens of Palestinian youth have gone on hunger strike while staging a sit-in at Manara Square downtown Ramallah since March 15, amid demands that the Palestinian Authority security agencies release those prisoners in the West Bank who have been ruled free men by the Palestinian Supreme Court.

Five of those protesters have been hospitalized after their health deteriorated due to the fasting, one of the protesters has told our correspondent.

The youth were promised during a meeting with Abbas that all of those prisoners would be released within 72 hours, but eight days has passed since then.

Ramallah hunger strikers resent Abbas reneging on promise

[ 11/04/2011 - 06:30 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

Youth holding a sit-in at Manara Square downtown Ramallah expressed resentment after Palestinian de facto president Mahmoud Abbas reneged on a deal to free political prisoners held by the Palestinian Authority security agencies.

The protesters said they would continue with their hunger strike until their demands are met or until they meet their death. Their key demand is that Abbas ensures the freedom of detainees ruled as free men by the Palestinian Supreme Court, and puts an end to a concurrent media incitement campaign.

One of the protesters said Abbas promised during a meeting with the youths to free those political prisoners within 48 hours, but eight days has passed since then.

The families of political prisoners committee in the West Bank has lauded the strikers' "courageous stand", saying they will never be forgotten by the prisoners or their relatives.

The committee said in a fresh statement that Abbas's failure to respond after repeated promises concludes that the West Bank security services are in violation of law, as civilians are still court martialed and dozens of Palestinian Supreme Court rulings are left unimplemented.

According to the committee, the number of detainees in the PA security prisons is at 420, including more than 300 who had been been previously detained and 100 who have received sentences.