Jailed in Israeli prisons as many as 2000 Palestinians refused food in protest of indefinite detention, solitary confinement and brutal conditions. Palestinians by the thousands are being held without charge or trial in what the Israelis call administrative detention.
Individuals suspected of engaging in any activities the State of Israel deems a threat to Israeli security can be and are routinely arrested and held incommunicado. Sometimes for years, many are imprisoned without access to family or legal council.
Striking a deal with the PA with help from Cairo, a weeks long hunger strike was called off. Apparently just in time too, as the the deaths of some committed to protesting for humane conditions and the chance to defend themselves in open court was imminent.
As we've reported in previous postings, the death of a single protestor can fuel the passions of the masses. Once the energy of those passions are tapped and channeled, anyone finding themselves the focus of that energized passion will have few defensible positions left at their disposal.
The Israeli government looking more like that of Syria's is descending in world opinion at a consistent, steady and predictable pace. The harsh, brutish and inhumane manner in which the Israelis are and have always engaged the Palestinian people will be difficult to continue when the globe's glare is finally and firmly affixed to the issue.
In flagrant violation of many international laws to insure basic and universal human rights, Israel have taken refuge behind the shield of the United States' Congress. But even that shield can be penetrated by world opinion when a nation falls below that undefined, yet viscerally uniting expectation of fairness.
Not willing to chance the world's instinctual response to these questionable measures Israel has taken to secure their interest, they've decided to yield on the issues for now. With May 15 being Nakba Day, or the "day of catastrophe", commemorating Israel's declaration of statehood in 1948 and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their land and homes, the last thing Israel needs is a Palestinian dying of hunger to protest his illegal detainment.
Protests were scheduled to take place across all Palestinian territories today with the main rally planned for Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Protestors are also expected to make their presence felt at the nearby Ofer military prison and Qalandia checkpoint where there has been a number minor confrontations.
Going forward, as these revelations proliferate, take root and eventually prioritized for action, we think the Israeli government will have significant public relations challenges to say the least. The world will not tolerate Israel's actions much longer
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