A statement by the PFLP Prison branch in Israeli jails: The steadfastness of the comrades and the ongoing struggle
A group of Palestinian administrative detainees launched an open hunger strike over one month ago to protest the policy of administrative detention; they are aware that this fight is long and hard – and may be incredibly so due to the occupation’s escalation of its repressive policies and practices within the prisons, and through the laws that the fascist far-right Israeli government is attempting to implement in order to block the striking prisoners’ struggle to win achievements, including the “force-feeding law.”
The occupation attempted by all means to pressure the prisoners to end their strike, through repeated violent transfers, isolation, and refusing to take them to the hospital for medical examination in light of their declining health during a lengthy strike. Still, these policies failed in forcing them to end the strike. On the other sides, our comrades in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine prison branch struggled on the side of our striking comrades, along with many prisoners from the broad prisoners’ national movement, in a constant battle within the prisons in support of the comrades and the strikers’ demands.
The situation reached the brink of explosion inside the prison after the occupation’s escalation, especially after the prison authority’s special forces stormed the PFLP sections in the prisons, closing rooms, and threatened to isolate the two leaders, Comrades Ahmad Sa’adat and Wael Jaghoub, but they sent a clear message to all that the strike continues and that there is no choice but confrontation and escalation.
Despite all of the above, the strikers in the Battle of Breaking the Chains, through painstaking negotiations with the prison administration engaged in by some of the leaders of the Prison Branch and from other Palestinian factions, have ended the strike following an agreement providing for the following:
1) Release of the leader Nidal Abu Aker on 10 December 2015.
2) Release of comrade Ghassan Zawahreh on 30 November 2015, two months after the agreement.
3) 3 to 4 months continued detention for Munir Abu Sharar, Badr al-Ruzza and Shadi Ma’ali, followed by their release, with a commitment that their detention will not be extended further.
In the Prison Branch of the PFLP, we commend the steadfastness of the administrative detainees, who engaged in a difficult battle and achieved victories. Finally, we emphasize the following:
1) The agreement today is a victory for the battle of wills of the prisoners against the occupation.
2) This battle is far from the end and will not be the last, and it is part of an ongoing and sustained national prisoners’ movement to win their rights and their freedom.
3) We dedicate this victory to our people in occupied Jerusalem and the heroies of the glorious emerging and ongoing intifada, who are fighting the battle of existence in the alleys and streets of the sacred city against the occupation and the settlers. The struggle within the prisons is an extension of the struggle of our people against the occupation.
4) The PFLP Prison Branch praises the representatives of other factions who negotiated with the Prison administration to reach this agreement.
5) The PFLP prison branch in Israeli jails expressed its high appreciation and deep thanks to all who have made the effort to support the striking prisoners, by participating in various events, demonstrations and actions. It also sends its greeting of appreciation to all who took to the streets in solidarity with the prisoners, especially in Europe.
6) We call for the popular media to continue to raise and support the issue of prisoners on all levels.
7) It is necessary to raise the issue of prisoners in general and administrative detention specifically, in international forums.
8) We call on the international solidarity movement for the broadest support for the struggle of the prisoners, and to highlight the systematic Zionist practices against the prisoners, especially the policy of administrative detention and medical negligence, and to push for the the occupation to be put on trial for its crimes before international courts, to escalate the boycott and international isolation of the occupier, and to expand the circle of solidarity with the prisoners.
To the masses of our people, we thank you for your trust and support for the comrades and in the prisoners’ national movement generally, which is locked in a continuous battle with the occupation. The administrative detainees achieved a victory in their battle, and we must all build to achieve a final victory for the prisoners and our people.
