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The US-led political and economic blockade
continues, yet contrary to popular belief, it is not only affecting
Palestinian Authority employees and the merchants they buy from.
Palestinian organizations are unable to bring money in through
banks fearful of American threats against them if they facilitate
any transfers. This includes human rights organizations, NGOS
in general, and the Palestinian Prisoner Society.
On Thursday I sat down with
Basim Sbeih, the Palestinian Prisoner Society's General Director
of Media, in the West Bank.
"I'll begin with the general
situation in the Palestinian Prisoner Society and the situation
of the prisoners as well. The Palestinian Prisoner Society, as
any other Palestinian organization, is involved in the matters
of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. We have 30 lawyers
working on representing the prisoners in Israeli jails. However,
the funding stopped, including the payroll for the lawyers working
with us. This has created a strangulating crisis in their work.
The lawyers are threatening to strike from representing prisoners
in Israeli military courts as they need to be paid. This will
create a major problem for Palestinian prisoners and their families."
Sbeih continued, "It is
necessary to point out that the lawyers are the only link between
the prisoners and their families and human rights organizations,
and in particular the Palestinian Prisoner Society, which represents
4,000 prisoners yearly in Israeli military courts."
There are currently approximate
9,400 Palestinians languishing in Israeli prisoners, many without
charge or trial under the Israeli policy of Administrative Detention.
Regarding the affects of the
blockade, Sbeih pointed out that no Palestinian is immune: "In
general the financial situation in our organization, which has
been strangulated for the past several months due to the blockade
against monies slated for the Prisoners Society from the PA Ministry
of Detainees and Ex Detainees Affairs, is bleak. It of course
also pertains to all of the employees of the Palestinian Prisoner
Society."
For instance, the Israeli Court
has set today as the date for Manal Ghanam to have her young
son Nour taken away from her. The baby knows nothing other than
prison life with his mother.
"From Tulkarem, 30-year-old
Manal Ghanam gave birth to her son Nour at the end of September
2003. The Israeli court ruled to separate them on the 11 May,
today. Ghanam who had her baby with her and is now slated to
lose him, met with her husband and three other children in an
open room in the prison. The point was for baby Nour to become
acquainted with his siblings and his father who he has never
known."
Nour had only seen his siblings
through plate glass-windowed visiting stations, or through bars.
He was never allowed to touch them, according to earlier reports
when the original story broke regarding the Israeli court's decision
to separate mother and child.
Sbeih continued, "Relating
to other female prisoners, Sumar Sbeih, who gave birth in the
prison hospital on 30 April via caesarean section, gave birth
in handcuffs and shackles. After the caesarian, she was transferred
to another room were she remained in shackles for three days.
Three prison guards took shifts imposing strict measures upon
her. After three or four days of having given birth, she was
transferred to Ramle Prison where she now lives with her newborn."
Not wanting to leave anyone
out, the PPS Media Director added, "I want to note that
three female prisoners have given birth in Israeli prisons during
this Intifada. The now freed woman, Merva Taha, gave birth to
her son in prison on February 8th, 2002 and she was finally released
with her baby at the beginning of 2005.
"There is a daughter of
a prisoner; she is 3 years and 3 months old. She's been in prison
for three months. The mother conducted a two-week hunger strike
to have her baby returned to her and the Israeli Prison Administration
ceded her demand and mother and child were reunited."
Sbeih also addressed Wednesday's
prison-wide open hunger strike.
Hunger strikes are a common
form of resistance in Israeli prisons going back to before the
first Intifada. Of the most recent, Sbeih said, "Relating
to the hunger strike undertaken yesterday in Israeli jails by
approximately 9,000 political prisoners in solidarity with those
in solitary confinement, it was a one-day open hunger strike
for the 15 Palestinians in solitary. One of them has been in
solitary confinement for five to six years, not allowed to leave
his cell at all or socialize with any aspect of society."
The economic blockade is wreaking
havoc on Palestinians who rely on prison stores and canteens
to supplement the paltry food provided by prison authorities.
Palestinians also buy necessities such as soap and toothpaste
in the canteens. The Israelis have closed several of the accounts.
"Again relating to the
financial situation, there has been no money for four months
due to the cut in aid; none for the lawyers or the staff. We,
as an organization for prisoners, take our funding from the Palestinian
National Authority. The Israeli Prison Administration closed
the canteen accounts for several prisoners throughout many of
the prisons. This has led to it being impossible to receive any
money, which has created another big problem in the prisons and
the prisoners are suffering from hunger due to the closure of
those accounts."
A mother in the West Bank city
of Bethlehem asked yesterday, "Is there no end?" The
answer from Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and President
Abbas made her laugh. They told reporters after a meeting earlier
this week that hopefully by August money will arrive for salaries.
She cursed the Israelis, and for the first time, the Americans
before them.
Now
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By Michael Neumann
CounterPunch
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