Hip-hop band DAM supports Palestinian prisoners' actions with new track

Yesterday, Palestinian hip-hop band DAM released a new track ‘A Letter From a Prison Cell’ to support the Palestinian prisoners in their hunger strike. DAM wrote the text for the new track featuring Trio Joubran, Bachar Khalifa, Nibal Malshi and Ibrahim Sakalla. DAM clarify their support to the Palestinian prisoners:

We are adding our voices to their call for justice and demands for their legal rights. ‘A Letter From a Prison Cell’ tells the stories of three prisoners who refuse to be ignored and become another statistic. They have written letters to the outside world and the song voices those words.

The track has the potential to become the musical flag ship of the Hunger Strike for Palestine movement. The video is subtitled in Arabic and English.

Foreign nationals in Gaza participate in the hunger strike

Three foreign nationals residing in Gaza have entered their fifth day of an open-ended hunger strike and protest encampment in front of the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza. In its 11 October press release, ISM Gaza quotes hunger striker Vera Macht from Germany: “The situation of Palestinian prisoners is truly heartbreaking. Parents are separated from their children, and wives from their husbands, for years, without so much as a letter or video.” Hunger striker Joe Catron from the United States added: “Palestinian prisoners are bravely resisting a system that seeks to crush them, their families, their communities, and their national life. Their struggle deserves our full support.”

ISM Gaza writes in its press statement:

In Gaza, hundreds have been gathering in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on a daily basis to demonstrate for prisoner rights. Protesters have maintained a permanent encampment in and around the ICRC courtyard since Sunday, 2 October. Additionally, Palestinian activists in Gaza have called for international supporters to join the hunger strike for 24 hours on Wednesday, 12 October, and use Twitter to publicize their participation and solidarity (See: The Electronic Intifada). All hunger strikers are asked to tweet “My name is ( ) and I will go on a hunger strike on Wednesday in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. #TweepStrike #HS4Palestine.”

Action in Greece

At the first public appearance of the new Israeli ambassador to Greece, Arie Mekel, two members of the “Intifada Association” unfolded a Palestinian flag inside the hall where the event took place. They raised their voice and shouted: “Free Palestine; Solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails; Stop torture in Israeli jails; Boycott Israeli apartheid; and Free Palestine.”

The police removed the two activists from the hall and drove them to the police headquarters. The activists managed to inform a legal adviser about their “arrest.” After the police verified their identity, the two activists were released. Watch the video:

Meanwhile, Hamas and Israel struck a swap deal on the release of over one-thousand Palestinian prisoners and the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat will not be released, according to Israeli intelligence sources quoted in an article published by IMEMC.

If the swap deal materializes, about five-thousand Palestinian political prisoners still remain in Israeli jails. Every reason for the Hunger Strike for Palestine movement to continue its actions.