Rights and Accountability

Shawan Jabarin, director of human rights group Al-Haq, is to be allowed to travel to Geneva for a meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, for the first time since Israel imposed a travel ban on him six years ago.

Amnesty International called on Israel to immediately release Khader Adnan, who announced an end to his historic 66-day hunger strike today, as “Israeli authorities have revealed no evidence justifying his continued detention.”

War on Want condemns British company JCB after Israel used the company’s machines to destroy the only playground in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, a JCB bulldozer was used in the demolition of Palestinian property in the occupied south Hebron hills on 15 February.

Lawyers for Khader Adnan have reached a deal with Israel for Adnan to be released on 17 April, Addameer announced today via Twitter. Khader Adnan has agreed to end his hunger strike. Addameer said the deal appears to meet minimum conditions Adnan had previously communicated to lawyers.

Khader Adnan, the Palestinian who has been on hunger strike for 66 days against his detention without charge or trial is in high spirits and sends greetings to all who support him, despite signs of further decline in his health according to a lawyer who visited him on Monday.

Vandals spray-painted hateful anti-Christian messages on the walls of a church in Jerusalem and slashed the tires of several cars parked in the church compound, the latest in a pattern of escalated “price tag” attacks.

Democracy Now today aired a brief video clip of Khader Adnan, who is now in his 65th day of hunger strike against his detention without charge or trial by Israel.

Bobby Sands died on 5 May 1981, aged 27, after 66 days on hunger strike against British refusal to grant political status to him and other Irish republican prisoners. Today, as Khader Adnan is on his 65th day of hunger strike, the Secretary of the Bobby Sands Trust, Danny Morrison, called on the Israeli government to immediately release Adnan, who is close to death.

American actress and comedian Roseanne Barr and former Obama administration State Department official Anne-Marie Slaugher are among the latest people to join criticism of Israel’s use of administrative detentions of Palestinians highlighted by the 65 day hunger strike of Khader Adnan as global attention, solidarity grow.

Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in solidarity with Khader Adnan are facing harsh punishment by Israeli prison authorities who fear unrest could spread, if Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for 64 days, deteriorates further or dies.