By Brittani Howell
Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East
JERUSALEM, Israel – Mohammad Allaan, a Palestinian lawyer, was re-arrested by Israel on Wednesday after being discharged from the hospital. Allaan was in the hospital as a result of his hunger strike, protesting his incarceration
Allaan, an alleged member of the Islamic Jihad militant group was detained by Israel without charges or a trial. The administrative detention allows military courts to detain militant suspects indefinitely, subject to a renewal every six months. According to the Israeli civil rights group, B’Tselem, “Israeli’s use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law.”
Israel states that the detention orders are necessary to protect intelligent sources in security-related cases. The Shin Bet internal security agency stated that Allaan was still, “a danger to peace and security in the region” and placed him back in custody because his health had improved.
Israel’s justice ministry alleges that Allaan is involved in “grave terrorism” which necessitates his detention. Allaan denies the allegations and denies involvement with the Islamic Jihad militant group.
Allaan was detained November 2014 and his detention was renewed in May. Allaan stopped eating on June 16 and, as a result, suffered brain damage among other medical conditions. Allaan’s lawyer, Mr. Khatib, intends to appeal the re-arrest because of the brain damage Allaan suffered. He also argues that only the Supreme Court had the authority to cancel the suspension of Allaan’s detention. The re-arrest was a result of a military directive, not a Supreme Court order canceling the suspension of the detention.
Sawsan Zaher, a lawyer for an Arab-rights group which also represented Allaan, stated, “The fact that the authorities renewed the order the moment his situation improved, without checking relevant or justifiable evidence – this means that the order is only an act of revenge.”
In July, Israel passed a law which allows force-feeding to those who are hunger-striking, if the strike’s life is in danger. The United Nations finds the law a “cause of concern” and the Israel Medical Association equates the law to torture.
Allaan was not force-fed, as the government could not find any willing doctors to do the procedure. Instead, Allaan was given intravenous fluids when his condition deteriorated.
Israeli police stated Allaan will be held in detention until November 4, which is when his detention is scheduled to end.
For further information, please see:
Al-Jazeera – Palestinian Hunger Striker Detained on Hospital Release – 16 September 2015
BBC – Israel Re-Arrests Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan – 16 September 2015
CNN – Palestinian Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan back in Israeli Detention – 16 September 2015
The New York Times – Palestinian is Rearrested and Resumes Hunger Strike – 16 September 2015
The Seattle Times – Israel Re-Arrests Palestinian Hunger Striker – 16 September 2015
