JERUSALEM, Israel – Mohammad al-Ashkar, a Palestinian inmate in Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, died of wounds sustained during a riot early October 22.  Prison Authority spokesman, Lt. Col. Ian Domnitz, said that prison guards met “violent resistance” while trying to carry out a routine search for contraband and weapons at 2 a.m. on Monday morning.  An estimated 1,000 of the 2,000 prisoners took part in the riot.  Domnitz stated that prison officers responded with “non-lethal weapons” and used the correct response in view of the danger.  In addition to Ashkar, 14 inmates and 15 Israeli guards sustained injuries.

Palestinian officials claim that the number of inmates is higher and that the prison officers provoked the riot and then used violent means to regain control.  Palestinian Authority’s minister for prisoner affairs, Ashraf Ajrami, accused the prison officers of violating an agreement of no night time searches and of using “forbidden weapons” – such as rubber bullets.

The response in Palestine is widespread and immediate.  Many of the 10,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails went on a hunger strike and hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have gathered to protest Ashkar’s death and to call for the release of prisoners.  On October 23, 200 Palestinians marched in Ramallah and chanted “We want the prisoners, not negotiations.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Protests after Israel prison riot – 23 October 2007

BBC – Palestinian inmate dies of wounds – 23 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – 3 Palestinian militants killed by Israeli army fire – 23 October 2007

Guardian – Palestinian prisoners riot in Israel – 22 October 2007