By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel–Palestinian prisoners in Israel threatened to resume a hunger strike on Sunday.  They claim that Israeli prison authorities have reneged on an agreement to make changes to their current prison policies.

On April 17, about 1,600 prisoners launched a massive  hunger strike in efforts to obtain improvements to their conditions, and an end to certain practices such as limited visitation rights, and solitary confinement.  The original hunger strike ended on May 14, when Palestinian prisoners were promised a package of measures in exchange for ending their hunger strike, and also to not engage in militant activity. In return, Israel promised the prisoners visitation from relatives in Gaza, and to also transfer detainees out of solitary confinement. Also part of the agreement was Israel’s promise to not extend its program of administrative detention, where suspects could be held without charge for renewable periods of up to six months.

The Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Issa Qaraqaa, said that Israel failed to keep its promise. At a press conference in Ramallah, Qaraqaa stated that “Israel has begun to violate the deal it signed with the prisoners, and within ten days after announcing the end of the strike, Israel renewed administrative detention orders for approximately 30 prisoners.” Qaraqaa also said that he does not believe Israel that would grant visitation rights to prisoners. “So far, we don’t know if Israel will even allow families of prisoners from Gaza to visit their imprisoned relatives,” he claimed.

An Israeli defense official, who preferred to remain anonymous, refuted Qaraqaa’s claims. The official said that “as of the end of last week, three administrative detention orders were renewed.” The official also stated that Israel is currently working towards enabling visitation between Palestinian prisoners and their family members.  But it is a process that “would take some time,” however, because it “involves many different bodies.”

In his press conference in Ramallah, Qaraqaa discussed the situations of two prisoners, Mahmud Sarsak and Akram Rikhawi, who are currently on extended hunger strikes.  Sarsak, a recognized prisoner of war from Gaza, began his hunger strike on March 23. He went without food for 53 days until May 14, when he temporarily ceased his hunger strike after the agreement was signed. He resumed with his strike the following day.  Rikhawi wants the prison authority to deliver his medical file before he appears in front of a prison release committee so that his release may be expedited.  Qaraqaa stated that “both prisoners are currently on the verge of a coma and have a low heart rate.”

Sivan Weizman, an Israeli Prison Service spokeswoman, said the two were under medical supervision in Ramle Prison, located near Tel Aviv.   Should further care prove necessary, they will be transferred to a nearby hospital.

For further information, please see:

The National — Palestinian Prisoners Threaten New Hunger Strike — 4 June 2012

Al Jazeera — Jailed Palestinians Warn of New Hunger Strike — 3 June 2012

The Daily Star — Palestinians Threaten to Relaunch Prisoner Hunger Strike — 3 June 2012

The Jerusalem Post — Palestinian Prisoners Threaten to Strike Again — 3 June 2012

By Melike Ince
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel has recently found itself at the center of an ironic controversy amidst this week’s release of an annual US  human rights report. It claims that Israel is denying basic public services to African asylum-seekers.

It has become common practice for Africans escaping persecution to illegally enter Israel through Egypt. While those with official refugee status are provided with health care and work permits, asylum-seekers do not receive either of these services despite their great need for them.  The report also mentions that Israeli officials occasionally refer to asylum-seekers  as “infiltrators” and associate them with “the rise in crime, disease and terrorism.” Right wing parties have also been known to compare the immigrants’ existence to a cancer in the body of Israel.

Angry Israeli citizens took to the streets in protests and riots this week, attacking Africans and shattering African-run shops to express their frustration over the situation. Many attribute the increased violence in southern Tel Aviv to the Africans. Locals have also accused the immigrants of decreasing employment among nationals and argue that there are insufficient economic resources to provide for the 60,000 illegals currently in Israel.  Africans for many years considered Israel to be peaceful and tolerant but now find themselves living in fear.

“I cannot live this way. I’m afraid for my life,” said Amene Tekele Haymanot, an illegal immigrant seeking refugee status.

In an effort to calm the tense population, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence but promised “the infiltration problem must be resolved and we will resolve it.” The government hopes that the security barrier that is currently under construction near the Egyptian border will hinder illegal entry. If it succeeds in doing so, Israel plans to begin the deportation process soon after its completion

Those sympathetic to the Africans’ plight believe that race is playing a role in the conflict, and the irony of the situation is not lost on them. It was not long ago that those of Jewish ancestry were escaping their own persecution in Europe and settling in Israel. In the past year, Israel has  received over 4,000 applications for asylum but has approved just one.  Though it is considering deportation as one potential solution, international law will likely render Israel unable to send any of the illegals back to their home countries due to the risks of persecution there.

For further information, please see:

CNN News – Why Did Anti-immigration Sentiment Boil Over in Israel? – 31 May 2012

Jerusalem Post – Tel Aviv: Clashes, Arrests at Anti-African Demo – 30 May 2012

Al Jazeera – Should Israel be Responsible for Immigrants? – 29 May 2012

BBC News – Israel Denies African Migrants’ Rights, Says US – 25 May 2012

by Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – After casting their votes in the first election since the Arab Spring, Egyptians will now have to decide whom to select in a run-off between Mohamed Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hosni Mubarak’s former Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq.

Mursi had won the first round with 5.8 million votes, while Shafiq placed second with 5.5 million. Hamdin Sabahi, candidate of the leftist al-Kamarah party, came in third with 4.82 million votes. Since no candidate managed to win more than fifty percent of the vote, a runoff between Mursi and Sabahi was necessary.

Only forty-six percent of Egyptians who were eligible to vote turned out for the first round of the elections. Such low figures may have been due to a lack of enthusiasm for the candidates, or due to the brevity of the campaigns, which were conducted in less than two months. Those who participated in last year’s revolution must now decide to support either a candidate who wants to create Islamist rule, or a candidate who supports a military-backed authoritarian system.

The results represent a worst-case scenario for many of those who participated in last year’s revolution, and in reaction to the results of the elections, hundreds of protestors had taken to the streets of Egypt’s cities.

Many supporters of Sabahi are disappointed with the results. One supporter, Dalia Gelaa, calls the results “a disaster,” and believes that “there will be a next revolution soon.”

After the election, Sabahi appealed the results, stating that many members of the army and police, who were banned from casting votes, had access to the polls and voted. However, the Elections Commission rejected his claim on grounds that even though there were some “shortcomings” in the electoral process, they were insufficient to substantially affect the result. Former Brotherhood member Abdul Moneim Abul, who finished fourth, also made an unsuccessful appeal.  Abul requested that the announcement of the results be delayed until the conclusion of an investigation of all reported violations.

Mursi appeals to Egyptians who want a deeply religious country that features a democratic framework. Those who support Shafiq believe that his victory in the run-off will result in a return to security and normalcy in Egypt. However, many believe that if Shafiq is elected, tensions in the country could escalate to the same point it was at during the revolution. Shafiq’s foes have even vowed to take the streets if he wins the run-off.

“In the next two weeks there will be an upsurge in violence,” predicted a Western diplomat.

For further information, please see:

BBC – Egypt poll: Islamist Mursi and Ex-PM Shafiq in Run-Off – 28 May 2012

New York Times – Egypt Confirms Candidates for Presidential Runoff – 28 May 2012

Reuters – Islamist, Ex-Military Man Contest Egypt Presidency – 28 May 2012

Al Jazeera – Egypt Vote Count Points to Decisive Runoff  – 26 May 2012