EU: Israel must allow medical, family visits to hunger-strikers

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The European Union offices in the Palestinian territory on Tuesday expressed concern about the deteriorating health condition of Palestinian prisoners on hunger-strike for over two months.

Israel's Supreme Court on Monday rejected the appeals of administrative detainees Bilal Diab, 27, from Jenin, and Thaer Halahla, 33, from Hebron -- who have refused food since Feb. 29.

"The EU requests the Government of Israel to make available all necessary medical assistance and to allow family visits as a matter of urgency," the EU missions in Ramallah and Jerusalem.

Physicians for Human Rights -- Israel on Monday said Israeli authorities rejected its appeal for Diab's family to visit him.

"Allowing family visits to people at such deteriorated medical condition, some that can die any day, is a requirement emphasized in medical ethics and in Israel's Patient Right Law. In addition to mental support, consultation with the family can save lives," the group said.

The medical organization also said Israel rejected its request for independent doctors to visit the hunger-strikers, ruling they would only admit doctors on a case-by-case basis.

"It is expected that the conduct of the (Israeli Prison Service) will necessitate PHR Israel's need to appeal to the courts for every additional visit," the group said.

Detention without charge

The EU stressed it opposition to Israel's policy of detention without charge -- under which Diab and Halahla are being held.

"Detainees have the right to be informed of the reasons for their detention and be subject to a fair trial without undue delay," the statement said.

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem said 308 Palestinians are being held without charge in Israel as of the end of April.

Over two-thirds of them have been held for over a year without charge, including two held for more than four and a half years.

On April 17, Palestinian prisoners day, over 1,000 prisoners joined a group of hunger-strikers protesting detention without charge. Around 2,000 are now taking part in the strike protesting prison conditions, rights groups estimate.

The EU is "also following closely the on-going hunger strike by several hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and calls for the full respect of international human rights obligations towards all prisoners," it said.