Ramallah, 22-10-07: Dr. Barghouthi condemned the brutal attack carried on against Palestinian prisoners by Israeli soldiers this Monday. At 2am, a special unit of the Israeli military stormed the Negev Desert Israeli jail, and went on a rampage. They beat the prisoners with sticks, used tear gas and sonic bombs and ransacked the prisoners? tents. During the extremely violent attack several tents were set on fire and prisoners? belongings were destroyed.
Dr. Barghouthi MP, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, called the attack a gross violation of the prisoners‘ rights. Dr. Barghouthi highlighted that Israel currently holds more than 11,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 360 children under 18, 104 women, and 824 persons under administrative detention without charge or trial. He also added that prisoners are often victims of torture, and that their families cannot visit them.
Dr. Barghouthi insisted that under article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention, an occupying power is forbidden to transfer individuals or groups outside of the occupied territory, meaning that the very presence of Palestinians in the Negev Desert Israeli jail is a violation of international humanitarian law.
Dr. Barghouthi called for the international community to uphold international law, and for Israel to release all Palestinian prisoners.