Lawyer: Israel Pressuring Issawi to End Hunger Strike

Israel has also offered to exile him to the Gaza Strip.

Samer Issawi

(RAMALLAH Ma'an) - Intensive efforts are being made by Israel to convince hunger-striking prisoner Samer Issawi to end his protest action, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Israeli negotiators have been visiting Issawi at Kaplan Medical Center since Friday and pressuring him to accept proposals to end his hunger strike, Palestinian Prisoner Society lawyer Jawad Boulos told Ma'an after visiting Issawi on Tuesday.

Doctors said that the prisoner's heart is very weak, Boulous added.

Issawi has been on hunger strike for over 265 days and has so far refused all offers by Israel to be exiled, insisting on being released to his home in Jerusalem.

On Friday, Israel offered a deal to exile Issawi to a UN member country, a spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said.

Israel tried to make him agree to be deported to a number of countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Finland and Switzerland, Boulous added.

Israel has also offered to exile him to the Gaza Strip.

Issawi, 33, was first arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 26 years for military activities on behalf of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

He was released by Israel under a prisoner swap deal in October 2011, but rearrested last July for violating the terms of the agreement by traveling to the West Bank from east Jerusalem.

Israel says Issawi had gone to the West Bank to establish "terror cells" there and has ordered that he serve the remainder of his original sentence.

Issawi is the last of four Palestinian prisoners who were on extended hunger strikes in Israeli prisons, after two ended their fast in February and a third was exiled from the West Bank last month to the Gaza Strip for 10 years.

Source: Ma'an News

http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=586169

Past reports:

Feb 20, 2013: Demand the Release of Samer Issawi Call-In Day Wed. 2/20/13 - Salem-News.com

Dec 23, 2013: Palestinian Hunger Striking Steadfastness - Stephen Lendman Special to Salem-News.com

Dec 24, 2013: Palestinians Say Israel 'Tortured' Detainee - Salem-News.com

Feb 23, 2013: Photographing Tragedy: What the Victims Actually Want - Ramzy Baroud Special to Salem-News.com

Aug 17, 2012: Israel: Two administrative Detainees on Hunger Strike Severely Ill-Treated by the Israeli Prison Service - William Gomes Salem-News.com

Feb 22, 2013: The Truth About Political Prisoners and Apartheid - Tim King Salem-News.com

Oct 14, 2011: Israel Destroys Palestinian Home as Punishment - Salem-News.com