Foreign Office minister urges Bahrain to increase pace of reform

Minister of State Lord Howell met the Bahraini Minister for the Interior, Lieutenant General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa to discuss the implementation of reforms in Bahrain and the prospects for political dialogue.

Following the meeting, Lord Howell said:

“The Bahraini Government has made some progress in addressing the recommendations of the Independent Commission of Inquiry, but wider concerns still need to be addressed. I urged the Government to increase the pace of reform and ensure that the human rights of all Bahraini citizens are fully respected.  For the long-term stability of the country, I encourage all parties to enter into an inclusive and constructive political dialogue without preconditions.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom have a long friendship and we remain strong partners in the region. The UK stands ready to assist Bahrain as it moves ahead with comprehensive reform.”

(www.fco.gov.uk / 27.06.2012)

Report: Hamas leaders plan Jordan visit

LONDON (Ma’an) — Senior Hamas officials will visit Jordan in the coming days, media affiliated with the party reported Wednesday.

The delegation, led by political bureau chief Khalid Mashaal, will take place after preparations are finalized, likely within two weeks, the pro-Hamas Palestinian Information Center website reported.

Quoting a “reliable source,” the website said deputy political bureau chairman Mousa Abu Marzouk and politburo members Mohammed Nasr, Ezzet Al-Resheq, and Mohamed Nazzal would join the trip.

It was not immediately clear if the delegation would meet with King Abdullah. A delegation in January met the monarch and other officials in a visit that sought to improve a tense relationship with the country.

(www.maannews.net / 27.06.2012)

Yemeni foreign minister admits U.S. drones used against militants

According to Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi, drones were used against fleeing al-Qaeda leaders.

Yemen has asked for U.S. drones to be used “in some cases” to target al-Qaeda leaders in the country, its foreign minister told AFP on Wednesday.

“Drones were used upon Yemen’s request in some cases against fleeing al-Qaeda leaders,” Abu Bakr al-Kurbi told AFP on the sidelines of a counter-piracy conference in Dubai, in a first official Yemeni confirmation.

Yemeni troops have this month recaptured a string of towns which al-Qaeda militants overran last year across the province of Abyan.

In an interview with ABC television’s “This Week,” U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta defended in May the use of drones as “the most precise weapons we have” in the campaign against the militant group.

His comments were the first time the U.S. formally acknowledged the use of unmanned drones against al-Qaeda suspects in Yemen, where such reports had not been confirmed.

“The fear lies in the infiltration of extremists and terrorists into Yemen” from Somalia, said Kurbi. “It is very difficult for us to tell the difference between someone displaced for humanitarian reasons and a terrorist.”

In February, the commander of the African Union forces in Mogadishu, Major General Fred Mugisha, said Somalia’s al-Qaeda allied Shebab fighters, close to collapse, were fleeing the war-torn country in large numbers for Yemen.

Earlier this month, a Somali suicide bomber killed the army commander for southern Yemen, General Salem Ali Qoton, who had led a five-week-long offensive against the jihadists.

Last year a record 103,000 refugees, asylum seekers and migrants crossed the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea from the Horn of Africa — mainly Somalis and Ethiopians.

Kurbi said al-Qaeda militants had “developed their capabilities to move from one place to another,” adding that “it is not unlikely” that jihadists in Yemen might have in turn fled to neighboring Oman.

Omani media on Tuesday quoted foreign ministry official Saeed Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi as saying his country was investigating reports that al-Qaeda militants had infiltrated the Gulf sultanate.

His remarks came after a security official in Sana’a said five al-Qaeda militants had escaped from a prison in the western Yemeni city of Hudaydah.

Yemen and Oman share a long border through desert and mountainous regions.

On Saturday, the army took control of the southeastern town of Azzan, an al-Qaeda bastion deserted by the militants a week earlier.

According to several sources, the fighters who fled Azzan, in the southeastern Shabwa province, have sought refuge in an eastern region of Yemen close to the border with Oman.

(english.alarabiya.net / 27.06.2012)

#GazaCrisis | Sawasiya center to prosecute PA health ministry for causing Gaza drug crisis

GAZA, (PIC)– Sawasiya center for human rights said it has prepared a lawsuit against the Palestinian authority health ministry in Ramallah for its direct responsibility for the pharmaceutical crisis plaguing the health sector in the Gaza Strip.

In a press release, Sawasiya affirmed that it had conducted investigation proving that the PA health ministry is responsible for the crisis of medicines in Gaza.

The center added that it decided in coordination with the Palestinian association for human rights-Monitor to file a lawsuit against this health ministry with a Palestinian court in the West Bank to oblige it to fulfill its legal obligations towards the health sector in Gaza.

The center noted that the PA health ministry avoided its legal obligations and deliberately did not send to Gaza its allocation of medicines and medical supplies according to the tenders approved for suppliers.

It said it had evidence proving that the PA health ministry asked the suppliers not to send any shipments of medical supplies to Gaza.

For its part, the health ministry in Gaza said in a report that 253 out of 460 types of main medicines ran out from its stores and 66 others are only sufficient for three months.

It added that 211 out of 900 types of medical consumables are out of stock and the balance of 136 other types covers the needs of hospitals for only three months.

(occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com / 27.06.2012)

Al Aqaba

 

I want my village to have the right to issue valid building permits to secure the future of Al Aqaba. With this right, a glaring oversight of the Oslo Accords will be overturned, showing our villagers and the world that peace and justice are achievable through peaceful means.

- Haj Sami Sadeq
Mayor of Al Aqaba

Al Aqaba is a small village that sits on the western edge of the Jordan Valley in the West Bank. Most of its residents depend on agriculture and animal herding for their livelihood. When Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967, the army built three bases around Al Aqaba and began conducting live-fire military training exercises, often within the village itself. 1

12 residents were killed and 38 wounded as a result of these exercises. Among those wounded is the mayor of Al Aqaba, Haj Sami Sadeq, who has been confined to a wheelchair since 1971 when, at the age of 16, he was shot three times while working the fields with his parents. Due to the unsafe conditions, over the years 700 villagers have left Al Aqaba, leaving it with its current population of 300. 

It is important to note that the villagers never retaliated. In 2001, the village won a historic victory when the Israeli High Court ordered the Israeli army to remove one of its military bases from village land and cease using the village for training exercises. 2 The village hoped the reduced military presence would allow the 700 exiled villagers to return. In anticipation of this, Al Aqaba asked the Rebuilding Alliance for help with building a kindergarten that could accommodate the children of both the current and returning residents. That kindergarten now serves 130 children who live both in and outside the village, and has inspired investment by 17 embassies, UN agencies, and NGOs.

Despite the court victory, in 2004 Al Aqaba’s very existence was threatened when nearly the entire village was issued demolition orders by the Israeli army. The official reason given was a lack of building permits. Because it resides in Area C of the West Bank, Israel is in full control of military and civilian administration, including the issuance of building permits. 3,4

These demolition orders ignored the fact that in 1998, Al Aqaba submitted a master plan to the Israeli Civil Administration in order to attain building permits for construction. The Civil Administration never responded, 5 following a pattern of Israeli refusal to issue building permits to Palestinians in Area C while allowing Israeli settlements to expand.6 The village again submitted a land-use plan in 2006 only to have it ignored once more.

In 2008, the Israeli High Court rejected Al Aqaba’s petition to have the demolition order voided, citing the village’s lack of building permits, the very same permits which the village had previously applied for and been denied. 7 Rebuilding Alliance helped Al Aqaba hire an Israeli lawyer to petition that case, then brought mayor Haj Sami Sadeq and the Israel architect Shmuel Groag, co-founder of the Israeli human rights group BIMKDM: Planners for Planning Rights, to speak to the U.S. Congress. For a timeline of Rebuilding Alliance’s involvement with the town of Al Aqaba click here.

• 1 Testimony from Haj Sami Sadeq, mayor of Al Aqaba
• 2 Court Document
• 3 Peacework Article by Haj Sami Sadeq
• 4 2011 UN OCHA Report on Constraints on Palestinian Building and Planning in Area C
• 5 The Humanitarian Monitor
• 6 Prohibited Zone Abstract
• 7 Court Document

(rebuildingalliance.org / 27.06.2012)

Are Muslim Women Oppressed ?

Among the many topics of interest to non-Muslims, the status of Muslim women and the theme of their rights — or rather, the perceived lack of them – seems to be foremost. The media’s portrayal of Muslim women, usually outlining their “oppression and mystery” seems to contribute to this negative perception.

The main reason for this is that people often fail to distinguish between culture and religion — two things that are completely different. In fact, Islam condemns oppression of any kind whether it is towards a woman or humankind in general.

The Quran is the sacred book by which Muslims live. This book was revealed 1400 years ago to a man named Muhammad –peace be upon him-, who would later become the Prophet –peace be upon him-. Fourteen centuries have passed and this book has not been changed since, not one letter has been altered.

In chapter 33, entitled Surah Al-Ahzaab (The Clans), verse 59 Allah The Exalted Almighty Says (what means): “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the woman of the believers to bring down over themselves (part) of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known (as free respectable women) and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [Quran 33:59] This verse shows that Islam makes wearing a Hijaab necessary. Hijaab is the word used for covering, not only the headscarves (as some people may think) but also wearing loose clothes that are not too bright.

Sometimes, people see covered Muslim women and they think of this as oppression. This is wrong. A Muslim woman is not oppressed, in fact, she is liberated. This is because she is no longer valued for something material, such as her good looks or the shape of her body. She compels others to judge her for her intelligence, kindness, honesty and personality. Therefore, people judge her for who she actually is.

When Muslim women cover their hair and wear loose clothes, they are obeying the orders of their Lord to be modest, not cultural or social mores. In fact, Christian nuns cover their hair out of modesty, yet no one considers them “oppressed”. By following the command of Allah, Muslim women are doing the exact same thing.

The lives of the people who responded to the Quran have changed drastically. It had a tremendous impact on so many people, especially women, since this was the first time that the souls of man and women were declared equal — with the same obligations as well as the same rewards.

For the first time in history, women were granted economic independence in Islam. The money they bring in to marriage is theirs as well as the money they earn. In Islam, women are allowed to choose their own husbands and in extreme cases, ask for divorce. A woman has the right to be educated, contrary to what the contemporary world might think. The responsibility is that of the person who is raising her.

Islam is a religion that holds women in high regard. Long ago, when baby boys were born, they brought great joy to the family. The birth of a girl was greeted with considerably less joy and enthusiasm. Sometimes, girls were hated so much that they were buried alive. Islam has always been against this irrational discrimination against girls and female infanticide.

The Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, said: “Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim (male and female).” Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and interests.

While maintenance of their homes, providing support to the husband and bearing, raising and teaching children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good of the community, she may do so. However, this is allowed only as long as her family obligations are met and as long as she complies with the Islamic code of dress and conduct, with no intermingling with men in the workplace.

Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and other types for women. This differentiation in no way diminishes the effort or benefit of one gender over the other. God will reward both genders equally for the value of their work, though it may not necessarily be within the same sphere of activity.

The two great roles a woman plays in life are that of a wife and a mother. The Prophet –peace be upon him-, once said to a group of Companions:

Concerning motherhood, the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, said: “Heaven lies under the feet of mothers.” This implies that the success of a society can be traced to the mothers who raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.

A man came to the Prophet, PBUH, and asked: “Who among my kinfolk is worthy of my good companionship?” The Prophet –peace be upon him-, replied: “Your mother” three times before saying: “Your father.” This indicates the impact that a mother has in a person’s life. So women are highly honored in this great religion.

Islam is a religion that treats women fairly. The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do not enjoy even today in the West. These rights are from God and are designed to maintain a balance in society; what may seem “unjust” or “missing” in one place is compensated for or explained in another place.

“The best among you are those who are the best to their wives.” This shows that Islam highly encourages treating the wives well. They should be shown love, respect and care. To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife’s rights is to receive dowry, a gift from the husband, which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage.

The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands.

 

(Thursday, September 16, 2010 / muslim-peoples.blogspot.nl / 27.06.2012)

Syria forms new government, keeps top ministers

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree to form a new government on Saturday, shaking up many cabinet posts but keeping the heads of the interior, defence and foreign ministries, state television reported.

The reappointment of Defence Minister Daoud Rajha will quash widespread rumours, previously denied by the government, that he had been assassinated by rebels who are struggling to bring down President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

The 16-month uprising, which has faced a brutal government crackdown, is increasingly being termed a civil war by foreign observers. Assad argues he is pursuing reforms even as he fights a revolt he says is led by foreign-backed militants.

But critics say Assad’s appointment of Riyad Hijab as prime minister earlier in June was a sign the president was turning to hard-line loyalists. Hijab formed the new government given Assad’s approval, Syria TV said on Saturday.

Hijab, a former agriculture minister, is a committed member of Assad’s Baath Party, which has ruled Syria for nearly four decades since his father Hafez al-Assad took power in 1970.

Most of the top government posts were given to Baathist loyalists. Critics consider the cabinet to be largely symbolic and say power in Syria remains in the hands of Assad and his close inner circle of family and security force elites.

The new cabinet follows a May 7 parliamentary election which Assad said was part of the path to reform but the opposition boycotted as a sham, insisting the president must step down.

Other than Rajha, the ministers to retain their post were Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.

Several new ministries were created in the new cabinet.

The moderate Qadri Jamil, a centrist who has said he is speaking both to the government and to rebels, was appointed minister of internal commerce and consumer protection. The post is newly formed and likely to be mostly ceremonial.

(uk.news.yahoo.com / 27.06.2012)

Occupation Forces arrest two students from Al-Khalil Polytechnic

AL-KHALIL,(PIC)– Occupation forces raided, in the late hours of Wednesday morning, Abu Sneineh neighborhood in Al-Khalil, and arrested a university student from the Palestine  Polytechnic University. Abu Sneineh family told PIC that IOF have raided the house barbarically and fired sound bombs randomly without taking into account the presence of children and elderly people, where they damaged the house’s contents and confiscated the only computer at home. The Family added that their son Adnan Amin Ashour, 28, a former prisoner in occupation prison and a former kidnapper in Abbas’s prisons for more than 6 months, was arrested by the IOF during the raid. The family also pointed out that Adnan graduated from the University just a week ago, where the occupation deprived him from celebrating his graduation. (www.palestine-info.co.uk / 27.06.2012)

JUNE 26, 2012 INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SUPPORT OF VICTIMS OF TORTURE

On 14 and 15 May, an agreement was concluded between hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners and detainees and the Israeli Prison Service (IPS). Its provisions included the release of hunger-striking administrative detainees whose lives were in danger at the end of their current terms; ending the use of long-term solitary confinement for “security” reasons for 19 prisoners; renewal of family visits from the Gaza Strip and alleviating restrictions for families from the West Bank; ending punitive measures such as night raids and restrictions on access to legal counsel and education; improvement of conditions of incarceration including medical care; and limiting the use of administrative detention as a whole.

Despite this agreement, Israel has not changed its policy of administrative detention, family visits from the Gaza Strip have not been renewed, and punitive policies are still employed against prisoners and detainees.

Moreover, at least one administrative detainee who was due to be released has had his detention order renewed in violation of the agreement.

On a broader level,the underlying issue ofimpunityremains a constant and the ongoing issue of torture and ill treatment with no criminal investigations of reported abuses continues.

1. Background: The agreements

First stage – 14 May 2012

- Agreement reached between Israel and representatives of the hunger strikers (a committee ofnine prisoners from all political factions), with involvement of the leaderships ofFatah/Palestinian Authority, Hamas and the Egyptian government. It dealt specifically with the demands of over 1,600 prisoners who started a mass hunger strike on 17 April – mainly sentenced ‘security’ prisoners rather than administrative detainees.

- Main provisions:in return for a complete cessation of political activity of prisoners from within the prisons, 19 prisoners would be released from solitary confinement(a measure used punitively and/or against political leaders)to be with other Palestinian prisoners, and family visits for first-degree relatives who are denied access to the prisons from Gaza and the West Bank would be renewed.

- Administrative detention: initially only a marginal part of the deal, this issue did not appear in writing. This aroused anger among a separate group of administrative detainees on hunger strike, who had been fasting much longer and whose key demand was to be released from detention and cessation of the policy in general. They refused to break their fast and were supported publicly.Because of this criticism and the dangerous medical situation of at least five of the hunger-striking detainees, the prisoners’ representatives and Palestinian leaderships continued their negotiations until assured by the Egyptian government that the agreement would also include this issue. An informal agreement was reportedly reached between Israel and Egyptto limit future use of administrative detention to ‘very serious’ cases, and to re-examine renewal of current cases, but there was no undertaking for the release of all. Egypt undertook to follow the implementation closely.

- Formalisation: The only published written text of the agreement is that composed by the Israeli secret police (Shabak, also known as GSS or ISA) and posted on the Israeli MFA website, available athttp://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2012/End_hunger_strike_security_prisoners_14-May-2012.htm#understandings.According to the prisoners’ representatives, a slightly different document was actually signed with the understandings mentioned above, including those on administrative detention, but it has not been made available to the public.

Second stage – 15 May 2012

- Early in the morning of Tuesday 15 May the state agreed not to renew the administrative detention orders of the five longest-striking detainees whose medical condition was the worst, and to release them once they had completed their current detention orders, in a manner similar to the understanding reached with hunger-striking detainee Khader Adnan in February this year. These detainees then agreed to break their fast.

2. Results – General

As of 1 June 2012, 4,659 Palestinian prisoners were in Israeli custody, including 303 administrative detainees held without formal charge or trial. An additional detainee, Mahmoud Sarsak, is also being held without charge or trial under the ‘Unlawful Combatants Law,’ applied to residents of the Gaza Strip.

Since the agreement, administrative detention orders have been renewed for many existing administrative detainees and newly arrested persons have been placed in administrative detention; others have been released at the end of their order terms in accordance with the agreements.

3. Situation of long-term hunger-strikers whose release was promised under the agreement:

a. Hassan Safadi ended his hunger strike after 71 days. His current administrative detention order was due to expire on 29 June 2012 and, according to the agreement, he was supposed to be released on that date. However, his lawyer was informed on 21 June of the renewal of his administrative detention order for a further six months, in violation of the agreement. He has renewed his hunger strike in response. He was subsequently transferred to solitary confinement and is in Hadarim prison.

After the agreement was reached and Safadi stopped his strike, he was examined by an independent doctor from Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel) on 6 June 2012 at Hadarim prison. Generally his health was satisfactory and he had gained about 7 kg, but the doctor was concerned about the absence of a stable re-feeding nutrition plan and the lack of medical follow-up examinations that were supposed to be conducted earlier during the hunger strike. A medical report with the doctor’s recommendations was sent to the IPS for further follow up but no response has been received to date.

b. Bilal Diab ended his hunger strike after 77 days. His current administrative order ends on 11 August 2012 and he should be released on that date according to the agreement. After the strike he was examined by an independent doctor from PHR-Israel on 6 June 2012 at the medical facility of the IPS in Ramleh prison. Generally his health was satisfactory. He gained about 10 kg in approximately two weeks after 77 days of fasting; however, the doctor was concerned regarding the absence of a stable re-feeding nutrition plan for him.

About two weeks ago he was transferred to Shata prison in the north of Israel, where he was allowed to meet with his brother Azzam (a prisoner serving a life sentence), for the first time since 2006. In addition, his mother and four of his brothers have been given permission to visit both of them in July.

c. Tha’er Halahleh ended his hunger strike after 77 days. His administrative order ended on 6 June and he was released. His health is improving although he has had some complications after his release, and was admitted and discharged from a hospital in the West Bank.

d. Omar Abu Shalalended his hunger strike after 70 days. His current administrative detention order is due to expire on 30 August 2012 and he should be released on that date according to the agreement. After the strike he was examined by an independent doctor from PHR-Israel on 6 June 2012, at the medical facility of the IPS in Ramleh, after which he was reportedly moved to another unknown facility. Generally speaking, his health had improved.

e. Ju’afar Azzedineended his hunger strike after 55 days. His current administrative detention order is due to expire on 20 July 2012, after which he should be released, according to the agreement. He was moved to Eshel prison a week after ending his hunger strike.

f. Mahmoud Sarsak, a football player from Gaza,was not included in the original agreement as he is being held under the Unlawful Combatants Law, applied to residents from the Gaza Strip. He continued his hunger strike until 18 June, during which he suffered weakness of the myocardium (heart muscle), intestinal disturbances, body pain, fainting spells, and could no longer walk or see, as witnessed by his lawyer, Mohammad Jabareen. His 92-day hunger strike ended with an agreement for him to be released on 10 July 2012.

4. Other prisoners and detainees still currently on hunger strike:

a. Akram Rikhawiis now on day 76 of his hunger strike and faces imminent threat to his life. A resident of Gaza, Rikhawi is serving a 9-year sentence since 7 June 2004. He is on hunger strike to request consideration of early release due to chronic medical problems includingasthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, atrophy of the eye lenses, cataracts and osteoporosis.He was held in the IPS medical facility in Ramleh ever since his initial arrest. Despite his condition, on 14 June 2012 the Israeli District Court rejected an appeal to transfer him to a civilian hospital and he has been denied access to an external doctor since 6 June 2012. On 25 June 2012 Rikhawi was finally transferred to Assaf Harofeh, a civilian hospital in Israel, following a deterioration in his condition. Under Israeli law every prisoner is entitled to ask to be considered for an earlier release when he has served at least two thirds of his sentence. Rikhawi went on hunger strike on 12 April 2012 demanding that his medical condition and social circumstances be considered during the discussion of his request. In all discussions, these factors were disregarded and a file with secret information was the only material considered.

b. Samer Al-Barqis on day 37 of his renewed hunger strike, which he launched when Israel renewed his administrative detention order on21May 2012.A resident of the West Bank village of Jayyus, 34 year-old Al-Barq is married to Sageda, a Pakistani citizen. He was held without charge or trial by the Jordanian intelligence for four and a half years, and was then transferred to the Israeli secret police (GSS) on 7 November 2010, whereupon an administrative detention order was issued, and renewed several times since.

Al-Barq joined the Palestinian prisoners’ mass hunger strike on 17 April 2012 and fasted for 28 days, along with around 2,000 other Palestinian prisoners, until the May agreement was reached.

On 21 May 2012, Al-Barq’s administrative detention order was renewed for a further three months, and he resumed his hunger strike to protest this renewal in violation of Israel’s commitment given to the hunger strike leaders to renew administrative detention orders only in extremely exceptional circumstances.

Currently Al-Barq is held at the IPS medical facility in Ramleh. His family has reported that he suffers from kidney problems and high blood pressure and has lost more than 20% of his original weight.
On 21 June 2012, PHR-Israel submitted a request to allow independent physicians access to him. On the 25^th of June the IPS denied PHR-Israel request with out stating any reasons to the denial.

Both Al-Barq and Rikhawi are denied family visits and access of independent doctors.

5. Minors on hunger strike:

Nine minors held in Hasharon prison engaged in a hunger strike for five days in mid-June. The minors launched their hunger strike in protest against their incarceration without adult supervision, denial of education, overcrowding, substandard medical care and sanitation in the cells, denial of family visits, holding of minors in solitary confinement as a punitive measure, as well as abuse and violence from prison staff. Their hunger strike concluded upon agreement from the Hashron prison authorities that their basic conditions would be improved. It is as yet unclear if this agreement has been respected.

6. Solitary confinement:

Eighteen Palestinian prisoners have been taken out of solitary confinement and into regular cells. Dirar Abu Sisi, who has also been held in long-term solitary confinement since before the agreement, has not yet been removed from solitary confinement, in contravention of the agreement. Abu Sisi was abducted by the Israeli Mossad from Ukraine last year. An additional prisoner was also given a 6-month solitary confinement order last week.

Other Palestinian prisoners are still being held in prolonged solitary confinement, and the use of solitary confinement as a punitive measure is still ongoing. The IPS has claimed that the agreement does not include those prisoners held in solitary confinement ordered by the IPS authorities as a disciplinary measure or in order to maintain prison security and order.

7. Family visits from the West Bank:

There has been a partial renewal of visits for relatives from the West Bank whose access to the prisons was previously denied. As stated above, Bilal Diab’s family received permits to visit, and prisoners Abdallah Al Barghouthi and Abbas Al Said have received visits from their younger sons. Both were previously in solitary confinement for many years and were denied family visits. It is not yet clear what percentage of West Bank prisoners’ families have now newly been granted permits and how many have been denied permits.

8. Family visits from the Gaza Strip

Family visits to prisoners from the Gaza Strip have been denied since 2007. According to the agreement, visits should have been resumed within one month of the end of the hunger strike. There are informal reports that the visits are due to be resumed in July. The ICRC has reported that they are in contact with the IPS regarding renewal of visits from the Gaza Strip, but there is no official date yet. The IPS responded in a letter to Adalah on 20 June 2012 that due to the large number of parties involved, including the Israel military, the Attorney General, the Israeli Police, and other security forces, it is difficult to arrange permits for family members to visit.

According to this letter, “[e]ven before security prisoners began the hunger strike, we began to examine options for access for families from Gaza to visit prisoners held in Israel… Taking into consideration that the issue is complicated, we hope to soon establish a system to carry out a pilot program to obtain permits for access from Gaza.”

9. Punitive measures against inmates:

Violent raids by IPS special forces on prisoners’ sections continue despite the agreement. Families of prisoners have reported to PHR-Israel that some wings are suffering from collective punishment due to suspicion of holding mobile phones. Punishments include fines, denial of permission to buy extra food and supplies, and denial of family visits. The latter is a basic right, not a privilege.

10. Restriction on access to higher education:

Despite the agreement, access to higher education has not been renewed and there is no discussion of intention to renew it. Adalah filed a motion to the Israeli Supreme Court in March 2012 for permission to appeal the Nazareth District Court decision to reject a prisoner’s request to continue his higher education in the Open University after two years of study via correspondence. In June 2011, the IPS had suddenly and arbitrarily decided to stop all Palestinian political prisoners from studying higher education courses. To date, there has been no response from the state.

11 . Access to medical care:

The IPS continues to deny entry of independent doctors to hunger strikers and visits have been enabled only through prolonged court processes. Transfer of hunger strikers to civilian hospitals is also prevented despite a clear need to provide specialised care not available in the IPS medical facility. More generally, the quality of medical care provided to all inmates is a key complaint of Palestinian prisoners and their families. No improvement has been recorded and, since the announcement by the current Chief Medical Officer Dini Orkin-Tischler that she is leaving her post shortly, requests for information and complaints regarding medical care (transmitted by PHR-Israel) have gone largely unanswered.

Following the hunger strike, female Palestinian prisoners held in Hasharon prison boycotted the prison clinic for one week in protest at the lack of adequate medical care and unreasonable waiting periods.

12. Recommendations:

- That the arbitrary and excessive use of administrative detention be discontinued and Palestinian detainees be ensured access to a fair legal process;

- That the agreements reached on 14 and 15 May 2012 be respected, including the release of administrative detainees who were promised release at the end of their current orders,renewal of family visits and lifting ofthe punitive measures used against Palestinians in Israeli custody;

- That Akram Rikhawi continue to be hospitalised in a civilian hospital adequate to his needs and that his early release be considered based on his grave medical conditions; and that regular independent medical visits be allowed to all hunger strikers;

- That the EU publicly and actively engage with Israel to end the arbitrary use of administrative detention, and condemn the punitive measures used to quell the efforts of the hunger strikers, who are engaged in legitimate protest.

- That the EU implement and support an experts’ fact-finding mission to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory on the subject of conditions of Palestinians incarcerated by Israel.

This information was compiled by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel), Adalah – The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), based on their own work and sources, as well as on information from Addameer (West Bank), Al Haq (West Bank) and Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights (Gaza), based on their ongoing work on behalf of Palestinian detainees and prisoners.

For further information or clarifications please contact Miri Weingarten miri.weingarten@gmail.com

THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

JOINT PROJECT OF ADALAH, AL MEZAN (GAZA) AND PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS-ISRAEL

The contents of this paper are the sole responsibility of Adalah, Al Mezan (Gaza), Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union

(www.phr.org.il / 27.06.2012)

Arab players shine in European football

Hatem Ben Arfa (L), Samir Nasri (C) and Karim Benzema (R) are three of the Arab players on this year’s national French team.

With 16 qualified teams, the entire world watching, and the participation of several Arab players in prominent European national teams an increasing number of Arabic viewers are tuning into the UEFA Euro 2012.

The ethnically Arab players are highly celebrated across the region where the audience is hungry to watch them invade the international football scene.

While there are several players of Middle Eastern descent across Europe, the most famous of them are spotted in the French national team.

According to recently published reports, players Hatem Ben Arfa, Samir Nasri, and Karim Benzema, commonly called the “Génération 1987” by the French media, are the key players to push the French team towards glory at this year’s tournament. Born just a couple of months apart, all three have played together and know each other well.

Striker Karim Benzema, who is of Algerian descent, has had a thriving career with different teams in France and Spain. In fact, it was those achievements that left his teammates and coach rather disappointed recently. More was expected of him by the French team after his outstanding performance with Real Madrid, where he has scored 21 goals in the Spanish League.

Attacking midfielder Samir Nasri is an equally accomplished player and a fellow Algerian as well. His temper, however, did not do him good during this year’s tournament. Rumors circulated that he could be facing a two-year-ban after he verbally abused a French reporter. Despite Nasri’s public apologies, the incident is too fresh to be forgotten. “You can do what you want when you play for Manchester City but not when you wear the France team shirt,” president of the French Football Federation Noel le Graet told Britain’s the Telegraph.

Both Benzema and Nasri were selected along with the Tunisian Hatem Ben Arfa on the 29th of May to participate in the UEFA Euro 2012. Ben Arfa, the youngest of the three and well-known for having disputes with coaches, reportedly felt “unfairly singled out” when France coach Laurent Blanc substituted him in a game where France lost 2-0 to Sweden, and then reportedly angered Blanc by talking on his mobile phone in the changing rooms afterwards. Ben Arfa remained on the bench throughout the game against Spain as well.

Selected on the same day to play for the team is Adil Rami. Older by just a couple of years, his age sets him apart from the “Génération 1987”.

As opposed to his teammates, his name gets less mentioned in the news headlines.

The French team does not entirely monopolize all the Arabic names in the world of European football. There are other, lesser known, Middle Eastern players in the tournament.

Swaying between Spanish and German teams throughout his career and born on the same year as the “Génération 1987”, the half German half Tunisian player Sami Khedira is a midfielder the German team will be relying on during this year’s tournament. His participation has given the German team a completely new twist, sports newspapers have said, calling him “one of the best holding midfielders.”

Playing for the Netherlands is the slightly older Khalid Boulahrouz. The 29 year old is of Berber Moroccan descent. In anticipation for his game against Portugal, Boulahrouz said, “We are all familiar with the Portuguese style and their antics. They don’t mind giving a few nasty kicks … We have things on our mind that are more important than kicking, beating and spitting. We’re focused on winning this match.” Luck, however, was not on his side as Portugal won 2-1.

Zinedin Zidane, currently the Real Madrid Director of Football, is a football legend that contributed to French victory in the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. His Algerian Berber parents moved to France in 1953.

The France team that won the 1998 World Cup, on home soil, included so many players of color that Jean Marie Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Front, bemoaned that it was “not a real French team.” But France was ecstatic in its adoration of a team that, against all odds, won France’s first and only World Cup. “Black, Blanc, Beur” was the slogan of acknowledgment of that triumph, meaning “black, white, Arab” — a celebration of the diversity of a team that had brought glory to France.

(english.alarabiya.net / 27.06.2012)