Addameer

ON INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY: THE OCCUPATION HAS ARRESTED THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN WORKERS AFTER THE SEVENTH OF OCTOBER.

addameer — Wed, 01 May 2024 08:40:50 +0000

ON INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY: THE OCCUPATION HAS ARRESTED THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN WORKERS AFTER THE SEVENTH OF OCTOBER.

The Israeli occupation system has targeted Palestinian workers, as well as all segments of the Palestinian people, over many decades. Arrests and persecution have been among the occupation's prominent policies. Moreover, a significant portion of Palestinian prisoners who have struggled for the freedom of their land and people come from the working class. Over the years, the occupation has worked on developing its tools and policies to target them, depriving them of their rights, and imposing further control and surveillance on their right to work and life.

addameer Wed, 05/01/2024 - 11:40

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5335

Date

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 - 12:00

On International Workers' Day: The occupation has arrested thousands of Palestinian workers after the seventh of October.

addameer — Wed, 01 May 2024 08:13:01 +0000

On International Workers' Day: The occupation has arrested thousands of Palestinian workers after the seventh of October.

addameer Wed, 05/01/2024 - 11:13

01-05-2024

1/5/2024

In a statement issued by the Prisoner Institutions (The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, The Palestinian Prisoners' Club Association, and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association) on the occasion of International Workers' Day, which falls on the first of May every year, they affirmed that amidst the escalating aggression of the occupation and the beginning of the genocidal war against our people in Gaza over the course of about 7 months, the issue of Palestinian workers has become prominent. This is seen in light of the escalating crimes and systematic violations against them, including arrests, persecution, and torture.

Thousands of Palestinian workers from all Palestinian geographies have been subjected to mass arrests and systematic crimes, specifically after the seventh of October. This falls within the framework of the collective punishment policy that the occupation has escalated in an unprecedented manner compared to periods in Palestine marked by uprisings and broad popular waves against the Israeli occupation system.

The institutions continue in their statement, "The majority of the arrests targeting workers after the seventh of October were aimed at workers from our people in Gaza, who were present to work in the occupied territories of 1948. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Labor, the number of workers from Gaza who were present in the occupied territories in 1948 before the seventh of October was approximately 10,300 Palestinian workers, 3,200 of whom were released at the Karm Abu Salem crossing at the beginning of November 2023. Some of them still bore plastic tags on their wrists bearing numbers, and they were released from the detention centers where they were held. Approximately 6,441 workers were deported to the West Bank governorates, while around 1,000 workers remain missing due to the ongoing crime of enforced disappearance against Gaza detainees. The occupation refused to disclose any information about them and only announced the existence of two camps belonging to the army to detain Gaza detainees, including the "Sdeh Teiman" camp near Beersheba and the "Anatot" camp near Jerusalem. However, detention locations were not limited to these camps as some workers were detained in Ofer Prison."

The occupation has intensified its pursuit and arrest operations against workers for entering without permits into the occupied territories of 1948 to work during the past few months. This comes amidst escalating policies of systematic oppression against our people, expansion of settlements, and the confiscation of Palestinian funds. These arrest operations have been accompanied by various forms of assault and detention under oppressive and difficult conditions.

The institutions emphasize that the occupation practices acts of abuse, torture, and deprivation against the detained workers, in addition to all retaliatory measures imposed on prisoners and detainees inside its prisons and camps. These measures include policies of starvation and continuous humiliation. Furthermore, the assaults accompanying their arrest operations have led to the martyrdom of three workers in the occupation's prisons and camps after the seventh of October. They are among 16 martyrs among the prisoners who passed away after the seventh of October: (the martyr Majid Zaqqoul from Gaza, the second martyr whose identity could not be confirmed by the institutions, also from Gaza, in addition to the martyr Abdul Rahim Amer from Qalqilya).

In light of the releases of detainees from Gaza, some of them have begun speaking to the Palestinian media about the conditions of these camps and the inhumane circumstances they have endured, reaching the level of torture. The prisoners have affirmed being held in the open air, with their hands shackled throughout their detention period, in addition to blindfolding. They have also reported the practice of starvation, thirst, and denial of medical treatment, as well as being held in unclean places that do not meet the minimum standards of human life.

One of them reported in his testimony: "While he was with 70 other workers in accommodation in the area of Rahat on 10/10/2023, the landlord evicted them. Afterwards, they were transferred to the Rahat police station and detained in an uncovered outdoor yard within the facility. They were bound hand and foot with plastic restraints, blindfolded, and kept in this state for 12 hours. During this period, the police officers continued to beat them, and police dogs were set upon them, biting their bodies. They were kept under the sun without food or drink."

Afterward, they were transferred to Ofer Prison, where they were held in a barracks measuring approximately 700 square meters, divided into two sections, with each section holding around 150 workers. The conditions in the cells were very poor, as each section contained only three portable toilets and lacked shower facilities. Both the cells and the toilets were devoid of any personal hygiene essentials such as soap or toilet paper.

The institutions present an example of visits conducted to the (Ofer) detention center, where the occupation has detained dozens of detained workers, including those arrested for entering without permits. Some of them, despite obtaining permits, were subjected to arrest, interrogation, and investigation. Additionally, some of them were transferred to administrative detention.

The visits conducted to the detention center included dozens of testimonies, some of which were from workers about torture, abuse, and severe beatings they endured during their arrest. This continued even after their transfer to the detention center, where detainees, including workers, were subjected to harsh interrogations, assaults, theft, and deprivation.

On February 11, 2024, a visit was made to the (Ofer) detention center, operated by the Israeli military administration, where the occupation was holding more than 80 detainees at the time, the majority of whom were workers. These are excerpts from testimonies conveyed to the lawyer who visited them:

The prisoners in the (Ofer) detention center, numbering 85 detainees, mostly workers arrested for working without permits, reported that the prison administration provided them with rotten and inedible meals. At the time, the detainees returned the meals several times due to their unsuitability for consumption. Some prisoners, due to their deteriorating health and lack of food, fainted. In response, the prison administration stormed the cells, beat them, threw their blankets outside the rooms, forced them to strip completely, and left them naked in the cold. Most of them were workers at the time. These are excerpts from numerous testimonies provided by detained workers in this detention center, reflecting a high level of brutality and unprecedented violations.

The Prisoner Institutions renew their call to all international human rights organizations at various levels to open an independent international investigation in light of the continuing escalation of crimes and genocidal war against our people in Gaza. They call for action to put an end to the escalating and unprecedented crimes against prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons and to restore their rightful and necessary role in the face of the brutality of the occupation system, with the support of international forces. These forces are ignoring the entire humanitarian and human community. Every voice of the free world that rises in support of the Palestinian people's right to determine their own destiny is heard.

(End)

SUMMARY OF ARREST CAMPAIGN DATA FROM OCTOBER 7TH UNTIL TODAY, APRIL 22, 2024:

addameer — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:54:29 +0000

SUMMARY OF ARREST CAMPAIGN DATA FROM OCTOBER 7TH UNTIL TODAY, APRIL 22, 2024:

These data do not include any figures regarding the number of arrests from Gaza, as the occupation continues to refuse to disclose them and enforces enforced disappearance against them, estimated to be in the thousands. It should be noted that the occupation has detained hundreds of Gaza workers in the West Bank, along with Gaza citizens who were present in the West Bank for medical treatment.
- Total Prisoner Numbers: As of the end of March, the total number of prisoners exceeded 9,500, including over 3,660 administrative detainees and 849 categorized as "illegal combatants" from Gaza. These numbers are available only as clear data from the Israeli Prison Service.

addameer Mon, 04/22/2024 - 14:54

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Link

https://www.addameer.org/news/5327

Date

Monday, April 22, 2024 - 12:00

Summary of Arrest Campaign Data from October 7th until today, April 22, 2024:

addameer — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:22:38 +0000

Summary of Arrest Campaign Data from October 7th until today, April 22, 2024:

addameer Mon, 04/22/2024 - 14:22

22-04-2024

This summary includes data of those arrested from the West Bank, while detainees from Gaza remain subjected to enforced disappearance.

- The total number of arrests in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, exceeded 8,425.

- Women: The total number of female arrests is around 280. This includes women arrested from the territories occupied in 1948 and cases of women from Gaza and arrested from the West Bank.

- Children: The number of child arrests is approximately 540.

- Journalists: The number of journalist arrests after October 7th is 66. Forty-five of them remain detained, with 23 transferred to administrative detention.

- Administrative Detention Orders: After October 7th, there were over 5,210 administrative detention orders issued, including new and renewed orders, some targeting children and women.

- The ongoing arrest campaigns since October 7th have been accompanied by escalating crimes and violations, including brutal beatings, threats against detainees and their families, widespread destruction of homes, confiscation of vehicles , confiscations of money and gold, and extensive infrastructure destruction, particularly in the camps of Tulkarm, Jenin, and their surroundings.

- These arrest campaigns encompass those detained from homes, military checkpoints, those who surrendered under pressure, and those held as hostages.

- Additionally, during these arrest campaigns, Israeli forces carried out extrajudicial killings, including individuals from the families of detainees.

- At least 16 prisoners have died in Israeli prisons and camps after October 7th, including Omar Draghma from Tubas, Arafat Hamdan from Ramallah, Majed Zaqoul from Gaza, and a fourth martyr whose identity is unknown, AbdulRahman Mareii from Salfit, Thaier Abu Asab from Qalqilya, AbdulRahman al Bahesh from Nablus, Mohammad AlSabar from Hebron, Khalid Alshaweesh from Tubas, IzzEldein Al Banna from Gaza, Asif Rifaei from Ramallah, Ahmad Rizq Qadeeh, Jumaa Abu Ghanimeh, Walid Daqqa, AbdulRahman Amr. In addition to the injured prisoner Mohammad Abu Sineneh from Jerusalem that passed away in February in Hadaseh hospital after we was injured and arrested on the same day.
It should be noted that Israeli media has disclosed data indicating the deaths of other detainees from Gaza in the Sdeh Teyman camp in Be'er Sheva. Recently, the occupation also revealed the deaths of 27 detainees from Gaza. The occupation continues to refuse to disclose any information regarding the fate of Gaza detainees. Additionally, the occupation has admitted to the execution of one Gaza detainee, along with other indications pointing to further executions.

The data related to arrest cases includes those still held by the occupation and those released later.

Prisoner Institutions: (The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, The Palestinian Prisoners' Club Association, Addameer Institution for Prisoner Support and Human Rights)
[0:53 pm, 22/04/2024] نادي الأسير - الإعلام:

During the month of Palestinian Prisoners' Day (17th of April) Addameer issues an urgent call for action to the free people of the world.

addameer — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:46:12 +0000

During the month of Palestinian Prisoners' Day (17th of April) Addameer issues an urgent call for action to the free people of the world.

The crimes of the Israeli occupation against Palestinian prisoners have intensified since last October 7th. The occupation authorities have launched a wide-ranging campaign of arrests targeting all sectors of the Palestinian people. More than 8000 male and female detainees have been arrested since October 7th. 80% of them are held under arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial. 16 Palestinian prisoners have been killed under torture and ill-treatment in the occupation's prisons. Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza are subjected to enforced disappearance. Dozens of detainees from Gaza have been killed during detention in military camps.

addameer Thu, 04/18/2024 - 14:46

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5323

Date

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - 12:00

During the month of Palestinian Prisoners' Day (17th of April) Addameer issues an urgent call for action to the free people of the world.

addameer — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:42:10 +0000

During the month of Palestinian Prisoners' Day (17th of April) Addameer issues an urgent call for action to the free people of the world.

addameer Thu, 04/18/2024 - 14:42

17-04-2024

In the face of all these crimes and many others, Addameer calls those in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners to address both the Israeli military Central Command who issues and signs thousands of orders for arbitrary administrative detention, and the Head of Israeli Prison Service responsible for all crimes committed against prisoners inside the prisons, and demand an immediate cessation of the crimes on Palestinian prisoners, using the following two texts for different emails:

“To the Israeli military Central Command: Yehuda Fox

The detention of Palestinians under administrative detention orders without informing the detainee of the nature and cause of the charge, denying them their right to a fair trial is a war crime according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Your issuance and signing of these orders expose you to legal accountability as a war criminal.

There are currently over 3600 Palestinians detained administratively in prisons without any charges.

I demand an immediate cessation of the crime of issuing administrative detention orders to detain Palestinians without charge or trial. You should be well aware that you will be subject to legal accountability for perpetrating this crime.”

The message should be sent to the emails: [[email protected]">[email protected] / [email protected]">[email protected]]

“To the Head of the Israeli Prison Service: Kobi Yaakobi

The crime of subjecting Palestinian prisoners to torture, ill-treatment, and abuse by the Israeli Prison Service forces is a war crime and a crime against humanity according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. You bear full legal responsibility for committing these crimes.

Within the prisons, 16 Palestinian prisoners have been killed in the past 6 months as a result of severe beatings, torture, ill-treatment, and medical neglect, and Palestinian prisoners continue to be subjected to policies of starvation, thirst, and deprivation of basic rights.

I demand an immediate cessation of the crimes of torture and ill-treatment against Palestinian prisoners. You should be well aware that you will be subject to legal accountability for perpetrating this crime.”

The message should be sent to the email: [[email protected]">[email protected]]

Please spread this call to all your networks and friends

We appreciate your solidarity.

ADDAMEER for

Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association

FACT SHEET ISSUED BY PRISONERS' INSTITUTIONS ON THE EVE OF "PALESTINIAN PRISONER'S DAY" ON APRIL 17, 2024.

addameer — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:59:54 +0000

FACT SHEET ISSUED BY PRISONERS' INSTITUTIONS ON THE EVE OF "PALESTINIAN PRISONER'S DAY" ON APRIL 17, 2024.

The date of October 7 marked a significant turning point that imposed radical transformations on the reality of prisoners and detainees in Israeli occupation prisons. This was reflected across all dimensions related to this issue, in light of the comprehensive aggression against our people and their detainees, and the ongoing genocide against our people in Gaza for over 6 consecutive months.

Throughout this period, the Israeli occupation authorities at various levels carried out horrific crimes against the prisoners, resulting in the deaths of 16 detainees due to systematic torture, medical neglect, starvation policies, and a range of violations and acts of abuse targeting both male and female prisoners, including children, elderly individuals, and the sick.

addameer Wed, 04/17/2024 - 15:59

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PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People

addameer — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:26:22 +0000

PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People

The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC) warns that Palestinians in Gaza are currently experiencing catastrophic hunger, and are on the verge of a completely avoidable man-induced famine, engineered by Israel as a weapon of war to destroy the Palestinian people. Crippled by 16-years of a punitive military siege and blockade, even prior to October 7th, Gaza was already de-developed to the point of dysfunction, with over one million people dependent on food aid for survival. Since March, due to Israel’s genocidal policies and implementation of a total siege in North Gaza, and the denial of life-saving aid into the territory, at least 28 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration –– adding their number to the 33,207 Palestinians killed since October 7th. UNICEF warns that this number will likely rise should Israel’s assault on Gaza continue and obstacles it has imposed on humanitarian aid remain. Full resourcing of UNRWA is urgently needed to provide for the survival of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

addameer Wed, 04/10/2024 - 13:26

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Link

https://www.addameer.org/news/5316

Date

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 - 12:00

PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People

addameer — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:19:02 +0000

PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People

addameer Wed, 04/10/2024 - 13:19

10-04-2024

PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People.pdf

PHROC Calls on Remaining Third States to immediately and Urgently Fund UNRWA to Prevent Famine and the Genocidal Destruction of the Palestinian People

UNRWA operates under the principle of neutrality, meaning that “humanitarian actors must not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious, or ideological nature”. UNRWA is the “backbone” of humanitarian assistance in Gaza, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres describes. It plays, as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles explains, an “irreplaceable role as lifeline for the strained civilians in Gaza and provides indispensable support to the Palestinians of the whole region”.

For years, Israel has attempted to systematically destroy UNRWA as part of its annexationist settler colonial objective to prevent the right of return of the Palestinian people. Seventy percent of Palestinians in Gaza are refugees denied the right of return to their homes in Israel. Israel’s political leaders have castigated and smeared UNRWA with malicious claims of “perpetuat[ing] the Palestinian refugee problem” and “teach[ing] children to hate Israel”. In 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called for UNRWA to be “dismantled”. Also in 2018, United States President Trump halted funding to UNRWA, with US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley stating, “we have to look at [the] right of return" of classified Palestinian refugees. More recently, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz attacked UNRWA as “part of the Palestinian lie that there are ‘refugees’ who need to return to the State of Israel. We are working to remove UNRWA from Gaza”. On 2 February, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reported that “[UNRWA] is self-perpetuating also in its desire to keep alive the Palestinian refugee issue. And we need to get other U.N. agencies and other aid agencies replacing UNRWA if we’re going to solve the problem of Gaza as we intend to do”.

Israel has taken both military and political actions to target and eliminate UNRWA. In February, Israel’s Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich blocked four shipments of flour from being transferred to UNRWA in Gaza. Between 7 October and 7 April, 178 UNRWA staff members were killed in attacks across Gaza, and 161 UNRWA installations, many housing the forcibly displaced Palestinian population, were damaged. On the same day that the International Court of Justice awarded provisional measures against Israel for plausibly committing genocide in Gaza, accusations were published against UNRWA staff, who were immediately fired without due process on secret evidence on allegations which later turned out to be unsubstantiated. A Channel 4 investigation into Israel’s meagre six-page dossier of allegations against UNRWA workers, found that it “contains no evidence”. Despite this, 20 States suspended and withdrew vital funding to UNRWA. These included Australia, Austria, Canada, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The allegations were clearly aligned to deflect attention from Israel’s loss at the International Court of Justice and destroy UNRWA as a continuing settler colonial objective.

In March, UNRWA warned that it would run out of funding at the end of May 2024. While some Third States including Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark Finland, France, Iceland, Japan and Sweden and the United States have begun to reinstate their funding to UNRWA –– many more States have yet to follow –– including Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. On 25 March, Germany reinstated its regional funding for UNRWA, however it deliberately excluded Gaza.

The situation in Gaza has deteriorated catastrophically. On March 6, South Africa filed an application for additional provisional measures before the International Court of Justice in its genocide case against Israel, invoking the widespread starvation in Gaza, which is spreading at an unprecedented rate. In recent days, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths warned that Israel’s “decision to block its food convoys to the north only pushes thousands closer to famine” and urged full support for UNRWA –– “the beating heart of the humanitarian response in Gaza”.

We urge the remaining States, to resume funding UNRWA immediately.

State Obligations to Prevent Genocide

We remind Third States that in the event of a breach of a peremptory norm of international law, which includes the prohibition against genocide, they are under the obligation not recognise the illegal situation arising from the breach, nor render assistance in maintaining the illegal situation, and to collaborate towards ending the illegal situation. Furthermore, under Article VIII of the 1948 Genocide Convention, States Parties “may call upon the competent organs of the United Nations to take such action under the Charter of the United Nations as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression of acts of genocide”.

We further remind Third States, who do have the ability to alleviate the sufferings of the Palestinian people, including through funding UNRWA, that history harshly judges those who stand by during genocide. Suspending such funding is tantamount to condemning millions of Palestinians to die of hunger, dehydration and disease. Such actions may amount to complicity in the ongoing genocide as it entrenches conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of the Palestinian people.

In light of the above, we call on Third States to immediately and urgently continue funding UNRWA and to take concrete steps to bring the genocide to an end.

Walid Daqqa.. The Prisoner.. The Witness and the Martyr.

addameer — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:41:30 +0000

Walid Daqqa.. The Prisoner.. The Witness and the Martyr.

The prisoner Walid Daqqa passes away as a martyr in Israeli occupation hospitals, bearing witness to the ongoing crime of colonialism against Palestinian prisoners in the last colonial prisons in the world. Daqqa departs this world after serving a continuous sentence of over 38 years, during which guards changed multiple times and the cell doors rusted shut. In his departure, Daqqa leaves behind a clear image of the inhumane treatment practiced by the occupation, particularly towards Palestinian prisoners.

addameer Mon, 04/08/2024 - 12:41

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5314

Date

Monday, April 8, 2024 - 12:00