‘NYT’ highlights Palestinian hunger strikers as latest form of ‘resistance’ (Where’s NPR?)

by on May 4, 2012 24
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NPR's David Greene did a long piece on Bahrain opposition today. "Political Change Slow To Come To Bahrain activists." He focused on Abdulhadi Al Khawajah, a prominent human rights activist, on Day 87 of a hunger strike.

Greene knows the Arab Spring. He covered it. Does he include the surging inspiring nonviolent movement in Palestine part of the Arab Spring? If not, why not? These people are trying to end a tyrannical occupation.

And speaking of media non-blackouts, here is Jodi Rudoren, distingushing herself in the New York Times, reporting from the Hebron Hills on the hunger strikers as the new face of "Palestinian resistance." Great to see that word in a Times headline! Notice that Rudoren is not piping this story from Jerusalem, she goes out to the village and interviews Shireen Halahleh, wife of Thaer Halahleh, who is at death's door.  But notice the honor she gives this movement:

The newest heroes of the Palestinian cause are not burly young men hurling stones or wielding automatic weapons. They are gaunt adults, wrists in chains, starving themselves inside Israeli prisons...

Hunger striking by Palestinian prisoners is not a new tactic. According to the Palestine Solidarity Project, the tactic was first used in the Nablus prison in 1968 and has been repeated at least 15 times since, with three men dying over the years....

But social media have spread the siren this time, first on Khader Adnan, a member of Islamic Jihad who was released last month from administrative detention after a 66-day fast that left him in grave condition.

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in Israel/Palestine

{ 24 comments... read them below or add one }

  1. David Samel says:
    May 4, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Noticeable progress. Rudoren may not write like she’s posting on mondoweiss, but she is a vast improvement over Bronner and Kershner. There are no irritating inaccurate factoids littering her piece, and she seems to be simply striving for true even-handedness, which no doubt will be viewed by Zio-loonies as pro-Palestinian, pro-terrorist, whatever. She’s also choosing to write about an event that Israel no doubt would love to see buried in a tiny article on page 29 if printed at all. It may be a bit premature, but this appears a breath of fresh air.

    • pabelmont says:
      May 4, 2012 at 12:18 pm

      “administrative detention — incarceration without formal charges” is sort of true, but “without trial” might have been added for better effect.

      Still, a step forward from The Bronner and The Kersh.

      • Allison Deger says:
        May 4, 2012 at 2:27 pm

        They have trials, military trials with 99.7 % conviction rates earned by secret evidence. Trials where sometimes there are no formal charges, yet one is convicted in blocs of months. They are certainly not fair trials, but technically, administrative detainees do have their day in a discriminatory court.

        Something that we have not gone into detail on this site, which is very interesting relating to trials, is some administrative detainees are protesting the military court system, refusing to go to their hearings unless they are given due process. When Hana Shalabi was still imprisoned a group of prisoners re-started this form of protest to highlight the illegality of the court system.

        I am glad you brought up the trial itself, it is very important and is the apex of what makes administrative detention illegal and an effective warehousing of one in four Palestinians: “incarceration without formal charges, or a fair and legal court system. The relic of military codes established during the early years of the occupation, and since the late 1980s, a master tool for imprisoning activists, students, refugees, and undesirable political parties.”

  2. Pixel says:
    May 4, 2012 at 11:23 am

    It minimizes the significance of Rudoren’s amazing piece by instead focusing on the question, “Where’s NPR?”

    Her piece is so significant that, for the moment, I don’t care where NPR is.

  3. marc b. says:
    May 4, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    go rudoren!! a nice bit of writing.

  4. adele says:
    May 4, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    Hallelujah for the changing of the guard at the NYT’s Jerusalem bureau. Good riddance to Bronner! The only people/institutions that will miss him are the pro-settlement/zionist PR agencies that he established relationships with that were blatantly a conflict of interest and journalistic integrity.

    Jodi Rudoren shows her merits and what real journalism is through this article. She reports the facts, what a journalist is meant to do. I sent her a note to tell her; it can’t hurt considering the pressure she will be under.

    Let us all hope that this continues.

  5. Scott says:
    May 4, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    Rudoren’s piece was spectacular for the Times; I don’t remember anything there before which actually tried to let the reader understand what it might feel like to be Palestinian–though there was often some pro forma reporting or acknowledgment of the Palestinian “perspective.” But wow, what a concept, two peoples here, struggling for justice and self-determination, not just one. Bravo Jodi.

  6. dbroncos says:
    May 4, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    ” She’s also choosing to write about an event that Israel no doubt would love to see buried in a tiny article on page 29 if printed at all.”

    I agree, David. NYT coverage of the IDF assault on the USS Liberty appeared in its 9 June 1967 edition, PAGE 29.

  7. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 4, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    Urgent Action Call from Amnesty International, for Action in the cases of Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahleh, on Day 67 of Hunger Strike. No prisoners have survived past 70 days on hunger strikes. Bilal Diab lost consciousness in court hearing yesterday, it took three Orders by Israeli court for Prison officials to allow Physician MK in Courtroom to attend to/examine him, initially Prison Authorities denied they had to obey the Court. Finally, all three judges signed a written Order directing examination.

    URGENT ACTION PALESTINIAN HUNGER STRIKERS’ LIVES IN DANGER

    Two Palestinian hunger strikers’ lives are in danger, as the Israeli Supreme Court has delayed ruling on the appeal against their detention without charge or trial. Other administrative detainees on hunger strike are still denied access to independent doctors.

    Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahleh’s petition to the Israeli Supreme Court against their administrative detention was heard on 3 May, but the judges have yet to issue a decision. Both have been on hunger strike since around 29 February, and both have told their lawyers that they have been ill-treated by Israel Prison Service (IPS) staff and physicians. Bilal Diab fainted at the hearing, and was taken back to Assaf HaRofeh hospital, where he was transferred on 1 May. The IPS had previously refused to move him from Ramleh prison medical facility. His lawyer reported that he is shackled to his hospital bed at all times. Restraining a seriously ill prisoner to his bed for non-medical reasons amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The Israeli NGO Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR) visited Tha’er Halahleh and Bilal Diab at Ramleh prison on 30 April. Their doctor reported that Bilal Diab could suffer life-threatening heart arrhythmia at any time and may also have peripheral nerve damage and internal bleeding. Tha’er Halahleh’s life is also at risk due to inflammation around his lungs, and the doctor recommended that he be transferred to hospital for a scan. He remains at Ramleh prison clinic, which PHR has said is inadequate for detainees on prolonged hunger strike as it lacks specialized equipment and properly trained staff. PHR has appealed for his transfer to an appropriate hospital, but the district court has yet to hear the petition.

    link to amnestyusa.org

  8. chris o says:
    May 4, 2012 at 11:37 pm

    OK, I love Jodi Rudoren. She’s the old school reporter, telling it like she sees it. She is telling stories. It might be a Palestinian story. It might be a Jewish one. Or an Israeli one. But it’s a real story.

  9. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 5, 2012 at 7:28 am

    Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu
    Prime Minister
    Office of the Prime Minister
    3, Kaplan Street,
    PO Box 187
    Kiryat Ben-Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel
    Fax: +972- 2-651 2631
    Email: pm_eng@pmo.gov.il

    Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

    I am very concerned about the safety and welfare of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under administrative detentions who are on hunger strikes, in particular six prisoners who have been identified by Amnesty International as facing imminent death, Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahleh, who are today on Day 68 of their hunger strikes, Hassan Safadi, Omar Abu Shalal, Ja’afar Izz al-Din, and Mahmoud al-Sarsak.

    These administrative detentions Israel is holding Palestinian prisoners under, that include the six prisoners named above, violate international treaties Israel is bound to which internationally recognize rights to a fair trial for detainees and prisoners, to include the Fourth Geneva Convention and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Evidence heard in secret, which provides neither the defendant nor his attorney being allowed to examine the evidence or challenge it, violates the requirements of international law that mandate fair legal proceedings and due process in detentions of prisoners. These detentions are war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

    I urge you to ensure Israel abides by her obligations under international law and call on the Israeli authorities to release these six detainees in imminent danger of death, as well as all other Palestinians in administrative detention, unless they are promptly charged with internationally recognizable criminal offenses and brought to trial in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards.

    I urge you to ensure the immediate transfer of Tha’er Halahleh and other detainees on prolonged hunger strikes to a fully-equipped hospital so they can receive specialized medical care.

    I urge you to ensure that all detainees on hunger strike are allowed regular, private access to independent doctors, families and lawyers, treated humanely, and not punished in any way for their hunger strike.

    I urge you to end the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of administrative detainees, such as shackling detainees on prolonged hunger strike, that the human rights organizations and NGO’s are reporting Israel is engaging in.

    I urge you to ensure Israel abides by her obligations under international law and deals humanely with Palestinian prisoners she holds captive and in detention.

    Sincerely,

    Sherri Munnerlyn

  10. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 5, 2012 at 7:55 am

    A spokeswoman for Israel’s prison service says 10 hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners have been hospitalized. We do not know the identity of the 10 prisoners, this is an Associated Press report.

    They are among 1,500 to 2,500 Palestinian prisoners who started refusing food 19 days ago, demanding a halt to imprisonment without charges, an end to solitary confinement and reinstating family visits from Gaza.

    Prison spokeswoman Sivan Weizeman said Saturday the 10 were transferred to a prison clinic for medical supervision. Another prisoner, Bilal Diab, was moved to a civilian hospital last week. He has refused food for 68 days so far.

    Weizeman did not say when the 10 were transferred or what medical treatment they received.

    Israeli officials and Palestinians give different numbers of hunger strikers. Eight prisoners have been on strike for over 50 days

    Read more: link to foxnews.com

  11. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 5, 2012 at 8:06 am

    I just found an interesting website, that provides email addresses for all members of the Knesset.

    I think they should all be contacted about the prisoners held unlawfully who are facing imminent death.

    It is their govenment carying out these atrocities, they are elected government officials and need to be accountable for their government’s actions.

    link to knesset.gov.il

  12. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 5, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    UN urges Israel to preserve health of prisoners

    I never heard of this news source I am linking to for this story. We all see how Mainstream Media is not coverning this story.

    “New York, May 4 : A senior United Nations official said on Thursday he was deeply troubled by reports about the critical condition of at least two Palestinians being held by Israel, who have been on hunger strike for over two months, and urged the Government to preserve the health of the prisoners.

    The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, urged all sides to “find a solution before it is too late,” according to a statement issued by his office in Jerusalem.

    More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners began an open-ended hunger strike two weeks ago on Apr 17 – Palestinian Prisoners Day – to protest against unjust arrest procedures, arbitrary detention and bad prison conditions, according to a news release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

    The UN continues to follow with concern the many issues related to the question of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and detention centres, the statement noted.

    “The Special Coordinator is deeply troubled in particular, by reports about the critical condition of at least two Palestinian prisoners being held in administrative detention by the Israeli authorities, who have been on hunger strike for more than two months,” it said.

    Serry called on Israel to abide by its legal obligations under international law and “do everything in its power to preserve the health of the prisoners.”

    On Wednesday, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Richard Falk, said he was appalled by the ongoing human rights violations in Israeli prisons amid a wave of hunger strikes by Palestinian prisoners.

    He called on the international community to ensure that Israel complies with international human rights laws and norms in its treatment of Palestinian prisoners. (IBNS).”

    link to newkerala.com

    • Annie Robbins says:
      May 5, 2012 at 7:52 pm

      sherri, that article is IBNS is India Blooms News Service which is an indian news portal

      link to sify.com

      link to sify.com

      • Sherri Munnerlyn says:
        May 5, 2012 at 8:23 pm

        I realized that after posting, they are a small state in India, and I even sent them an email thanking them for posting the news the Western Mainstream Media is ignoring about the Palestinian prisoner’s hunger strike.

        Here is a link to another article written by David Rose, with interviews with some of the prisoners’ families addressed. We read of so many children who grow up not knowing their fathers.

        “The last letter Thaer Hahlaleh wrote to his wife Shireen was delivered by the Red Cross a few days before he began to refuse all nourishment on February 29.

        ‘My detention has so far been renewed seven times and they still haven’t charged me with anything,’ it said.

        ‘I can’t take any more. I am going on hunger strike because the situation has become unbearable.’

        Today, assuming he survived last night, will mark the 68th day of his protest, a period in which Hahlaleh, 33, has consumed nothing but water and a little salt.

        Last week, I sat with Hahlaleh’s family at their home in Kharas, a prosperous village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank which is blessed with stunning views of the Hebron mountains.

        According to Shireen Hahlaleh, her husband has been held under administrative detention for more than six years in total.

        ‘This time he was arrested in June 2010, two weeks before I was due to have our first child, our daughter Lamar,’ she said. ‘We were just getting ready for the birth.

        ‘Can you imagine the state of mind he left me in? The previous time they arrested him was 14 days after our wedding. They seem to choose their moments carefully.

        ‘The baby has only seen her father six times. My husband has a young family. Why would he want death? He wants life. But he is desperate.’
        Thaer’s brother Shaher is also on hunger strike. The 35-year-old, serving an 18-year sentence for helping to organise attacks on Israelis, began his fast on April 17 in protest at a toughening of the prison regime.

        Some of the harshest measures brought in include a widespread use of solitary confinement – in some cases for years at a time – severe restrictions on family visits, and frequent strip-searches for both prisoners and visitors.

        The measures were introduced following the abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by the Islamist organisation Hamas in 2006.”

        Another prisoner’s wife reports:

        ‘I was refused permission to visit my husband at all for seven years. When his daughter goes to see him, she is strip-searched although she is only 13.

        ‘I was pregnant with her when Shaher was arrested. She didn’t meet him until she was almost five.”

        Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140108/1-600-Palestinians-hunger-strike-world-doesn-t-bat-eyelid-Compelling-eye-witness-dispatch-Israeli-internment-jails–threatening-new-Arab-Spring.html#ixzz1u2pdTWSi

  13. piotr says:
    May 5, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    “To let Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahleh die is to bring massive attention and condemnation to the indeterminate detentions, and Israeli policy is to fly just under the radar of outrage”

    I am not sure. The radar of outrage is on somewhat different level today, but the levels will never be equal. I remember when a Pakistani journalist wrote “In our country a crisis is when 5 people are shot in Punjab, or 50 in Sindh or 500 in Baluchistan.”

    I think that the biggest challenge for Israel is the actual outrage in West Bank where Palestinian quislings are protecting Israel. PA suppresses popular movements in areas it controls, but it seems that not on this issue.

    • Sherri Munnerlyn says:
      May 6, 2012 at 7:16 am

      piotr,

      The fact is Israel simply cannot control everything, they cannot control whether a hunger striking Palestinian prisoner will or will not die. They are playing with fire, with respect to these prisoners, because if they begin to die the actions that may lead to on the ground may become something that cannot be controlled.

      Has everyone here read about the story of the American prisoner who died on his hunger strike in California, protesting unlawful and unconstitutional living conditions in the prison he was in inside California?

      That was only a few months ago. The man was only 27, his hunger strike had lasted for a much shorter time than 69 days. His name was Christian Gomez. There is a story about him on Democracy Now.

      link to democracynow.org

      • seafoid says:
        May 6, 2012 at 10:20 am

        Israel can’t control the story. Ordinary people across the world don’t know yet that the 2 state solution is dead. They don’t yet realise what Zionism has done to Judaism. But they will find out in due course and that will be it.

  14. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 7, 2012 at 12:24 am

    An article in The National addresses the lack of publicity over the hunger strikes and attacks on protesters, commenting on one people seeking to lay claim to their lost humanity, as another people lose theirs.

    I would choose to be in that first category any day.

    It makes me sick, watching a world, our world today, that could largely care less about injustice surrounding them in Palestine, I know what Martin Luther King Jr. felt as he wrote from a jail cell, about the sin of being silent in the face of injustice, that he witnessed from the Churches and the white population in the South during the Civil Rights Movement.

    “Non-violent resistance needs an audience. As the Palestinian human rights activist Bassem Tamimi said: “They have military superiority but we have moral superiority.” Without a watching world, the hunger strikers will continue to be harshly suppressed. By not offering the Palestinians an audience as they protest to reclaim their humanity, we are denying ours.”

    link to thenational.ae

  15. Sherri Munnerlyn says:
    May 7, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    The Israeli High Court turned down the appeal of the hunger strikers.

    But is the Court trying to suggest to the Israeli Prison Services a way to release the prisoners?

    link to 972mag.com

    High Court rejects appeal; two inmates on hunger strike may die

    “The High Court of Justice rejected the petition filed by hunger striking administrative detainees Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla to release them immediately. The two have been refusing to eat for 70 days – and doctors fear for their lives.

    Justices ruled on Monday that there is a suspicion that the two detainees are active within Islamic Jihad, and therefore their continued detention is approved. However, justices also noted that their interrogations were insufficient, and that better investigations need be carried out in the future. The ruling ends with this statement (translation mine):

    [The hunger strike] cannot in itself form a factor in the decision regarding the validity of an administrative detention… Administrative detention causes unease for any judge, but it is sometimes a necessity when the revealing of intelligence gathered against the petitioner would endanger the people who gave it or the ways of gathering it.

    However, justices also asked authorities to consider releasing the two based on the Parole Act, which requires that inmates whose life is at risk from detention itself need be set free. Physicians for Human Rights has released a statement saying the court’s decision is “tantamount to sentencing them to death.”