Rhonda Parker at examiner.com reported yesterday that Gaza TV and radio had broken the story that Mahmoud Sarsak, the Palestinian footballer who has been on a hunger strike for approximately 90 days, would be released from an Israeli prison between July 10 and 15. Sarsak, who is classified by the Israelis as an “unlawful combatant,” is currently serving an indefinite sentence, without being charged with a crime.
Word came just hours ago from a friend of Sarsak’s and the family, who says the family has heard from Sarsak’s legal Council on this.
‘The facts are still very cloudy in this, but still, we are jubilant! Ecstatic! I’ve just also heard this news from the radio,’ said a joyous Malaka Mohammed, who has run a diligent campaign on Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter since his friend was arrested at a checkpoint in July of 2009.
Further verification of the possible release of the hunger-striking footballer was received from the Palestinian Minister of Prisoners, Issa Qaraqe.
Mahmoud Sarsak is in extremely ill health as a result of his lengthy hunger strike. Physicians who have recently examined him say that Sarsak’s condition is still life-threatening. He needs immediate hospitalization and it is unclear if he will be able to completely recover from his ordeal.
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Meanwhile, on Saturday in Edinburgh, dozens of protesters staged a spirited demonstration in support of Mahmoud Sarsak at a football match between women’s teams representing Israel and Scotland. The Israelis were soundly defeated, 8-0, inspiring the video’s title, “They’re useless without guns.”
There is a growing international protest against the Israel for its treatment of Mahmoud Sarak. Football legend Eric Cantona and FIFA President, Sepp Blatter are two prominent figures who have spoken out.
As Annie Robbins pointed out here recently, protests against international athletic delegations were an important part of the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. Hopefully, the Olympic Games in London this summer will provide an international platform for demonstrations against Israeli injustice and occupation.
Nice if BDS occasionally works a H/R victory. Of course, Israel can always arrest him again, any time, just like the people released in the 1:1000 prisoner exchange. We’ll see. Keep tuned.
Just don’t expect any nation to demand that Israel comply with I/L by releasing ALL the prisoners and ending detention w/o trial.
According to one of Sarsak’s lawyers, Mohammad Jabarin, no deal has been reached. Furthermore, there are rumors that the offer by Israel meant that Sarsak would live in exile in Norway for three months after being released, prior to being able to return home.
http://gaza.scoop.ps/2012/06/sarsak-says-no-to-norway/
Magic stuff from Scotland. This is only the beginning of Israel’s revised future.
And you cannae polish the turd of Zionism .
And they are playing Wales: Wednesday 20th, 18:00h. The Racecourse, Wrexham, Wales.
Let’s not forget that Israel will host the UEFA under-21 finals next year. This explains the UEFA and FIFA reactions (really, they’d prefer silence).
Update: ESPN has this Associated Press item on its page at 12 noon, Monday.
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/8066898/palestinian-mahmoud-sarsak-agrees-end-hunger-strike-go-free
RAMALLAH, West Bank — A lawyer for an imprisoned Palestinian soccer player who has been on a hunger strike for more than three months says his client has agreed to resume eating and will be released July 10 in a deal with Israel.
The attorney, Mohammed Jabareen, spoke Monday after the deal was struck at an Israeli prison clinic. Israeli prison officials could not be reached for comment.
The soccer player, Mahmoud Sarsak, has been held by Israel for nearly three years without charges or trial. Israel claims he was active in the violent group Islamic Jihad. Sarsak denies the allegations.
As his condition worsened, prominent figures in the sports world came to his support. FIFA’s president asked Israel’s soccer federation for help and FIFPro, an international organization of footballers, called for his release.