From: adam@endor.uucp (Adam Shostack)
Subject: Re: DEMANDS PALESTINIAN HUNGER STRIKERS IN ISRAELI PRISONS
Organization: Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 19:46:20 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.180629.23941@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> kshammou@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Khaled J Shammout) writes:
>In article: 52388 of talk.politics.mideast, (David Makowsky) writes:

>#      [ list of demands deleted - dlm ]

>#     It is obscene that terrorists should make demands.  However, a
>#lot of the blame probably goes to the weak and whimpy way Israel
>#treats these "palestinian?" terrorists.  It is what gives them the
>#CHutzpa to even think about making these demands, let alone actually
>#present them.  What is even more obscene is that anyone else would
>#take them seriously and present them (take the hint Yigal).
#
>     You and your friends always talk about how justice in the Arab countries
>does not come close to Western standards.  One thing comes to mind here.  Is
>not there something in the Western standards that says:"INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
>QUILTY"?  And yet, you automatically label these Palestinian political
>prisoners as TERRORISTS.  Well, have YOU studied their cases and figured out
>that they ARE really terrorists?  Of course not.

Here is a statement by the Prisons Authority.  It came to be with some
typos, which I have not tried to correct.

--------------
Jerusalem, 11 October 1992

PRISONS AUTHORITY STATEMENT
(Communicated by the Prisons Authority spokeswoman)

Data on Judea and Samaria Prison

The number of prisoners in the central prison of Judea and Samaria is 850,
which is composed of the following: 67 criminals; 785 security [prisoners],
of which 282 are [serving time] for murder or involvement in murder; 203
prisoners [serving] life sentences -- some serving nine consecutive life
terms.

In all of the prisons togethc d64
er 1,984 prisoners are striking; 850 are
partially striking.

The demands of the security prisoners

1. Transfer of "Nitzan" prisoners and those separated in Beersheba to other
   prisons; removal of Sheikh Yassin from the wing where he is currently
   [incarcerated] to another, more open section.

2. Equivalence of living conditions in all prisons to those of the central
   prison in Judea and Samaria.

3. Greater freedom for prisoners between sections; opening of cells during
   the day; airing of cells.

4. Improvement of food.

5. Open family visits in a larger room.

6. Celebration of Palestinian national holidays, and allowance for them to
   dance the "Debka".

7. Increased supervision to prevent use of force.

8. Request for release of list of elderly prisoners imprisoned for over 24
   years.

9. Sick prisoners requiring medical treatment claim they do not receive it.

10. Reduction of crowded conditions by as much as possible; removal of some
    of beds from the cells.

11. Cessation of body searches.

12. Transfer of security prisoners from Sharon prison to prisons in the
    territories.


Prisons Authority position

The humanitarian problems will be examined and addressed once again, with
full and personal attention.  In every instance where it is possible to
improve conditions without harming security, it will be done.

The Prisons Authority strives -- at all times -- to improve the conditions
in all of its prison installations, both security and criminal.  The
distress of overcrowding is indeed serious in all of the prisons and we
have warned about this, in all forums and for many years.

[The burden of] families of prisoners must be lightened in every way
possible, and the family must not be made to suffer for the incarceration
of one of its members.

The decision as to the prison in which the prisoners serve their sentence
is under the jurisdiction of the Prisons Authority.

The classification of [which] prisoners go to [which] prisons is determined
by an authorized committee, which holds an intensive and serious discussion
regarding each and every prisoner -- criminal and security alike.  The
decision takes into account many factors -- such as the length of sentence,
the place of residence, the degree of danger constituted by the prisoner,
and others.

No element outside the Prisons Authority can determine where a prisoner
will be held during his term of imprisonment and we will not be dictated to
on this issue.

The prisoners have been informed of the willingness of the Prisons
Authority to ease the conditions of their imprisonment and to make
improvements in possible areas.  The prisoners are refusing to end their
hunger strike until they are promised that the inmates of Section Eight in
Nitzan Prison, as well as prisoners of Beershebid isz009
a prison, be transferred to
other prisons and that Sheikh Yassin be moved to another section.  They
insist that this demand be fulfilled.  This demand, which precedes all
their other demands, testifies to the fact that it is not an improvement in
humanitarian conditions which is their first priority.

After repeated requests by media representatives to visit the central
prison in Nablus, where the hunger strike was initiated and is most active,
Police Minister Moshe Shahal instructed the Prisons Authority to conduct a
tour there -- to view conditions, and speak with inmates and Prisons
Authority representatives.  The tour took place this morning.


Visits by lawyers during the strike

The Prisons Authority has permitted lawyers to continue visiting their
clients and to assist them in legal matters.  If there have been problems
over this issue, they have been local and have derived from the fact that
the "powers of attorney" of the lawyers were checked.  There have been
lawyers who did not have "power of attorney" to represent a certain client
whom they came to see.  In the majority of cases, the visits were conducted
orderly.

Nourishment during the hunger strike

In some of the prisons, the striking prisoners are receiving milk with an
egg.  In all of the prisons, they are drinking water with margarine.  There
have been no hospitalizations as a result of the hunger salt.  A number of
prisoners have reported feeling weak and received treatment at the clinic
from the augmented medical staff on site.

--------------------------------




Adam Shostack 					adam@das.harvard.edu

What a terrible thing to have lost one's .sig.  Or not to have a .sig
at all.  How true that is.      
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast