TEL AVIV // A Palestinian baker from the West Bank on a 65-day hunger strike is drawing rare international attention to the Israeli policy of detaining Palestinians without charge.
Human-rights groups say Khader Adnan, held by Israel under an administrative detention order since mid-December, is near death after refusing food and living only on one litre of water a day.
Rights activists say Mr Adnan's hunger strike is the longest of any Palestinian inmate in Israeli jails - and according to Israeli media, one of the longest ever by anyone in Israel. Administrative detention aims to prevent a person from committing an offence rather than as punishment for a crime already committed and it could be repeatedly extended for six-month periods with military court orders. Activists say Israel, which rarely uses administrative detentions on its own citizens, implements the policy as a "blanket measure" against Palestinians in the West Bank. According to activists, that is contrary to international law, under which the policy should be used only in exceptional cases.
Mahmoud Hassan, a lawyer from Addameer, a Ramallah-based activist group lobbying for Palestinian political inmates, said he is holding out little hope that a petition submitted to Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday for Mr Adnan's release would succeed.
"I had petitioned the court numerous times in the past about administrative detentions and they had always rejected my requests," Mr Hassan said in an interview. "But I won't forgive myself if the man dies and I didn't do my utmost to help him despite the almost zero chance that the petition will be approved."
The Israeli Supreme Court rarely intervenes in the decisions of the security establishment, Mr Hassan said.
Mr Adnan's hunger strike has drawn supporters at home. Rights groups say that at least 20 other administrative detainees have begun refusing food in solidarity with Mr Adnan, including one man already on his 22nd day of a hunger strike. Demonstrations calling for his release have taken place in Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron as well as in the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations' special coordinator for the Mideast peace process, Robert Serry, this month said in a statement that he was following the issue "with concern" and urged Israel to "resolve the case."
"It's a fact that Mr Adnan has raised awareness about administrative detentions," said Sarit Michaeli, spokeswoman for the Israeli rights group B'Tselem. "Our demand to Israel is either to free him or to give him a fair trial."
Mr Hassan said that the father of two, a bakery owner in the town of Araba near the West Bank city of Jenin, was arrested on December 17 by soldiers who broke into his home and then kicked and slapped him on the way to an interrogation. The 33-year-old's interrogators "humiliated and insulted" him, ripped part of his beard off and rubbed dirt on his face, according to Mr Hassan.
Mr Adnan's family said it was the ninth time he was arrested by Israeli forces since 1999. Palestinian media have said his detention may have been a result of him being a political activist for the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.
According to Mr Hassan, Mr Adnan may have been arrested because of his appointment to a committee charged with implementing prisoner releases between the rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, which are advancing a reconciliation pact clinched last year. Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group and opposes the agreement.
Mr Adnan began the hunger strike a day after his arrest and has since been moved from the prison's medical centre to a hospital in northern Israel, where he has refused to undergo tests and is shackled to the bed. A doctor from the rights organisation Physicians for Human Rights-Israel who met the patient this week said he had lost 30 kilograms from his 90-kilogram frame, suffers from stomach aches, vomiting and "significant muscular atrophy."
Mr Adnan began accepting an infusion of liquids and salts as well as glucose to reduce the danger of a heart attack. Nevertheless, the group cited the doctor as saying that Mr Adnan still faces an "immediate" threat to his life because of risks including brain haemorrhage, internal bleeding or kidney failure.
Mr Adnan is not the first Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail to carry out a hunger strike. In 2004, hundreds of inmates jointly refused food for more than two weeks to protest prison conditions. Last September, dozens of inmates launched hunger strikes - the longest holding out for 26 days - demanding the abolishment of a prolonged solitary confinement and other incarceration measures.
A statement on Friday from Israel's prison authority said Mr Adnan will no longer be chained to his hospital bed and that he would be allowed visits from his family, religious figures and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
vbekker@thenational.ae
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
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Company%20Profile
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Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
Stage result
1. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 3:29.09
2. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto-Soudal
3. Rudy Barbier (FRA) Israel Start-Up Nation
4. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Luka Mezgec (SLO) Mitchelton-Scott
6. Alberto Dainese (ITA) Sunweb
7. Jakub Mareczko (ITA) CCC
8. Max Walscheid (GER) NTT
9. José Rojas (ESP) Movistar
10. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
more from Janine di Giovanni
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
