Israel – The Israel Prison Service was expected on Monday to release Palestinian prisoner Samer Issawi, infamous for his prolonged hunger strike in protest of his incarceration for violating the terms of his patrol for a prior arrest.
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As part of a deal reached with Israeli authorities in April, Issawi agreed to end his 266-day hunger strike and serve a further eight months, totaling a sentence of 17 months.
He was due to be freed from the Shita Prison later in the day.
Israeli security forces reportedly warned Issawi’s family on Sunday against “causing problems” after raiding their house, according to Palestinian news agency Ma’an.
“I swear to God we will rejoice in the freedom of the hero Samer Issawi,” Ma’an quoted the inmate’s sister, Shireen, as saying on Facebook.
In April an Israeli official said Issawi’s would be released on a suspended sentence and that for the next 14.5 years, if he violates the conditions of his release at any time, he will return to prison to serve out his original sentence.
Issawi was one of 1,027 prisoners released in the exchange for captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, after he served eight years of a 26-year sentence for a shooting attack.
Hewas re-arrested in August for violating the terms of his release by leaving the Jerusalem area and shortly thereafter began his hunger strike.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Would somebody please explain this hunger-strike business to me. They don’t want to eat, they don’t have to eat.
In a humane society (which Israel and most Western countries are) all prisoners are given food and water. It’s just crazy that they can blackmail their captors by refusing the food and water given to them.
Who would give in to this nonsense even with their own child that they love? If your child, who means more to you than your own life, said “I won’t eat unless you buy me this toy,” would you give in to that?
So dumb to release any.
He’s obviously being given some kind of nutrition as he couldn’t survive without food for 266 days.