PLO Libel: Israel has decided to “eliminate” Palestinian prisoners via “medical neglect”

“Hundreds of civilians and families of the Martyrs participated in a vigil yesterday [Nov. 18, 2021] supporting the hunger striking prisoners in the occupation’s prisons…

In a speech he gave during the vigil, Director of [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ [Affairs] Qadri Abu Bakr said…: ‘The occupation has [made] a decision to eliminate our prisoners through medical neglect and slow death that threaten the lives of our hunger striking prisoners (sic., see note below regarding PA libel on medical abuse of Palestinian prisoners), but the Palestinian people and the willpower of its members will not allow the occupation to isolate the prisoners and carry out its plots.’”

Libel on medical abuse of Palestinian prisoners - The PA claims that Israel abuses Palestinian prisoners through medical neglect, medical experiments, and by intentionally infecting them with diseases. However, the International Red Cross regularly visits these prisoners and has not documented or accused Israel of any of these claims. Likewise, lists of demands occasionally issued by the prisoners during hunger strikes—such as during one in 2011—include no demands relating to these claims. PMW has documented prisoners talking about how they "lack nothing" in the prisons and that "the worst thing about Israeli prison" is riding in a prison vehicle that has no padding on the seat. When PMW contacted the Israeli Ministry of Health in 2007 regarding PA claims of medical experiments on prisoners, the ministry responded: "Clinical testing on prisoners in prison was never approved, never performed, and is most certainly not taking place at present."