She emphasized that the Zionist occupation bears the full responsibility for the lives of the prisoners, noting that the health of her husband, Comrade Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, is extremely serious after the occupation rejected several times to take him to the hospital despite fainting and vomiting blood. She also said that the Palestinian Authority is directly responsible for the lives of Ahed and his comrades who were arrested by the Palestinian Authority and held in a PA prison when attacked and abducted by the occupation in 2006, saying that the PA is not taking on any signficant role toward the issue of prisoners and their suffering, and is merely issuing statements to the press despite the fact that Palestinian prisoners are entering the twenty-eighth day of open hunger strike today.

She denied reports about alleged efforts by Egypt and Hamas to resume the issue of ending isolation as part of the conclusion of the Shalit agreement, saying that such claims are not founded and that the strike continues until the end of isolation is achieved by the will of the prisoners, saying no parties should try to claim credit for the achievements of the prisoners won through their battle of the empty stomachs.

He also warned against manipulation by the Zionist enemy seeking to banish administrative detainees to the Gaza Strip from their original homes in the West Bank, caling for all to be aware of the risks and implications of this, as this is a political action that threatens Palestinian rights.

She reported that Ahed is suffering severe headaches and dizziness, has lost over 15 kg of weight, and is vomiting blood. A lawyer who visited Ahed today in prison called for him to be taken immediately to the hospital, but the occupation authorities refused to do so, claiming “security reasons,” and gave him an injection only. Wafa’ Abu Ghoulmeh said that the occupation’s refusal to take him to the hospital is a deliberate attempt to slowly assassinate him, calling for urgent action to save his life.

Fellow isolated prisoner and hunger striker leader Hassan Salameh told his lawyer that he was also very concerned about Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh’s health, saying that he had been vomiting all water he had ingested, as well as vomiting bile. Salameh reported that Ahed had vomited blood and fell to the ground at night several times. He said that when Ahed had vomited blood, Salameh had him spit into a cup to show the prison guards who continued to refuse to take him to the hospital, again citing security reasons.

Wafa’ Abu Ghoulmeh called upon all human rights institutions to put pressure on the Israeli authorities to take him to the hospital. She stressed that despite the severe health concerns, his morale is high and he is dedicated to continuing the strike.

Palestinians for Dignity demanded the PLO end all forms of negotiations and meetings with the enemy, calling for support of the prisoners’ strike by all means – physical, political, and moral – and for the development of a national strategy to free the prisoners.

Furthermore, they emphasized that on the 27th day of the open hunger strike, the Palestinian prisoners’ movement is playing an extremely strategic and important role, raising the profile and leadership role of the prisoners’ movement in the Palestinian national movement, where it has stood historically.

The statement from Palestinians for Dignity follows:

Occupied Ramallah- Local and international news agencies informed us last night, 12 May, that the Palestinian political establishment met with the representative of the Israeli apartheid regime, Isaac Molkho, in Ramallah to deliver the latter’s response to a previous letter that was sent by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) on 17 April.

This visit coincides with the ongoing open-ended hunger strike waged by Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons for 27 consecutive days, in a crucial and strategic battle in which the role of the prisoners’ movement in the Palestinian national struggle is restored. This movement is raising fair demands to guarantee the treatment of political prisoners and detainees according to international humanitarian law, especially the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions.

Rather than boycott and isolate the Israeli apartheid regime for their unrelenting crimes against our people, and foremost against our prisoners, the Palestinian political establishment decided to receive and honor the representative of the Israeli apartheid regime, the same regime our prisoners are fighting against, as if the crimes committed against our prisoners are perpetrated by someone else.

Our political prisoners are waging an immense battle on their own, because they have no illusions that the “peace process” can set them free or guarantee their dignity. They are armed only with their willpower and unity. Neither we nor they expected the PLO to choose Palestinian Prisoners Day, 17 April, which also coincided with the day of the beginning of the hunger strike, to deliver a letter to the Israeli prime minister nor to receive a representative of the apartheid regime.

Molkho’s “visit” comes at a time when, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh, have gone for 76 days without food in protest of the Israeli administrative detention policy. Additionally, Hasan Al-Safadi has gone without food for 70 days, Omar Abu Shallal for 68 days, Mahmoud Al-Sarsak for 56 days, Mohammad Taj for 57 days, Jafar Ezzedine for 53 days, and Abdullah Al-Barghouthi for 32 days.

Our political prisoners have struggled for our dignity and have sacrificed their lives to make the PLO the sole representative of the Palestinian people, and they deserve that we stand honorably to support them.
Therefore, we demand that the PLO:

· Stop all negotiations and meetings with the Israeli apartheid regime.
· Use its political, economical and moral weight in support of the prisoners’ strike and formulate a national strategy to liberate the prisoners.
· Respect and protect, at the next PLO Executive Committee, the free will of our political prisoners and the sovereignty of the prisoners’ movement in its decisions.

Palestinians for Dignity

On the first of May, International Workers’ Day, we salute the Palestinian homeland – the workers and peasants, men and women, youth and elders, everywhere they are, in Palestine or in diaspora and exile.

May 1 this year is a scene of struggle for the liberation of the Palestinian people, as we mark the struggle of the Palestinian national movement of prisoners who continue an open-ended hunger strike in defense of their rights, to stop the brutal racist abuses of the occupation authorities and its prisons against them. Our pioneering Palestinian working class is contributing the largest share in the national democratic and social struggle, standing with all of its strengh alongside the struggles of prisoners on hunger strike, in order to achieve their demands to end solitary confinement, isolation and the “Shalit law,” and the resumption of visits so as to maintain their human dignity, on the road to liberation from the occpation. The process of Palestinian liberation will never reach its national, democratic or social goals without the direct involvement and effective leadership of the Palestinian working class in the struggle for national liberation, for freedom and national self-determination.

The Palestinian working class in all political spheres is the basic driver for the social and democratic project of Palestinian national liberation, and we can only say that despite the long struggle ahead, the Palestinian left will build the power of hope and the will for change, for the struggle for liberation and return, and for our rights to liberty, justice, democracy and progress.
Our Palestinian working class is suffering desperately in the current conditions of the Palestinian people, reeling from the blows of occupation, siege, aggression and exploitation inside and outside Palestine. In the current conditions of the Arab peoples, it is critical to promote and develop trade union organizations, consciousness, and political unity of forces. The current moment of Arab street protests and uprisings against oppression in all forms and struggles for democracy requires a review of the role of the Arab left to promote the unity of the Arab peoples’ struggle against dependency, corruption, tyranny and foreign intervention, and for liberation, dignity, freedom, democracy, justice and social progress.

O, Palestinian workers, our heroic Palestinian people..

Our Palestinian working class in the occupied homeland are under geographical and political attack, bleeding fromm many wounds, but this does not prevent the voice of struggle of the Palestinian working class for improved working conditions and reducing unemployment which is approximately 50% in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank, and work to protect workers’ rights and serve workers’ interests.

Resisting the historical and continuing iinjustice against the Palestinian people requires us to raise the struggle of the working class and its historical perseverence as an avenue to raise its influence in national decision-making, something that would not be possible without the struggle of working class Palestinians for democracy and social rights.

On the first of May, we confirm that the first step is to end the current Palestinian division and political disintegration and put aside narrow factional interests in the interests of the unity of the people and their struggle. Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza are still suffering from aggression, siege, starvation, and crisis, and this means that unity must come first, and unity is the inalienable choice of the Palestinian people. At the same time building an economy of resistance and national steadfastness must be an economic priority before any other interest, to protect workers, economic and social rights, fight corruption, adopt the minimum wage and social protection in order to end the situation of work in the settlements and return instead to the cultivation of agriculture and protection and development of sectors, sources, and natural and productive resources, and salvation from dependence on the market and the occupation economy.

We salute the heroic prisoners who are splitting the sky to achieve their rights to dignity and freedom, and salute all progressive forces around the world who raise the banners of struggle and solidarity against the occupation and for freedom, justice, self-determnation and sovereignty of the Palestinian people.

Salute to the Palestinian working class and the working class of the world on May 1

Political Bureau, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

On May 1, the Action Front called on all labor organizations, trade unions and the masses of Palestinian workers to join in activities and events in solidarity and support or the struggle of our prisoners, calling in particular on the unions to raise this issue in their international relations to build international solidarity to raise the issue of prisoners as a universal human issue that requires all to pressure the occupation, delegitimize the occupation state, and boycott it.

The Action Front said that May 1 this year comes amid an epic heroic battle that makes clear that our prisoners in the occiupaton’s jails are free people despite all the restrictions placed upon them. They make clear to all of the Palestinian people and to the progressive forces around the world that they will continue to struggle until achieving freedom and human dignity. Our prisoners are united in an open hunger strike, with the people behind them, as the prisoners are the people’s voice and the conscience of Palestine. The PLAF said that national unity is necessary, and it is time to end the conflict over the Authority of no authority, that benefits only the occupation and its fascism, and build unity, escalate resistance and struggle for victory.

The PLAF called for urgently working to re-build the Palestinian labor movement on a national and democratic basis to ensure participation and pluralism, and build a truly national Palestinian trade union movement. On the First of May, said the PLAF, International Workers’ Day calls on us to renew our connection to the working class of the world, with determination to continue the struggle in the face of capitalism and imperialism, which seek to undermine and destroy all of the rights and gains achieved by our workers’ struggles in an attempt to address the economic crisis on the backs of oppressed classes, through nationalizing losses and privatizing profits. Such acions are being imposed on workers around the world and in Palestine and we must build more struggle and unity to protect workers’ rights and reverse reactionary economic policies in order to achieve social justice. Our situation as Palestinians, said the PLAF, is difficult and complex as we confront the Zionist occupation and its policies of land confiscation, settlement and racism against our people.

The Action Front also said that our struggling people are subjected to so-called solutions that attempt to undermine their full and inalienable national rights to return, self-determination and independence, while the masses of our people refuse to accept half-solutions, quarter-solutions or less and instead to continue the resistance, steadfastness on the ground and adherence to national principles. The PLAF said that the authorities in the West Bank and Gaza bear responsibility for the high rates of poverty, unemployment and deterioration of health, electricity and education services, as well as high prices, in ligh of continued division, and called for an end to violations of democratic freedom and freedom of assembly.

The Front called on labor unions and workers around the world to escalate activities of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the state of the Israeli occupation and to raise the struggle to the type that confronted apartheid in South Africa, where the international solidarity movement played a critical role in bringing down the system. It saluted the World Federation of Trade Unions which marked Palestinian Prisoners’ Day as an international day of solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners and called upon international labor unions to follow suit.

Ai prigionieri del PFLP era stato offerto in precedenza una cessazione dell’isolamento di Sa’adaat in cambio della fine del loro sciopero della fame, e i prigionieri avevano rifiutato dicendo che sono impegnati per ottenere il pieno soddisfacimento delle richieste dello sciopero unitario insieme ai prigionieri di tutte le forze e le fazioni politiche, e per porre fine all’isolamento di tutti. Il compagno Sa’adat ha perso 6 kg fino ad adesso in questo sciopero della fame, che giunge dopo pochi mesi l’ultimo lungo sciopero effettuato dal 27 settembre al 20 ottobre, che fu diretto dai prigionieri del PFLP e ispirato all’isolamento di Sa’adat, e che faceva appello alla fine dell’isolamento e del confino solitario.

Il PFLP ha emesso un comunicato in risposta alle notizie del trasferimento di Sa’dat all’ospedale della prigione,dicendo che il PFLP “ritiene il governo dell’occupazione pienamente responsabile per qualsiasi conseguenza nella vita del segretario generale Sa’adat a di tutti gli eroici prigionieri che combattono la battaglia dello sciopero della fame illimitato per ottenere il soddisfacimento dello loro giuste rivendicazioni, in particolare la fine del confino solitario. Noi siamo molto orgogliosi del nostro leader nazionale Ahmed Sa’adat, che è rinchiuso nella battaglia dello sciopero della fame illimitato..confermiamo il nostro pieno supporto allo sciopero di tutto il movimento dei prigionieri.. e facciamo appello al più vasto movimento a tutti i livelli per sostenere i prigionieri nel loro sciopero nelle prigioni dell’occupazione e faremo di tutto perché le loro rivendicazioni siano accolte.”

Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh è attualmente detenuto in isolamento; è il rappresentante del Fronte di Liberazione della Palestina nel comitato di quadri dello sciopero della fame dei prigionieri. Wafa Abu Ghoulmeh ha detto in una intervista alla TV Quds, “Dobbiamo manifestare nelle strade, bloccare le circonvallazioni che circondano le colonie e tagliare fuori i coloni a Ofer e Huwwara e ai checkpoints più vicini all’occupazione. Più vasta è la lotta che intraprendiamo fuori, più breve sarà il periodo dello sciopero e più grande sarà il sostegno che noi forniamo ai nostri eroici prigionieri nelle prigioni dell’occupazione”.

Ha inoltre affermato che Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh ha consegnato tre messaggi:

Primo, alle masse del nostro popolo perché intraprendano una vasta e comprensiva mobilitazione sulla questione dei prigionieri e sostenerli nella loro giusta causa per il soddisfacimento delle loro richieste.

Secondo, alla leadership politica palestinese, perché elevino la lotta dei prigionieri a livello dell’arena politica internazionale e in tutte le istituzioni internazionali e in tutte le ambasciate palestinesi.

Terzo, a tutti coloro che lottano per la giustizia nel mondo, affinché lavorino perché lo stato sionista sia giudicato colpevole per i suoi crimini contro i prigionieri nelle corti internazionali, a portare avanti azioni per sostenere il diritto dei nostri prigionieri a vivere in dignità, e a porre fine alla politica di isolamento imposta ai prigionieri.

Fa appello al sostegno a livello palestinese, arabo, e internazionale allo sciopero della fame:

Alla mia carissima moglie Umm Ghassan, e a tutti i miei amati; Ghassan, Amal, Iba, Loay, Sumoud, Yassar, e a tutta la mia famiglia;

Non vi preoccupate, la mia salute è molto migliore che nel precedente sciopero della fame, e sono sicuro che la situazione rimarrà così. Grazie per il vostro continuo sostegno in questo sciopero della fame. Come succede nel caso di ogni sciopero, ci hanno tolto tutte le apparecchiature elettriche, le forniture di acqua, i vestiti… ci hanno lasciato solo l’uniforme della prigione, qualche cambio di biancheria intima, pigiami, asciugamani, sapone e dentifricio. Tutti noi abbiamo perso tra i 5 e i kg di peso, ma siamo in buona salute e cosa più importante, il morale è alto, e siamo determinati a continuare lo sciopero.

Siamo sicuri della vittoria, abbiamo fiducia nella giustezza della nostra causa e delle nostre rivendicazioni, e nel sostegno che le masse del nostro popolo, della nostra nazione e mondo libero -individui, organizzazioni e istituzioni- ci forniscono come sempre affiancando la nostra giusta lotta. Queste richieste includono un numero di legittimi diritti umani secondo la legislazione internazionale, inclusa l’abolizione del confino solitario come pericolosa forma di tortura senza nessuna giustificazione di sicurezza o legale nonché contraria alla legislazione umanitaria internazionale e a tutte le convenzioni contro la tortura.

Chiediamo anche di porre fine alla proibizione delle visite dei familiari ai prigionieri di Gaza in corso da più di sette anni, così come all’interporsi durante le visite dei familiari nella West Bank con il pretesto delle ragioni di sicurezza, e facciamo richiesta che queste visite siano permesse anche a parenti lontani oltre che a quelli stretti. Ciò di cui abbiamo bisogno dalle masse del nostro popolo, dalle forze politiche e dalle istituzioni è che alzino la voce e facciano conoscere le nostre giuste rivendicazioni di prigionieri con una voce unificata e di non subordinare la causa dei prigionieri alle dispute interne o alla gestione della divisione. Questo sciopero include la partecipazione di tutte le forze e le fazioni politiche, senza eccezioni e il miglior dono che le forze politiche possono farci è di sostenerci nell’implementare gli accordi per l’unità, l’inchiostro dei quali non si è ancora seccato.

Tale unità è un fondamento essenziale, il più importante pilastro per raggiungere i nostri scopi nazionali. In conclusione, saluto e ringrazio tutte le forze palestinesi, arabe ed internazionali che sono accanto alla nostra giusta lotta. Fino alla vittoria!

Ahmad Sa’adat
24, aprile, 2012
Ottavo giorno di sciopero della fame