570 PA Prisoners Refusing Meals Today

Arutz 7 ^ | Aug 1, 2003 | staff

[Nachum]

Contrary to various media reports, "over 1,000" Arab security prisoners in Israeli jails are not hunger-striking. In fact, says Prison Service Commissioner Yaakov Ganot, only 570 prisoners are involved, "and what they're actually doing is refusing to receive today's meals - which is very different than a hunger-strike."

Several reasons were given for the strike. Palestinian Prisoners Union Chairman Isa Kraka said that it was a response to yesterday's "wounding" of 18 prisoners in the Shikmah Prison in Ashkelon, and that they were striking in solidarity with them.

Yesterday's rioting in the Shikmah prison broke out after a map of the prison was found in the possession of one of the inmates. The guards, suspecting an escape plan, then began a check of all the cells, to which the prisoners objected by rioting. Extra reinforcements were called in to quell the uprising, which they did using tear gas. Eighteen prisoners and five jailers were all lightly hurt in the violence.

"They're doing it 'deluxe,'" Ganot said: "They're drinking water and milk and lots of other stuff." He said that the prison authorities will continue to ensure that total quiet is maintained.

Kraka also said that today's refusal of meals was a protest of the fact that Israel is not serious about releasing prisoners. PA Minister of Prisoner Affairs Hisham Abdel Razek told Itim News Agency that if Israel does not show more flexibility in its stance on the release of prisoners, "they will begin a general uprising throughout the Israeli prison system."

The affected prisons are Shata in the Beit She'an Valley, Eshel in the south, and the Hadarim Prison in the Sharon Valley.

[Nachum]

Hmmm, this should save on Israeli food bills.

[nina0113]

This is what comes of TAKING prisoners in the first place. If Israel had been executing them all along, there'd be none to release, let alone strike. And the food bills would have been even lower.

Electric might have gone up, of course.

[CholeraJoe]

Electric might have gone up, of course.

Nah. Let the ragheads starve in the dark.

[Catspaw]

When one of us kids would get into a food snit, Mom would say, "when she gets hungry enough to eat, she'll eat."

[nina0113]

No, no - I meant the temporary increase in the bill due to the application of 100K volts apiece (or whatever it takes).

[mewzilla]

LOL. Kinda reminds me about why you don't call firemen to get cats out of trees: has anyone ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree? If these guys don't want to eat, fine by me.

[CholeraJoe]

Far too expensive. You can buy 50 rounds of FMJ 9mm for $6.89. You could tidy up the whole lot for less than $100.

[Catspaw]

I'd set up a temporary kitchen downwind of them, start cooking all kinds of wonderful foods, strategically place a few large fans to waft the cooking odors in their direction...then eat the food I cooked in front of them.

This is probably a human rights violation :-))

[New Horizon]

"570 PA Prisoners Refusing Meals Today"

Okee dokee. Sounds good. Next?

[hobbes1]

EFFEM. Let'em Starve.

[Riley]

I know what you mean ('upwind', right?).

My neighbor is doing the Atkins thing, and the barbecue is going almost every day, between our houses. It's making me crazy.

[Kenton]

In response the Israelis should not feed them tomorrow. I mean, what're they gonna do?

[nina0113]

I just started doing the Atkins thing and I am losing weight like crazy - and I'm NOT HUNGRY. I always thought those Atkins disciples were nuts, but I'm coming over to that side of the street. I feel good too.

Though the guy who said he was at a birthday party eating sardines, while everyone else ate ice cream, and didn't feel deprived - he really is nuts.

[laweeks]

I frankly don't see a problem here. They either eat or they don't. If I were the warden, I'd start baking bread and other fine-smelling foods and let the aroma waft out to the prisoners. I wouldn't give them any, but I'd let them smell the aroma.

[Tamzee]

570 PA Prisoners Refusing Meals Today

Hmmmmm... been thinkin and thinkin and can't come up with a downside.

[Nachum]

I just finished my first month on Atkins too. I am losing weight for the first time in years and I am not hungry.

By the way, I was at a party last night where they were eating all sorts of stuff I love. I drank water, ate some celery and walked out without packing in the carbs. I could never have done it a month ago.