Head of Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Authority to QNA: Remembrance of Nakba Gains Greater Significance Internationally This Year

 

 

Ramallah, May 15 (QNA) - Head of the Palestinian prisoners and ex-prisoners affairs authority Kadri Abu Baker affirmed that the 75th anniversary of the Nakba has gained greater significance internationally this year, especially after the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a resolution to commemorate the Nakba as well as in view of the speech that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will deliver on May 15 about Arab efforts, particularly those by the State of Qatar, in the service of Palestinian rights.

  In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Abu Baker said there was a remarkable progress in the United Nations and European positions on the Palestinian Nakba, especially after the extremist government took office in the Israeli entity. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' upcoming address to the United Nations is an affirmation of the international community's increased recognition of the justice of the Palestinian cause and of the legality of the Palestinian national struggle in all its forms, he added.

    In this regard, the Head of the Palestinian prisoners and ex-prisoners affairs authority appreciated Arab support in the internationalization of the Palestinian cause, praising the State of Qatar's efforts to serve this central cause for the Arab and Islamic worlds. The State of Qatar has been for many years supporting the right and standing with the Palestinian right, he added.

The continuation of such support by the State of Qatar and Arab States would be a compelling factor for that entity to reverse its fascist racist policy towards the Palestinian people and the issue of prisoners which is a unitary issue for all the Palestinian people. Israeli occupation has been targeting prisoners in order to oppress Palestinians.

He hoped that international support would not be limited to denunciation and would include practical and effective attitudes to compel the Israeli entity to comply with international laws and regulations, and that the [international community] would not let the occupation do as they wish with regard to the Palestinian people's right, land and sanctity.

    Regarding moves to internationalize the issue of prisoners, the Palestinian official said that there were arrangements to hold numerous meetings with Arab jurists and others as well as to participate in future conferences in a number of Arab, European and non-European states to take up urgent issues of prisoners.

Regarding the number of prisoners in occupation prisons, Abu Baker noted that they reached 4,900, of them 1,000 are administrative prisoners who are not accused and have not confessed to committing any crime, in a violation of all international laws. He added that the occupation authorities arrested 170 children under 18 years of age, 31 women and 700 patients, including cancer patients and two handicapped.

    In this connection, he condemned the occupation forces' arrest of children, particularly in Jerusalem, pointing out that there were 40 Palestinian detainees under the age of 14 as part of the so-called home detention imposed on children by the occupation forces forcing them to stay at home.

    On the reasons for this escalation by the right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and its repercussions on the issue of prisoners, the head of the Palestinian prisoners and ex-prisoners affairs authority said this is an extremist, fascist and Nazi authority led by a far-right group headed by Israel's extremist Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who declared very clearly, even before assuming office, his desire to abuse the prisoners and make their lives a hell.

    He noted the approval by the Israeli Knesset General Authority of a preliminary reading of a bill that could lead to the execution of "Palestinian prisoners", adding that the law had been passed on March 1. It was submitted by a deputy from the Jewish Power party headed by Ben-Gvir, who is behind the project.

    With regard to the martyrdom of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan, a leader in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, in an Israeli prison after an 86-day hunger strike, the head of the Palestinian prisoners affairs said that medical neglect was evident against Palestinian prisoners. The assassination of Khader Adnan was a full-fledged crime, adding that Israel's Minister of Internal Security instructed medical staff not to provide any assistance to Adnan even if that led to his death, which led to his death as a direct result of these instructions, pointing out that there is a new policy of the occupation authority that there is no negotiation with anyone who strikes but leaves him until he dies.

    The Palestinian people will provide more martyrs, wounded people and prisoners, he said. As long as the occupation persists and exists, the resistance will continue and will only end when the occupation ends, he said.

He concluded his remarks by saying that the Israeli occupation forces were targeting prisoners because they were the forefront of the Palestinian people and freedom fighters. They wanted to oppress this people through these heroes who are the first trench to defend the Palestinian and Arab cause, he noted. (QNA)