Palestinian prisoners stage mass hunger strike
About 1,600 Palestinian prisoners began a hunger strike today to protest at conditions in Israeli jails – despite a warning by Israel’s public security minister said they could “starve to death” before he agrees to ease restrictions.
An extended fast by so many inmates would be the biggest challenge to Israeli prison authorities since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in 2000. The remaining Palestinian prisoners and detainees – Israel holds a total of about 7,500 – are to join the hunger strike by the end of the week, organisers said.
