Palestinian prisoners end hunger strike

Palestinian prisoners held by Israel ended an 18-day hunger strike today but both sides disagreed over the accomplishments.

About 4,000 prisoners launched the strike on August 15. The prisoners presented a list of demands for better conditions, but the main thrust of the strike was to protest at Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Palestinian cabinet minister Qadoura Fares said the prisoners were talking with Israeli officials over their demands. “We consider the negotiations an achievement for them because the Israeli authorities announced from first day that they wouldn’t negotiate,” he said.

Ofer Lefler, spokesman for the Israeli prison authority, said prison officials did not negotiate with the prisoners but would discuss “humanitarian issues not related to security in the prisons or the security of Israel”.

Palestinians complained that the hunger strike failed to attract significant world attention.

Issa Karake, head of the Palestinian prisoners’ association, said Israeli authorities gave in to many demands, including an end to strip searches, allowing prisoners to talk to their families on the phone, and removing glass partitions between prisoners and visiting relatives.

Israel denied making any concessions.