Qaraqe’: `“As long as the detainees are imprisoned, the occupation remains`

Issa Qaraqe’, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Society in the West Bank said that there are 650 detainees from the Gaza Strip still imprisoned in Israeli detention facilities.

“Israel refused to release them, their families, wives, and children are still waiting to be with their them”, Qaraqe’ said, “Israel is trying to show the world that its withdrawal from Gaza complies with the international law, it simply doesn’t, because evacuating from an occupied area should, in accordance to the internal law, include releasing the political detainees”.

Also, Qaraqe’ stated that the coming period is very sensitive especially amidst the continuous arrests in the Palestinian territories, and the bad treatment the detainees face in Israeli prisons.

“This is causing tension in the Palestinian areas, Israel is treating the political detainees as criminals, and abusing them, it should comply with the principles of human rights”, Qaraqe’ added.

Qaraqe’ criticized using the detainees and their families in order to achieve political goals, especially during elections.  

“The detainees are holding talks regarding the elections, it is one of their basic political rights”, Qaraqe’ stated, “There are internal talks in detention facilities to conduct protest steps during the elections”.