Prisoners go on hunger strike in Nablus detention center

Palestinian prisoners at the Israeli military detention center Hawara in the West Bank City of Nablus went on a hunger strike Wednesday to protest an Israeli higher court of justice ruling that the sentence of one of the longest serving Palestinian administrative detainees will not be shortened.

Majdi Al-Shuruf was arrested in August of 2001. His latest detention order expires July 20. The Palestinian Information Center reported that if his detention is renewed, which would be for the 13^th consecutive time, Shuruf would be the second longest serving administrative detainee. 

 The Hawara prisoners said they are also protesting harsh treatment of university lecturer Mustafa Al-Shannar after he was arrested Wednesday.

 Lawyer of the Palestinian prisoners’ support society Fayez Al-Zarba told the Palestinian Information Center that Shannar hands were shackled to his back for several hours while knowing that he has back problems and breathing difficulty.

Zarba added that the prison authority did not allow him to give Shannar medicine, prompting the Prisoner Society to contact human rights organizations to put pressure on Israeli authorities to allow proper medical treatment for Shannar until he is released.