Israeli online daily Haaretz reported that three of six Hezbollah
detainees imprisoned by Israel appealed to the Israeli High Court of
Justice on Wednesday, demanding be recognized as prisoners of war.
Haaretz added that attorneys for the three, Semadar Ben-Nati and Itai Hermalin, who were appointed by the Israeli Public Defender's Office, are also to ask the court to allow their clients to be visited by the International Red Cross.
Red Cross representatives managed to visit the detainees only three times.
The Israeli policy allows the Red Cross to visit foreign nationals who are held in its jails, even the detainees who are not recognized by Israel as prisoners of war.
Haaretz said that the Israeli decision came in response to Hezbollah’s refusal to allow Red Cross representatives to visit the two soldiers captured by its fighters. The two soldiers are Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.
Haaretz also said that detainee Hussein Suleiman is among the six detainees who filed the appeal. Suleiman is believed to have taken an indirect part in the abduction of Goldwasser and Regev.
Suleiman said that he was a member of a group waiting in ambush for Israeli soldiers, but his role was as a backup if additional Israeli troops arrive to the scene. He stated that he did not take part in the ensuing battle.
The six detainees have all been indicted by the Israeli District Court in Nazareth after they were charged of “membership in a terror organization”, prohibited underground military training and attempted murder of Israeli troops.
The Israeli prosecution claims that the six members were trained in Iran by the Revolutionary Guards.
Meanwhile, Physicians for Human Rights wrote paper to the Israeli Public Security Minister, Avi Dichter, stating that the detainees are facing harsh conditions and have not been issued proper clothing.
The Israeli Prisons Service denied the claims and said that all prisoners are being detained under the same conditions.
