Lawyer Jawad Boulos of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) stated Monday that Israel did not present any substantial offer to end the crisis of hunger striking Palestinian detainee, Samer Al-Eesawy, and added that what happened is a discussion of an Israeli proposal to release the detainee on October 15 2013.Boulos said that Israeli prison and security officers held a meeting with Al-Eesawy and discussed with him the issue of releasing him on October 15, after he spends additional six months in administrative detention, without charges, starting on April 7. The meeting took place at the Kaplan Israeli Medical Center.
In a press release, the Palestinian Prisoners Society said that it is still waiting for an official Israeli decision, not a proposal, regarding what have been discussed with Al-Eesawy.
The PPS added that Al-Eesawy will not make any decision without an official, documented, Israeli offer regarding his release.
Boulos said that a court session was held Monday, and that the detainee boycotted the session after stating the he does not recognize its legitimacy.
“The Jerusalem District Court sentenced me to eight months, those eight months ended in March”, Al-Eesawy told the court, “There is no reason to continue my detention and imprisonment, and I do not recognize your committee and its decisions”.
Boulos further stated that the Israeli judge asked an Israeli Physician about the situation of Al-Eesawy, and the physician said that Al-Eesawy stopped taking vitamins, and refuses to conduct any medical tests, adding, “This issue raises major concerns regarding his health”.
The judge then asked the doctor “Why don’t you force him to eat, you have every legal right to do so”, but the doctor responded; “This would be unethical and inhumane”.
Boulos said that the judge did not like the answer of the doctor and decided that the special committee discussing the issue of Al-Eesawy must continue its deliberations; even without the presence of the detainee and his lawyer, and that the committee must then submit a detailed medical report to the court.
Furthermore, Boulos said that the Israeli hospital looked like a military fortress with dozens of Israeli soldiers and police officers deployed around it, and added that several solidarity activists also gathered near the hospital to express solidarity with Al-Eesawy.
A number of Israeli extremists also gathered in the area, but the police managed to keep the two groups apart.
