All but one of the British ‘Palestine Action’ prisoners ended their hunger strike, including Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed after 73 and 66 days, following achievement of some of their key demands. According to campaign group Prisoners For Palestine, all hunger strikers except Umer Khalid have begun taking food again.
Hunger strikers consider the loss of a 2 billion pound contract by Elbit Systems to train British troops a major victory. Victories included Muraisi’s transfer to HMP Bronzefield, release of withheld mail, a meeting with prison healthcare leaders, and registration of 500 people to take direct action against genocidal military industrial complex. Export licenses for the company over the past five years were also disclosed.
Four prisoners face charges for alleged break-in at Elbit Systems site in Filton, and four others for alleged break-in at RAF base in Brize Norton.
On Thursday, activists staged a protest inside BBC Scotland, denouncing the outlet’s failure to report on the plight of Palestine Action hunger strikers in UK prisons and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
On Friday, activists from Palestine Solidarity Campaign for Peace and Justice occupied a Barclays branch in central London to demand that the bank end its funding of Israel’s genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.
Today, 17 January, they’re calling everyone to join an action at a Barclays branch near you to demand Barclays to Stop Arming Israel.
ICTU President Phil Ní Sheaghdha expressed solidarity with the Palestine Action hunger strikers during a protest at the Dáil on Wednesday, stressing that this situation is not normal.
