Israel blamed for death of security prisoner
Palestine, Politics, 6/23/1998

Palestinian human rights organizations blamed Israel on Tuesday for the death of 65 year old security prisoner Yousef Diab Al Ar'ir.

Ar'ir has been held in Israeli jails for 26 years and had recently suffered a series of health problems and illnesses. His family said on Tuesday that he underwent heart surgery in prison some two weeks ago without anyone from the family being notified. Despite his deteriorating health condition over the past few years, Israel rejected a number of calls to release him.

Hisham Abdul Razeq, the Palestinian official in charge of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, said that Israel has since the signing of the Oslo Accords refused to implement the clauses that speak explicitly of the need to release all Palestinian prisoners. "The death of Ar'ir showed the true face of the Israeli authorities that refuse to implement the agreements and free the prisoners," he said. Families and relatives of Palestinian prisoners still behind Israeli bars have, meanwhile, continued their protest campaign in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross offices in Gaza calling for the immediate release of all prisoners in Israel.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in a statement that there is "a high probability that his death was caused by medical negligence at the hospital, or at the Ramle prison. We demand that an investigation be undertaken to clarify the circumstances of his death, and that the examination be done by a neutral, international, party." Chairman of the Palestinian committee for prisoners, Issa Karaka, demanded the release of other infirm prisoners. He said that there are 37 such Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel whose health is precarious, and who need surgery.

Ar'ir, whose family lives in Shuja'ieye neighborhood in Gaza, was a leading member of the Islamic Jihad Movement. His son, Khamis, said he died Monday evening at Ramleh prison hospital because of negligence by the Israeli authorities in offering him proper medical care. Khamis said his father was supposed to be released next February. "My father's health condition deteriorated after the open heart surgery he underwent at Tal Hashomer hospital in Tel Aviv," said Khamis, who held Israel responsible for his father's death.

The Islamic Jihad issued a statement in which it condemned what it called the suspicious silence amid which Palestinian prisoners are badly treated by Israel. Palestinian sources said that since 1988, 15 Palestinians held in Israel for security offenses had died under "mysterious circumstances."

Israel said the prison authorities have already started an investigation of their own but refused any foreign involvement or participation. A spokesperson for Israel's prison services said that all necessary steps were taken in an attempt to save Ar'ir's life. "This wasn't a case of medical negligence. He got very good medical care. What happened might have happened to anyone, and we made the best possible effort to save his life."

Previous Stories:
  Amnesty International denounces Israeli violations of human rights   (6/19/1998)
  Israeli methods of torture unveiled   (5/19/1998)
  Do not forget our cause, Palestinian prisoners appeal   (2/12/1998)

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