Visit to the Palestinian Prisoners' Society in Hebron

This week the Hebron team met with Amjad, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society responsible for the Hebron area. Founded in 1993 by prisoners from inside Israeli prisons the organisation is concerned with Palestinian and Arab political prisoners locked away in Israeli prisons, interrogation and detention centres. The society was formed on the basis of creating a popular organisation that could work to care for prisoners and their families.

There are currently about 10,000 political prisoners located in approximately 30 jails and interrogation centres in Israel. Hebron accounts for 1600 of these prisoners. Out of the 10,000 prisoners, 75 have spent more than 25 years in jail. While the Society engages in many different aspects concerning prisoners' issues it gives more attention and concern to those prisoners who are ill in the prisons. Out of the 10,000, about 1,000 are ill with 16 currently inflicted with cancer. As the prisoners do not receive adequate medical treatment the organisation works hard to secure the release of those seriously ill in order to receive treatment. We were told how the organisation managed to help get a man released who has had cancer for the previous seven months. While he contracted cancer seven months ago the Israeli prison authorities refused to treat him and only did so now when it is too late. Upon being released the man was told he had only weeks left to live.

Amjad then talked to us about the conditions that the prisoners face in the Israeli prisons informing us that the main diet of prisoners consisted of beans and rice that is made up in a soup. Amjad said that such food is miserable and is the type that "we give to our animals." When questioned whether the prisoners eat any meat in prison Amjad joked that, "we make a party when we see chicken!"

Comparing the conditions to that of Guantamino Bay Amjad detailed various torture methods that the prisoners would be subjected to. Amjad demonstrated to us various stress positions and other methods including tying your hands up against the wall above your head so that your heels do not touch the ground. Although the use of such methods are illegal under international law Israel continues to use such techniques. Furthermore evidence and information collected under such methods are used in constructing and running cases in Israeli courts.

When someone is arrested the most important thing is to find out where they are as this information is not always forthcoming. The society acts as the main source of communication between the prisoners and their families. While the society is able to locate where loved ones have been placed in prison they also help organise transportation to and from the jails in Israel. However this is a complicated process as it is difficult for relatives to enter Israel due to the permit regime that restricts the freedom of movement. Amjad detailed that around 50 percent of relatives are refused access to see their relatives in prison due to security reasons.

Amjad is one of the founding members behind the Prisoners Society. He had been given a 20 year sentence but was freed as part of the Oslo process after serving five years of his sentence. We asked Amjad what made him change his course of action from a violent past to creating this organisation and continuing to work in it. Amjad replied that the presence of his wife and kids caused him to break with violence. However towards the end of the meeting Amjad shows us a picture of his four-year-old son holding an automatic weapon and looking through the sight. This picture disturbed us all and we asked him what good does it do teaching his son how to hold and aim an automatic weapon. Amjad explains that we (Palestinians) have to prepare our children against Israeli children who are brought up only to see good Arabs as dead Arabs. In reflecting on this as a team it is clear that to a certain extent violence is glorified both in the culture of martyrdom and through active resistance in Palestine. Seeing a picture of a four-year-old son holding a weapon, although shocking, reminds us of the psychological impact that the occupation brings to bear on those living under it.

The Society carries out a variety of activities aimed at raising awareness about prisoners' issues and rights which include: taking part in rallies and demonstrations; offering material and cash assistance to prisoners and their families; holding legal seminars with specialists on prisoner's rights; engaging in cultural, art and sports activities in support of prisoners; press conferences; establishing training centres for released prisoners and prisoners' families; and publishing books, reports and press releases related to prisoners’ issues.