Palestinians rally in support of hunger striker

By Anees Bargouthi

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Dozens of Palestinians on Monday demonstrated in front of the UN headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah to protest what they say failure of international organizations to pressure Israel to free hunger-striking prisoner Bilal Kayed.

Around 50 activists blocked the entrance of the UN building and prevented workers from entering the premises.

“My brother has been on hunger strike for 69 days now in protest of his administrative detention, yet no international organization has taken action to release him,” Kayed’s sister, Nazik Kayed, told Anadolu Agency.

“The main role of international organizations is to defend human rights and protect freedom, but they failed to do so,” she said.

Kayed, 35, has entered his 69th day on hunger strike to protest his ongoing placement in "administrative detention" -- a policy by which prisoners can be held for up to one year without charge or trial.

Kayed was arrested by Israeli authorities in 2002 and sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of being a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

He was slated for release on June 13 of this year, but the Israeli authorities -- citing "secret evidence" -- extended his detention for a further six months.

According to official Palestinian figures, over 7,000 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, roughly 700 of whom are being held in administrative detention.