The Criminal Israeli Siege of Jericho Prison

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday March 15, 2006 03:39

by Danny Feinstein - Gush Shalom

According to the Bible ...

Jericho was a Canaanite city destroyed by the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land; its walls were flattened by the shout of the army and the blast of trumpets.

yesterday, however (no more fairy stories) according to news reports, at approximately 11:30 AM the external walls of Jericho prison were partially demolished by armoured Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Caterpillar bulldozers and tanks in a successful criminal action to kidnap Ahmad Sa'adat, Secretary General for the Liberation of Palestine and other members of the PFLP, after according to several sources, the US and British forces which guard Sa'adat left the prison (surprise, surprise) 15 minutes earlier in flagrant breach of the 3 June 2003, Palestinian High Court of Justice order, commanding the immediate release of Sa'adat, in response to a petition submitted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) challenging the legality of Sa'adat's detention and demanding his immediate release.

Last week, the PCHR, in cooperation with Hickman & Rose Solicitors, filed a lawsuit before the UK judiciary against the British government for its role in monitoring the illegal detention of Sa'adat in violation of the Palestinian High Court of Justice ruling - the PCHR believed that this role violated international and humanitarian law. The PCHR strongly condemned the IOF operation and expressed its shock at the withdrawal of the US and British guards from Jericho Prison before the operation took place. furthermore, the PCHR held and holds the IOF fully responsible for the safety of Sa'adat and all other prisoners in Jericho Prison and called upon the international community to immediately intervene and pressure the Israeli government to stop its military operation in Jericho Prison, as the operation would inevitably lead to more casualties among prisoners and guards.

Amnesty International have not been found wanting as well, as according to this august body, the UK and US have contributed to perpetuating the extra-legal arrangement over the past four years during which Ahmad Sa'adat and his co-detainees were held arbitrarily by the PA and that the sudden departure of the US and UK guards yesterday contributed to the escalation of the situation. Amnesty International also holds that the Israeli authorities are responsible for the safety of the detainees and staff in Jericho Prison and reiterated its call on the Israeli authorities to end their policy of assassinations and excessive use of lethal force.

Some mainstream media outlets have reported that two guards have been killed and 8 others have been wounded whilst on the other hand, RTE's Radio 1 is of the opinion, no one has been murdered. Anyone out there with more up-to-date info?.