The battle of empty stomachs

It is almost two weeks since Palestinian prisoners began their hunger strike for dignity and freedom. Hundreds are held without charge or trial, and scores have been locked in solitary confinement for years, some more than ten years.  By waging this ‘battle of empty stomachs’, they seek to draw to the attention of the international community the utterly degrading and inhumane treatment meted out to Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s prisons. Two-thirds all those held are ordinary labourers and bread-winners for families subjected to more than four decades of military occupation. In this series, MEMO features the profiles of the prisoners held in solitary confinement.

• Ahmad Sa’adat – Solitary Confinement Prisoner #1
• Abdullah al-Barghouti – Solitary Confinement Prisoner #2
• Ibrahim Hamid – Solitary Confinement Prisoner #3