Ban Ki-Moon calls for an end to "Palestinian prisoners' crisis"

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, issued a statement on Tuesday evening expressing deep concern about the “deteriorating situation” of the Palestinian prisoners on hunger-strike in Israeli prisons. Ban Ki-Moon said he was especially worried about the critical health condition of Samer Al Issawi.

Ban Ki-Moon made his statement in light of letters he received from the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, and representatives of the Arab League.

Haaretz newspaper reported that Ban Ki-moon also conveyed his concern during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Still further, the UN Secretary-General said he was particularly worried about the conditions of administrative detainees, who are held by Israel without a trial. He called on Israel to either prosecute those prisoners according to International laws and standards or release them.
 
Ki-moon added that a quick solution must be found to end the crisis and urged Israel to honour the agreement made with the prisoners’ leaders in May 2012, which ended the hunger-strikes at the time. He further stressed that Israel must fulfil its obligations regarding visitations for the prisoners’ families.