Arab League to discuss Palestinian prisoner hunger-strikes

The permanent Palestinian representative to the Arab League and Palestinian ambassador to Egypt, Barakat El-Farra, has announced a decision by the Arab League to hold an emergency council meeting at Palestine’s request. The meeting, which will be attended by permanent representatives, is to take place at the League’s headquarters on May 6 and will discuss means of supporting Palestinian prisoners on hunger-strike in Israeli prisons.

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El-Farra explained that this meeting “aims to shed light on the issue of prisoners and to discredit Israeli policies based on inhumane practices against them.” 
 
In a press conference held on Thursday, May 3, El- Farra confirmed that the Ramallah government’s foreign affairs minister, Riyad Al-Malki, would be attending the meeting.
 
The ambassador called on the Arab Group in New York to file a petition with the UN General Assembly with regard to adopting a resolution that requests an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the legal status of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli prisons. The opinion would be in accordance with the relevant provisions of international law taking into consideration that they are prisoners of war with legitimate rights to resist the occupation.
 
He also requested that the “necessary contacts with countries that support the Palestinian Cause” be made in order to facilitate the adoption of such an advisory opinion.