PA urged to prosecute Israel at ICC over violation of prisoners’ rights

Human rights activists called on the Palestinian Authority to file a lawsuit at the ICC against Israel’s violation of Palestinian prisoners’ rights.

The calls came during a press conference organised in Ramallah yesterday to commemorate the 41st anniversary of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day declared by the Palestinian National Council in 1974.

The activists urged the PA and the United Nations to issue a binding resolution that forces Israel to treat Palestinian prisoners as prisoners of war and compel it to apply the covenants of the Geneva Conventions in the Palestinian territories.

Issa Qaraqea, the minister of detainees and ex-detainees affairs, who attended the event, said the Palestinian efforts should focus now on addressing the Palestinian prisoners’ issues at the ICC for an advisory opinion.

He stressed on the need to recognise Palestinian detainees as “prisoners of freedom” and not as terrorists and murderers as Israel portrays them.

The Palestinian minister pointed out that the Israeli forces commit “flagrant violations” on a daily basis against Palestinian prisoners, especially those with prevailing health conditions.

Head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Qadura Fares said Israel commits a series of crimes against the prisoners including increasing the frequency of detaining minors and women, administrative detentions and maltreating prisoners.

Fares called on the PA to include the Palestinian prisoners file in its lawsuits against Israel at the ICC.