Security narratives and the force-feeding of Palestinian prisoners

Last year, as details of Palestinian prisoners embarking on hunger strikes in protest against human rights violations hit the news and social media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to pass a bill that would authorise the force-feeding of such prisoners deemed to be at risk of dying. The intention to undermine the political significance of hunger strikes was outlined explicitly by Netanyahu in his warped justification for such a decision.

According to Israel’s Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan, “Alongside attempts to boycott and delegitimise Israel, hunger strikes of terrorists in prison have become a means to threaten Israel.” Once again, the case was made for Israel’s alleged security concerns to be the means to bludgeon legitimate Palestinian resistance to its military occupation.

Netanyahu’s bill, which is awaiting Knesset approval following its resuscitation by the prime minister last Sunday, has been criticised by the Israeli Medical Association and Physicians for Human Rights; both deemed it “unethical” and “disgraceful”. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) pointed out that “hunger strikes for prisoners are a legitimate means of objection.” Quoted in Haaretz, IMA chairman Leonid Eidelman said that the bill “creates an illusion that through [the law] it will be possible to prevent damage to the health of hunger strikers – and this is not true.”

As described in the Jerusalem Post, the current bill contains one variation from the previous draft; the force-feeding of Palestinian prisoners would be applied following the approval of a judge, rather than at the discretion of a doctor. Ironically, the judge is required “to consult with an ethics committee.”

With most Palestinian political prisoners on hunger strike having been subjected repeatedly to administrative detention, Netanyahu has evidently chosen to impose varying forms of humiliation rather than address the barbaric practice of jailing detainees indefinitely without charge. This is an unequivocal assertion utilised to bolster Israel’s hyperbole regarding its “security concerns”. Unfortunately, hunger strikes have become more symbolic than a valid and necessary component of Palestinian resistance. Hence, the ritual of creating icons out of hunger strikers has resulted in the celebration of individual efforts, rather than a collective manifestation that goes beyond the renowned names of Palestinian prisoners who made it to international prominence. Such unintentional disregard has also aided Netanyahu’s brutal logic; shifting the focus from individuals enables Israel to fabricate its security narrative and conjure a collective threat as justification for the issue of macabre legislation.

Medical torture and state complicity seems to be gaining ground in Israel, juxtaposed against the false premise of “Palestinian terrorists” as opposed to “Palestinian political prisoners”. While the issue of force-feeding undoubtedly causes tremendous consternation – particularly with regard to the concept of legally-sanctioning torture – Israel is extending its own impunity by removing the autonomy of a resistant population. Consequently, the proposed bill could also be perceived as an appendage to administrative detention, as well as a repercussion of the leniency and impunity which the international community bestows upon Israel, despite its perpetual violations of international law.

The main premise of the bill constitutes yet another attempt at highlighting Israel’s “security concerns”. Condemnation of the proposed legislation is nothing but a ludicrous attempt by the international community that highlights its complicity, given the emphasis and importance placed upon Israel’s illegitimate “self-defence” against the resistance efforts of an occupied people.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.