Palestinian activists in London demand an end to Security Coordination

On April 17th, the day that is annually marked as Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, Palestinian communities in the diaspora staged a coordinated series of protests in several cities around the world. While reiterating the demands for inalienable Palestinian rights, including the release of all Palestinian political prisoners, central to the collective actions was the demand that the Palestinian Authority immediately end its security coordination with Israel.

Outside the Palestinian Mission in London activists hung banners bearing the face of Basel al-Araj, the young Palestinian activist who was assassinated by Israel in March. April 17th marked the 40th day since Al-Araj was murdered.

A call to action released by activists prior to Monday’s actions outlined the motivations behind the protests:

Basel was one of six activists arrested by the PA in March 2016. After six months of being subjected to torture while being held without trial, the activists carried out a hunger strike until their release. Five of the activists were immediately arrested by the Israeli occupation, joining around seven thousand other Palestinian political prisoners in Israel’s jails. They continue to be held under administrative detention, without charge or trial. Basel, however, went into hiding for six months. On March 6, dozens of Israeli forces raided Basel’s hideout in Al-Bireh, in close proximity to the PA’s headquarters, and assassinated him after a two hour standoff.

Following Al-Araj’s murder, activists including Al-Araj’s father who were protesting the PA’s security coordination policies were attacked by PA security forces in Ramallah.

MEMO Report: Palestinian security cooperation with Israel

Alongside the London protest, similar coordinated actions took place in several European and US cities including Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Malmo, Vienna, New York, Boston and Washington DC.

Earlier in the day, more than 1500 Palestinian political prisoners had launched a collective open hunger strike in Israeli prisons and detention centres.

According to a statement released by Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association which is based in Ramallah, the demands of the hunger strikers include access to “family visits and proper medical care” and an immediate “end to Israel’s practice of detaining Palestinians without charge or trial in so-called administrative detention and stopping the use of isolation.”

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists protest demanding the Palestinian Authority to end the security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]

Activists gather outside the Palestinian Mission in London demanding the Palestinian Authority to end its security coordination with Israel on 17 April 2017 [Rich Wiles]