Israeli court rules food given to Palestinian prisoners does not meet legal standards

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled on Sunday that the food provided by the prison authorities to Palestinian prisoners does not meet the standards set by law.

The court stated that “there is concern that the current quantities of food given to Palestinian prisoners do not adequately ensure compliance with legal standards.”

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) had filed a petition to the Supreme Court against the prison authority’s policy regarding meals served to prisoners.

Judge Daphna Barak-Erez said the prosecution’s arguments were not convincing compared with the difficulties raised by the petitioners. She ruled that the prison authority must take steps to ensure the standards are met.

The court added that “this is not a matter of comfort or luxury, but of basic living conditions required by law.”

Prisoners across Israeli jails have long complained of a deliberate policy of starvation imposed by the prison authority under the guidance of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

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