Following the installation of cellular jamming devices inside prisons by the Israel Prisons Service (IPS), Hamas terrorists went on a hunger strike some two weeks ago. On Wednesday, the strikers announced that they are ending the strike.
The IPS stayed adamant and refused to remove the jamming devices, triggering the prisoners to give up on their strike.
Acting chief commissioner Asher Vaknin of the IPS told reporters that the prisoners’ struggle was in vain. “IPS wardens are at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and risk their lives in dealing with the security prisoners. We announced that we would not fold in any way on the process of installing the jamming devices and that will also be the case in the future. I do not suggest that any of the prisoners test the IPS’ determination in the face of any present and future threat.”
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan added, “It is my clear policy that terrorist hunger strikes should not bring them any achievements, and therefore I instructed not to negotiate with the terrorists and this policy once again proved itself like the mass hunger strike that [Marwan] Barghouti led two years ago.”
“Cellular jamming devices will be installed in all security prisons and we will continue to work to reduce the conditions under which terrorists are held to the minimum required by law,” Erdan said.
The prisoners who declared the strike were tried and found guilty of conducting a hunger strike and were thereby punished by being transferred to isolated cells with only a mattress and a blanket.
The tactic of hunger-striking to either gain a release or an improvement of conditions has worked in the past and the IPS has caved. However, this time the IPS refused to cave and the prisoners eventually gave up.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
And if any of these murderers die in the process, who cares. I would be upset if someone innocent died. But a convicted terrorist should not be sustained by government monies anyway. The prison system needs to maintain its security, and the jamming devices should be installed. If the prisoners don’t like it, they can use their voices to stop others from engaging in terror. As matters stand, they deserve every minute of suffering.
I have never understood this method. Why would starving yourself from sustenance convince the very group that put you in jail, because of your own misdeeds? Are they trying to appeal to the Israeli police or to international media?