BEIRU, February 10, 2011 (WAFA) – The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) celebrated Thursday its 42nd anniversary by holding a protest outside the Red Cross Beirut office in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Representatives of Lebanese political parties, Palestinian factions, popular committees, civil society organizations and residents of Beirut’s refugee camps participated in the protest and left signs that say “Freedom to the Palestinian and Arab prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.”

Lebanese parliament member, Marwan Fares, said that the prisoners cause “must be a unifying element for all because it is righteous.” He called on Palestinian, Arab, international and legal movements to exert effort for releasing all prisoners unconditionally.

DFLP Central Committee Member Adnan Yousif called for the biggest Palestinian and Arab action to free prisoners and to punish whom he described as Israeli war criminals.

Central Committee member of the Lebanese Communist Party Rabah Shahrour considered the continuous division between Palestinian factions helps Israel execute its plans. He called for unity that helps in confronting the occupation and freeing all prisoners.

 At the end of the protest, the participants handed the Red Cross a letter that asks for immediate intervention to make sure Israel applies the Geneva Conventions on prisoners and treating them as war prisoners. It also calls for forcing Israel to free all Palestinian and Arab prisoners and detainees, especially children, women and the ill.

M.H./M.A.