NABLUS, March 28, 2011 (WAFA) – Palestinian Ministry of Detainees’ Affairs Monday concluded the national campaign ‘A Tree for Every Prisoner’ launched at the beginning of this year in Nablus city.

The campaign, which included planting trees and naming each tree after every female, male prisoner in all Governorates in the west bank, ended in Nablus city by planting trees on a mountain top, in the presence of Issa Qaraqe’, minister of prisoners affairs, a number of political figures, ex-detainees and family members of prisoners.

The mountain top was named ‘the freedom garden’ to show our loyalty and support to prisoner’s sacrifices and steadfastness in the Israeli jails.

The governor of Nablus explained that a tree for each prisoner means our adherence to life and freedom in addition to the Palestinians and leadership's commitment to release all prisoners.

He asserted that in order to achieve peace, the Israeli occupation must end, Palestinian prisoners must be released and the Palestinian state must be established within the 1967 borders and with Jerusalem as its capital.

Qaraqe’ thanked all participants in this campaign and called on to continue with such campaigns, especially since prisoners’ condition in Israeli prisons is continuously deteriorating.

1500 prisoners are going on hunger strike in response to the Israeli prisons administrations’ measures against them; attacks, inspections, solitary confinement, medical negligence and prohibition visitations.

Qaraqe’ made a solidarity visit to Awarta, a village south of Nablus city, where 83 Palestinians were arrested; 53 are still in detention.

It should be noted that a large number of Awarta’s detainees, whom are being detained at Hawara’s military camp and Megiddo prison, are children, elderly or entire families.

T.R./F.R.