RAMALLAH, January 12, 2016 (WAFA) – Advocates of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails Thursday held the International Committee of the Red Cross responsible for the current conflict over family visitation to their sons in prison.

The Red Cross used to organize two family visits to the prisoner per month. It later cancelled one visit claiming not enough families were showing up for the second visit, outraging the prisoners’ advocates groups.

To resolve this conflict, the Red Cross proposed to sponsor three extra days of visitation a year, two during the two Muslim holidays al-Fitr and al-Adha, and the third on an agreed date.

Issa Qaraqe, head of the official Detainees Affairs Commission, and Qaddoura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, jointly said that the families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails were entitled to 24 visits a year, and not 15.

They called on the Red Cross to return to the original program of 24 visits a year and even proposed that the Palestinian Authority pay for the second visit while the job of the Red Cross will be only logistic. The Red Cross rejected both proposals.

M.N./M.K.