BETHLEHEM, April 26, 2017 (WAFA) – Palestinian Christians Wednesday came out in support of the demands of more than 1500 prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike since April 17.
A statement by Kairos Palestine, which describes itself as the Palestinian Christian voice, said it “expresses its support for the just and humanitarian demands of prisoners – children, women and the sick – and their families.”
It said “Kairos deems it intolerable to see prisoners engaged in an all-out hunger strike to obtain basic rights and humanitarian demands that should be granted to them as human beings and are applicable to all under international law.”
The statement said: “We view all prisoners as human beings whose dignity is granted by God; no man or occupying power has the right to deprive them of what was granted by God. The norm is freedom and a just peace for them and the entire Palestinian people. It is unjust for the majority of a people to experience detention and imprisonment in occupation prisons because they demand their freedom and dignity. It is time for Israel to review its position and realize that its security does not lie in its prisons but in recognizing the freedom and dignity of the Palestinian people.”
It added: “In the name of the humanitarian values espoused by every religion, and in the name of Christian values and teachings, we express our support for prisoners as human beings who possess dignity granted to them by their creator. We support them and demand their freedom; we support their humanitarian demands. Prisoners risk their lives with this demanding step of a hunger strike, but it also proves that their demands and stance are justified and sound.
“Every human being with an active conscience should add their voice to those of the prisoners and demand that the authorities in Israel, Palestine, and the international community find an appropriate humanitarian solution so that no prisoner remains in his cell and no Palestinian is stripped off their freedom and dignity.
“Our vision is that of every person as a human being whose freedom and dignity are granted by God, including prisoners and persecuted people who most need to enjoy their freedom and dignity.”
M.K.
