When a bomb goes off in Palestine, the whole world knows about it. Almost every news channel broadcasts live from the scene. The number of casualties is continuously followed up, hour by hour — enumerating every man, woman and child who falls victim to the act. Israeli politicians start speaking out against the “terrorist” acts of Palestinians, using these events as proof that Palestinians do not want peace. All of this is always followed, of course, by Israeli retaliation, usually an air strike in which Palestinian resistant figures and civilians are killed or left homeless.
When Palestinians resort to peaceful tactics, however, no one cares — the event is not even considered major news. On Sunday Aug. 15, 2004, thousands of Palestinian prisoners started a hunger strike. The strike lasted eighteen days — eighteen days during which the striking prisoners where stripped of their books, newspapers, cigarettes and salt. Eighteen days during which they fell ill and were deprived of any medical care outside or inside the prison. Eighteen days during which the guards had barbeques outside cells to pressure them into breaking their strike. Eighteen days during which prisoners were shuffled from one prison to another to break their unity. Eighteen days during which strikers were deprived of visits from relatives or lawyer consultation. Eighteen days during which their families put up tents, held their pictures, and fasted in solidarity. Eighteen days during which international media slept — or was it drugged?
Many people living in the West did not even know about it. Those who had read or heard a little about it did not know the details or the seriousness of the issue.
Early on in the hunger strike, Israeli Minister of Public Security Tzachi Hanegbi told reporters at a press conference in Jerusalem that the prisoners “can strike for a day, a month, even starve to death; we will not respond to their demands”. For once, the Israelis were true to their word.
What were these prisoners asking for? Surely, it must have been something very outrageous to draw such a reaction from Israel. Perhaps they were asking for a “Free Palestine”? Or maybe they asked for all their stolen lands back? Or maybe they demanded that all Israelis evacuate Palestine immediately? No, these prisoners were asking for basic human rights.
Their demands centered on the following: Food, clothes, healthcare, family visitation rights, calls, lawyers, education and working facilities. Moreover, they demanded that the physical and emotional abuse of prisoners be stopped.
The hunger strike was the prisoners’ way of drawing the world’s attention to the brutal and demeaning acts being committed in Israeli prisons. The prisoners on strike unanimously declared that Israel, despite signing international conventions, was in gross violation of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, the Fourth Geneva Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment; the Body of Principles for the Protection of all Persons Under any Form of Detention or Imprisonment; the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners; the Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice; the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners; the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
In a speech delivered on the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment of Democracy, a US president said: “The progress of liberty is a powerful trend. Yet, we also know that liberty, if not defended, can be lost. The success of freedom is not determined by some dialectic of history. By definition, the success of freedom rests upon the choices and the courage of free peoples, and upon their willingness to sacrifice.... Every nation has learned, or should have learned, an important lesson: Freedom is worth fighting for, dying for, and standing for — and the advance of freedom leads to peace.”
That president is still in office and the Palestinian people seem to be the only ones honoring such grand words.
Some will undoubtedly ask why I even mention America now. Well, when the world’s only superpower declares itself savior of the world and holder of the torch of democracy and freedom, it is only natural that we all wonder where that country is when thousands of people are dying while peacefully demanding basic human rights. America has shown how swiftly it can come into a country ten times the size of Palestine and overthrow its oppressive regime.
Others might ask why I don’t demand the same from our Arab leaders. Well, if the same leaders have obviously sworn their silence on other crucial issues like women’s rights, freedom of speech, poverty, illiteracy, and the slow occupation of their own region, they can hardly be expected to stand as one because of a peaceful hunger strike. And to address Israel would, of course, be a total waste of energy — so that brings me back to America.
President Bush once said: “The advance of freedom is the calling of our time; it is the calling of our country. From the Fourteen Points to the Four Freedoms, to the Speech at Westminster, America has put our power at the service of principle. We believe that liberty is the design of nature; we believe that liberty is the direction of history. We believe that human fulfillment and excellence come in the responsible exercise of liberty. And we believe that freedom — the freedom we prize — is not for us alone, it is the right and the capacity of all mankind.”
I will not go into accusations about American money funding Israel torture of Palestinians (despite the fact that Israel is the largest recipient of annual US foreign assistance since 1976); nor will I accuse American media of brainwashing viewers into thinking that Palestinians are the terrorists. I will just ask the people of America to remind their leaders that they are bound by their words.
Why re-elect a president who does not live up to his words? While Palestinians may not have oil or anything of benefit to America, they do provide America with a valuable chance to restore its image in front of the whole world. This is your chance as the world’s strongest nation to show that America truly seeks freedom and democracy for people in the Middle East — even when there is no personal gain for you.
In short, if, as Mr. Bush says, your country is “at the service of principle”, then tell him “your calling” is there, at the doors of those prison cells.
