Brighton delegation Marches in Solidarity with imprisoned Hunger Strikers

A delegation of ten people from Brighton joined with Palestinians in the West Bank town of Tubas today. They were demonstrating against the murder of a political prisoner in an Israeli jail. The group joined families of prisoners demonstrating against the murder of Mohammed Al-Ashkar in marching through the town to the headquarters of the International Red Cross. Hundreds of people participated in the peaceful demonstration including schoolchildren and the families of prisoners.

Al-Ashkar was being held in tents by the Israeli army in the Ketziot
military prison in the Naqab desert. He was one of the 8000 Palestinian
political prisoners who are held illegally in Israeli military prisons
and jails.

At 2am on the morning of 22nd October, soldiers entered the tents
and began waking and searching the prisoners. This is a common tactic to
deprive the prisoners of sleep. Some of the prisoners refused to allow
the soldiers access to the tents. The army responded by firing tear gas
and sound grenades into the camp. A fire began in which up to 350 people
were injured. In the chaos that ensued Al-Ashkar was shot in the head and was killed.

Palestinian prisoners have responded by going on hunger strike.

Today's demonstration was called to put pressure on the Red Cross to make representations to the Israeli authorities about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners and to give solidarity to the hunger strikers.

Members of the delegation joined a group of women whose husbands are detained at Ketziot. They said that the women were extremely worried that their husbands had been injured.

The demonstration was organised by Tubas Prisoner's Society. Mahmoud Sawaftah, from the Prisoner's Society, said, "We are people who want freedom and peace but the Israeli occupation do not want to give us peace. We ask for British people to support us to create freedom in our country and to end the bloodshed."

For more details contact Brett Cohen or Sarah Cobham on 07846506710 or 07986764432

To interview members of the delegation in Palestine call 00972598184404

tubas.brightonpalestine.org.

email  thewallmustfall@riseup.net

NOTES FOR JOURNALISTS

The Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity group is a grassroots network aimed at fostering and strenghtening links between grassroots groups in Tubas, Palestine and Brighton, UK.

10 people from Brighton arrived in Palestine on October 20th. The delegation includes students, health workers and representatives from Brighton branches of Amnesty International and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The group will contact grassroots organisations like the Tubas Red Crescent, agricultural cooperatives, students' unions, Tubas Women's Group and local trade unions.

Over the Summer the group helped to fund and sent volunteer to build aschool in Tubas region in defiance of Israeli military restrictions on building. The Israeli army recently issued a demolition order on the school.

Sussex Universty Students Union twinned with Al Quds Open University in Tubas in June this year. The city branch of UNISON in Brighton and Hove is twinned with a union branch in Tubas.

A nurse from Brighton is planning to travel to Tubas to work as a volunteer.