Israel court hears plea to free Palestinian hunger-striker

A Palestinian detainee on a two-month hunger strike emerged from a coma Tuesday but pledged to resume fasting if Israel did not resolve his case within 24 hours, a Palestinian group said.

The Israeli military prosecution on Wednesday morning offered to release Palestinian hunger striker Muhammad Allan when his administrative detention expires in November, the head of the Palestinian Authority Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs said.

At a hearing in Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday on Allaan’s petition for unconditional release, the justice ministry said it would consider freeing him if he agreed to be exiled abroad for four years.

Attorney Kamel Natour says the defense team is now asking the court to release Allan immediately because his health has deteriorated and he is unable to respond to the proposal.

Palestinians in Israeli prisons regularly go on hunger strike in protest at the prison conditions as well as the administrative detention policy, which allows indefinite imprisonment terms without charge.

There are fears that violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank might escalate if Mr Allan dies.

However, the measure has not been enacted yet, as Palestinians and Israelis have been holding demonstrations against Allan’s force-feeding since Friday.

Allan’s lawyers have argued his emaciated condition refutes the authorities’ stance that he poses a security threat.

But Allan’s fast is the first to test a new law, passed narrowly in July, which allows a judge to sanction force-feeding or medical treatment if an inmate’s life is threatened, even if the prisoner refuses.

The law is strongly denounced by international activists and Israel’s Medical Association, with the latter considering force-feeding a form of torture and urges doctors not to participate in prisoner-forced-feeding. His release would be “a prize for his hunger strike, and will likely cause mass hunger strikes”.

“Mohammed Allan is very, very weak”, the lawyer, Hassan Jabareen, said.

Allan’s mother has been the only family member to see him, after being permitted entrance to Israel from the West Bank. “There are still a number of problems… and he is being treated accordingly”, she said, noting the hospital was considering taking him off the respirator.

Kamal Natur, one of Allan’s lawyers, told Army Radio on Wednesday that he will recommend to his client to accept the state’s offer.

In postponing a decision on Allan’s release, Israel’s high court called on the sides to reach a compromise.