Clashes erupt over hunger-striking Palestinian

Israel sees his hunger strike, which began more than 60 days ago, as a powerful challenge against “administrative detention”, a practice that has drawn criticism from Palestinians and human rights groups but which Israel calls a security necessity.

In similar attacks Saturday, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed a border policeman in the northern West Bank, hours after another Palestinian who stabbed a soldier near a checkpoint in the occupied territory was shot and wounded.

Allawi said that Allan’s original arrest was punishment for his student activism, but after his release he shifted gears and threw himself into his work as a lawyer. This includes offering hunger strikers supplements of glucose, vitamins or electrolytes – all of which Allan has declined.

He called the petition to release Allan set to be discussed by the High Court, “a unusual petition that seeks to free him because of his medical condition when he himself caused that medical condition”.

At the end of last July, the Israeli Knesset passed the second and third readings of the draft law regarding the force-feeding of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike.

Arab supporters and Jewish detractors of a Palestinian held by Israel without trial clashed Sunday with police near the hospital treating him after he lost consciousness during a hunger strike.

A statement issued by the hospital said Allan was in stable condition, and tests would be carried out to determine the necessary course of treatment.

Muhammad Allan continues to struggle for his life and freedom as pressure in Palestine and globally is mounting for his release after he fell into a coma and was placed on life support in the early morning of 14 August.

Israel has accused the 31-year-old Allan of ties to Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group that has staged countless attacks against Israeli civilians, including suicide bombings and rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.

Over 7,000 Palestinians are reportedly incarcerated in 17 Israeli prisons and detention centers, many of them without charge or trial.

Israeli figures indicate that of the almost 5,700 Palestinian prisoners now held by Israel, some 379 are under administrative detention.

There was no immediate comment from Palestinian officials on the incident.

To force-feed, the doctor must restrain the conscious and shackled prisoner and insert a tube into his or her empty stomach.

His lawyers rejected the proposal, saying Allan poses no security threat, and the court, urging the sides to negotiate, scheduled another session for Wednesday.

A court order in favour of the government would allow doctors to then proceed with force-feeding, but the doctors could refuse to do so if they decide it is unethical.