Thousands protest in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
Some 12,000 people attend rally organized by Islamic Movement in village of Qana in support of security prisoners staging hunger strike. 'Prisoners will be triumphant,' says deputy head of Islamic Movement's northern branch
Some 12,000 people gathered Friday at a football stadium in the village of Qana, in solidarity with the security prisoners who have been staging a hunger strike for over three weeks.
The event, which was organized by the Islamic Movement, was attended by many Arab leaders, including leaders of the Movement's northern and southern branches Sheikh Raed Salah and Sheikh Hamed Dabbas, head of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Mohammed Zidan, and prisoners' family members.
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The participants waved Palestinian flags, flags Of the Islamic Movement and pictures of their jailed relatives.
Islamic Movement united for Palestinian prisoners (Photo: Al Arab)
"We are telling the prisoners to remain steadfast in their positions and not to give up on their rights, because eventually they will be triumphant in their struggle," Sheikh Kamal Khatib, deputy head of the Islamic movement's northern branch, told the crowds.
"The Festival is being held ahead of the nakba day, which will be marked on Tuesday," said Khatib, adding that "the government of Israel thinks we forgot about our nakba and continues to degrade us through its racist policies," he added.
Khatib also commented on the recently formed unity government: "I say to (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and (Shaul) Mofaz that we will not forget that this unity will only bring bad things upon the Palestinian people. Your position only strengthens us and makes it clear to us that it is our people's right to defeat you and end your occupation."
Head of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Mohammed Zidan also addressed the crowd, saying: "We will continue our struggle for the Palestinian prisoners; the State of Israel must reinstate their rates and let them continue serving their prison term in a humane way, without humiliation."
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