Palestinian inmates to get whole chickens

Hunger strike at security prisons expands with over 230 going on strike due to Prison Service's refusal to give in to inmates' demands: Satellite TV, visits without handcuffs and whole chickens

Ra'anan Ben-Zur |Published: 10.09.11 , 15:45

The Prison Service announced Sunday that additional Palestinian prisoners throughout the country joined the hunger strike over what prisoners claim is a worsening in their conditions and the incarceration of inmates in solitary confinement. The number of prisoners on strike has reached 234.

The Prison Service responded by implementing sanctions on the striking prisoners and made it clear that they were prepared for any possible development. Yet the sides have been able to reach a compromise on one matter.

Palestinian prisoners to go on hunger strike

Contrary to Palestinian reports claiming that the Prison Service agreed to all of the prisoners' demands, the Prison Service said that the only demand they ceded to was allowing the prisoners to buy whole chickens as demanded but made it clear that the prison guards would cut it for them.

The Prison Service stated that the compromise was made in order to create uniformity between the prisons in Israel as other prisons do not give whole chickens to their inmates.

As for the rest of their demands, negotiations with inmate representatives are ongoing. Among other things the prisoners are demanding the return of satellite channels and the Palestinian TV channel, a demand to receive visitors when the inmates are not handcuffed and allowing them to walk between the cells.

The prisoners, Palestinians from the Popular Front launched a hunger strike two weeks ago over what they claim is a worsening in the terms of their imprisonment.

Yet the Prison Service said that the inmates are continuing to drink water. The prisoners haven't eaten for two days and after giving back six meals the Prison Service is applying hunger strike rules: Removing all food products and electrical equipment from their cells.