Family of hunger strike prisoner react to release deal
(21 Feb 2012) SHOTLIST 1. Wide shot entrance of Arraba village 2. Sign saying 'Welcome to Arraba' 3. Various of supporters of Adnan chanting and waving flags 4. Poster of Khader Adnan 5. Various of women and girls inside the family's house chanting and clapping 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Adnan Mousa, father of prisoner Khader Adnan: "My son will be released after 55 days from today, he will remain in hospital to be treated, and then he will come home after he finishes his term. This is by the will of God." 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nawal Mousa, mother of prisoner Khader Adnan: "This is a victory from God, God gave him strength and power and made him victorious. He told me last night when I visited that if his demands were not met then he would continue his hunger strike." 8. Demonstrators outside Adnan's family home STORYLINE There were celebrations in the home village of Palestinian man Khader Adnan on Tuesday, after he agreed to end his 66-day hunger strike in an Israeli jail. His parents Adnan and Nawal Mousa were celebrating at the family home in the northern West Bank village of Arraba. The 33-year-old had been on hunger strike for 66 days in protest at being imprisoned without charge, but agreed to stop after reaching a deal with Israel that will see him released in April, the Israeli Justice Ministry said on Tuesday. Adnan remained in hospital but agreed to immediately start eating after reaching the deal. The agreement ended a tense standoff that left Adnan clinging to life and drew international attention to a controversial Israeli policy of holding suspected Palestinian militants without charge. Adnan was a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has killed dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks, but it is not known whether he participated in violent acts. The statement said that if no new additional substantial evidence emerged against Adnan, he would be released on April 17. The Justice Ministry said Adnan accepted the deal through his lawyer. Adnan was arrested at his West Bank home on 17 December and launched his hunger strike the following day. He said he was protesting Israel's policy of "administrative detentions," in which it holds suspected Palestinian militants for months, and even years, without charge. Adnan also claimed to have been beaten and humiliated in prison. Israel has said Adnan was suspected of acts that "threaten regional security" without elaborating. It has not responded to the abuse allegations. Israel has defended the policy of administrative detentions as a necessary tool to stop militant activity. Adnan's latest protest was the longest hunger strike ever by a Palestinian prisoner. There are some 300 Palestinians in Israeli administrative detention. They are a fraction of the some 4,200 Palestinians held in Israel, many who are doing time for charges ranging from throwing stones at Israeli soldiers to killing Israeli civilians. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
