‘2020 worst year for Palestinian prisoners in Israel’

By Qais Omar Darwesh Omar and Hacer Baser

RAMALLAH (AA) – A Palestinian official said late Monday that 2020 has been the worst year for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Qadri Abu Bakr, chairman of the Palestine Authority’s Prisoner Affairs Commission, told Anadolu Agency that Israel has hardened its practices towards Palestinians this year.

He said "2020 is the worst year for Palestinian prisoners. The prison administration raids and attacks detainees' sections almost every day.”

Underlining that prisoners are also subjected to solitary confinement without humanitarian conditions, he said Israel has passed a law to impose more strict conditions.

A total of 137 prisoners were infected by COVID-19 in Gilboa Prison in northern Israel, he said, stressing that Israel did not care about the lives of the prisoners and did not take protective measures.

There are 360 Palestinians being held by Israel in the prison.

According to Palestinian estimates, there are 4,400 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, including 39 women and 155 children, and around 350 being held under Israel’s administrative detention policy, which allows holding Palestinians without charge or trial.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar