CAIRO: Egypt has once again taken the role of mediator between Israel and Palestine, brokering a deal aimed at ending a hunger strike involving no less than 1,600 Palestinians held captive in Israeli jails. News agencies have reported that of the 4,800 Palestinian prisoners, roughly one in three began refusing food on April 17 as a protest against their detention, as well as a demand for better living conditions. The Palestinian prisoners are held withot trial, an issue which has for a long time angered many of the international community as well as Israel's neighbours, and has the potential to generate a sudden backlash of condemnation, or Palestinian threats, if any of the prisoners die. According to reports, a Palestinian source close to the talks happening in Cairo mentioned that “Egypt has concluded a deal to resolve the prisoner crisis that included Israel's acceptance of prisoners' demands in exchange for ending the hunger strike.” The prisoners have asked for better living conditions, such as abolishing solitary confinement and increasing family visits. Once prisoners sign off on the deal, an official statement would be made by the Palestinian officials negotiating on the behalf of the hunger strikers. Israel in the meanwhile has shown interest in offering concessions to the prisoners, yet more importantly there seems to be no willingness from the Israeli side to end the larger problem; administrative detentions in which prisoners may be held indefinitely without trial or charge. According to a senior official of the Palestinian Fatah movement, Azzam al-Ahmed, prisoner leaders have been taken to a jail in the Israeli town of Ashkelon to discuss the agreement with Israeli officials. “We hope the agreement concludes today, barring any obstacles,” Ahmed told Voice of Palestine radio. It seems that under this new accord the Palestinian prisoners would be released once their administrative detainment period comes to an end. Typically prisoners are given a six month detention period, which a military court can extend. Israel has defended their detention policies by stating that certain cases must not be brought before the court immediately, out of fear of exposing their Palestinian contacts which co-operate on a regular basis with Israeli security agencies. Last week, Israel's Supreme Court denied an appeal to free hunger strikers from detention, but believed security officials should consider releasing them for medical reasons. The hunger strikers come from many backgrounds, some of which the Israeli government has deemed dangerous, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The court said “administrative detention causes unease to every judge” but was a “necessary evil” because Israel is “constantly fighting terror”. A month ago, Israel released hunger striker Khader Adnan, an Islamic Jihad member, amid concern he would die. He agreed to end his 66-day-long fast in exchange for a promise not to renew his detention.
