Update: It has now been 59 days.
Acquaint yourself with Khader Adnan, 33, from Arrabe, a small village near Jenin in the Occupied West Bank. After being pulled from his home on 17 December 2011, thrown into prison without being tried or charged, and forced to endure abuse by prison guards, Adnan began his hunger strike. Today is Day 53 and his wife, seeing him for the first time after more than seven weeks of fasting, reports that he has lost a third of his weight and a third of his hair.
Days ago, Amnesty International released a statement calling for his release. Today, the world is mobilizing for what some say could be his final day. Transferred to Ziv Medical Center in Northern Israel far from his family and friends, Adnan remains steadfast in his challenge against Israel’s indefinite –and thus illegal — detention of hundreds of Palestinians no different from himself. His organs are expected to fail soon.
Be honest with yourself. Do you think you’d be able to go without food and drink for a week or even a day? It’s almost unfathomable, but there comes a time when a sacrifice such as this one must be made to shed light on one of the world’s darkest corners. Adnan is making that sacrifice even though the toll it’s taking on his body is practically lethal. You can help remove some of the burden by making a small sacrifice yourself.
Sacrifice your time, just five minutes, and make a call, send a tweet, update your Facebook status, or tell a friend.
Samidoun, the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, has kindly put together an action plan. Adnan is counting on you.
1. Call and demand the release of Khader Adnan, who has not been charged with any crime but instead is being held under Administrative Detention.
Call the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC (1.202.364.5500) OR your local Embassy (for a list, click here).
Call the office of Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs (1.202.647.7209)
Demand that Jeffrey Feltman bring this issue urgently to his counterparts in Israel and raise the question of Khader Adnan’s administrative detention.
2. Organize a protest outside your local Israeli Embassy (for a list, click here).
Post your local actions to the Khader Adnan Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Khader-Adnan/236953309725144
See the full action plan here: Take Urgent Action: Day 53 of Khader Adnan’s Hunger Strike
