Israel carrying out 'massacre' of Palestinian prisoners: Dr. Aziz Dweik

Israel has freed Dr. Aziz Dweik, the chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council, after keeping him in prison for about 9 months.

Dr. Dweik told reporters on Friday that Israel is carrying out “the massacre in the prisons.”

With a thin body, long white hair, and a thick beard, Dr. Dweik arrived in Al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank on Thursday.

Other prisoners said that Israelis severely beat the elderly Palestinian politician during his long illegal detention.

Dr. Dweik said that the Palestinian people are at “a turning point in the history of mankind and the world,” hoping that “what is coming will be good for the Palestinians.”  

"Unprecedented killing, bombing of homes, killing of women, children, and men, indiscriminate bombing, killing tens of thousands of peoples, drone strikes in Jenin and elsewhere: This clearly indicates a state of equilibrium, and there should be punishment for violations of international law,” he said.

Dr. Dweik spoke about how he was deprived of rights and dignity by Israelis in prisons, especially given his age and poor health condition.  

"What is happening to the prisoners in the [Israeli] prisons is a real massacre where Palestinians are being killed and starved all the time," said the senior Palestinian politician.  

"Naqab Prison is worse than Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, where the occupation acts as gangs,” he said.

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“Prisoners are killed, their lives go in vain, and they are starved for 24 hours a day,” he said.

Dr. Dweik said that the Palestinian “prisoners are in poor health conditions, suffering from skin diseases, and the food is insufficient even for children, let alone meeting the needs of men.”  

He stated that sugar, salt, and fruit are virtually absent in the prisons, adding that the prisoners are completely removed from the outside world.

"The conditions of the prisoners are heart-wrenching and extremely difficult,” he said.

“The prisoners do not ask the occupation for mercy, which will never happen; this occupation does not respect justice or human rights. The prisoners' message to our people is to save them from this ongoing suffering," he said.

"The occupation deliberately undermines human dignity in every sense of the word, but the will of our people will not be broken," Dr. Dweik said.

Palestinian prisoner recounts ordeal at 'Guantanamo-like' Israeli prisons

A Palestinian prisoner recounts his ordeal in various Israeli jails, which he compares to the notorious US-run Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib prisons.

There are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Hundreds of them have been incarcerated under the regime's "administrative detention" policy, which has caused some prisoners to be held without a charge for up to 11 years.

Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported the prisoners languishing in Israeli jails had reported being beaten by troops and threatened with violence if they refused to kiss the Israeli regime's flag.

Detainees have reported several cases of harsh violence and abuse carried out by prison authorities, the paper wrote, saying testimonies were emerging about severely inhumane conditions.

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