| On January 5, 2005 I traveled to the Ramallah | | | | can be renewed indefinitely. One Palestinian spent |
| Headquarters of ADDAMEER [Arabic for | | | | eight years under Administrative detention and |
| CONSCIENCE]for an interview with its Coordinator, | | | | hundreds have endured four or more years. Today |
| Ala Jaradat. Jarardat is a slightly built man who spoke | | | | fifty are being held for the past four years. They |
| in a soft voice of the brutal reality of life for | | | | may be released for a day or two and then they are |
| Palestinians in the Holy Land. | | | | rearrested because they are social or political activists |
| "Since 1967, 650,000 to 700,000 Palestinians have | | | | but reasons are not given by the Israeli government. |
| been arrested and detained. That totals 20% of the | | | | "At any given moment 10% of those in prison are |
| total population and 80% of all adult Palestinian males | | | | under Administrative Detention. There are currently |
| have been arrested. Most of these arrests occur | | | | 8,000 prisoners and 800 of them are under |
| after midnight when large numbers of IDF [Israeli | | | | Administrative Detention. The government does not |
| Defense Force] storm into neighborhoods or refugee | | | | have to inform anyone about these arrests except |
| camps, horrifying everyone and arresting anyone 14 | | | | the Red Cross and only if they are imprisoned over |
| years or older. Sometimes they storm into business | | | | two weeks, but most arrests go unreported. |
| offices and arrest the breadwinners of the families | | | | "Any Palestinian under the age of 16 is tried as an |
| without any charges. | | | | adult, but for an Israeli Jew it is 18 years of age. |
| "These arrests and detentions are based on military | | | | Under 12 years old the child can be arrested but not |
| orders; we live under a kind of Marshall Law which | | | | detained. Over 12 they can be arrested, detained, |
| rules every aspect of Palestinian life: where we live, | | | | interrogated, prosecuted and sentenced for throwing |
| our license plates that restrict our movement and | | | | stones. |
| limited voting rights. Under these military orders the | | | | "Most of the Israeli Jews that are imprisoned are in |
| Israeli government is free to hold anyone eight days | | | | for violent crimes against society and they are mixed |
| without accusations or charges. They can hold | | | | in with the Palestinian population. The guards |
| anyone up to 180 days for interrogation and up to | | | | encourage them to do what ever they want to do |
| 60 days without benefit of a lawyer. | | | | against the Palestinian population. This is an open |
| "The Israeli government never agreed to the Second | | | | invitation by the Israeli government to incite violence |
| Geneva Convention, the Knesset never ratified it, | | | | and terror in the prison system. We have sworn |
| and when it comes to the Occupied Territories they | | | | affidavits from Palestinians claiming it was the guards |
| totally ignore it. Israel is the only State that approved | | | | who encouraged the violence inflicted upon them. |
| torture of detainees. I know there are dictators who | | | | "In August 2004 the Palestinians went on a hunger |
| use torture, but Israel is the only State that | | | | strike to raise awareness of this problem and the |
| supported torture until 1999. That is when | | | | Minister of Health who is responsible for them stated |
| International, Israeli and Palestinian pressure groups | | | | publicly: 'Our hospitals are off limits to them they can |
| forced the issue and Barack was confronted about it | | | | all starve themselves to death.' |
| when he visited the United States. | | | | "No human rights organizations are allowed access to |
| "The IDF will round up and arrest family members | | | | the prisoners. Only lawyers and the Red Cross can |
| and use threats against their relatives to force | | | | visit them but have no access to the facilities where |
| confessions. The interrogations lead to Military Trials | | | | they are detained. |
| which is theoretically like court with three Judges | | | | "The methods and photos from Abu Grahib and |
| presiding but only one is required to have an | | | | Guantanamo were no shock to any Palestinian who |
| education and a law degree is not at all necessary. | | | | had been in prison between 1967 and the '80's. All the |
| The Military Commander appoints the translators, | | | | methods used in Abu Grahib were normal procedures |
| issues all orders, assigns the judges, and has total | | | | against Palestinians. In 1999 Internationals, Palestinians |
| control. One appeal is allowed, but if the judges are | | | | and Israelis for human rights threatened a boycott |
| settlers the Palestinian is in deep shit! | | | | against Israel and that is what forced the Supreme |
| "Administrative Detentions are issued by the Military | | | | Court to address the torture issue. They did not ban |
| Commander for a period of six months and the | | | | torture and the General Prosecutor can choose not |
| reason is always labeled 'Security' and the charges | | | | to prosecute those who still use it. |