LETTER: WE express our solidarity today with all Palestinians and freedom fighters in conjunction with the Palestine Prisoner's Day on the 17th April.
We urgently demand Israel - an occupation regime - that all Palestinian political prisoners be released immediately.
There are now more than 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails, including 183 children, 700 sick people, 200 chronic patients and 430 incarcerated without charge.
There are also 9 reports of Covid-19 cases in Israeli prisons. This is enough reason for all the prisoners to be released immediately.
We condemn the Israeli Zionists transferring Palestinian child prisoners in January this year. A total of 33 children were taken from Ofer Prison, Ramallah, West Bank to Damon Prison in Israel near the city of Haifa.
International criminal and humanitarian law prohibits the transfer of child detainees from invaded areas. This is because children in detention can be difficult to reach and communicate with their parents and guardians.
In the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19, a dense Israeli prison would put children at greater risk for coronavirus infection.
Two years on, Israeli terrorists shot and killed Palestinians who launched the Great March of Return in Gaza and the West Bank. Israeli criminals have shot and killed 359 children and 49 Palestinians.
We demand:
1. The OIC, UN and WHO urge Israel to release all Palestinian political prisoners, especially children.
2. In the case of coronavirus, social incarceration is almost impossible in Israeli prisons densely cramped with Palestinian political prisoners. WHO should urge Israel to release Palestinian prisoners unconditionally, especially children and political inmates.
3. Prosecute Israel in the International Criminal Court for Genocide and the violation of human rights against Palestinians in Israeli detention.
4. WHO should impose boycott on any cooperation with Israel in health matters as long as the brutal treatment of Palestinians under Israeli detention prevails.
Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid – President Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations.
Datuk Seri Syeikh Ahmad Awang – Chair Alliance of World Mosque In Defence of Al Aqsa.
Datuk Wira Abdul Ghani Samsudin – Chair Secretariate Ulama Assembly of Asia
Datuk Seri Saifudin Nasution Ismail – Board of Trustee Palestine Cultural Organisation Malaysia (PCOM), MP, former minister
Mohideen Abdul Kader – Director Citizens International
Dr Syarif Abu Shammalah – Director Al Quds Foundation Malaysia
Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari – Chairman of International Affairs, Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia
Muslim Imran – Chairman, Board of Directors Palestine Cultural Organization Malaysia
Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz – President Muslim Youth Movement Malaysia (ABIM)
Ahmad Fahmi bin Mohd Samsudin – CEO Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia
Syed Syekh Al Attas – President SEJAGAT Malaysia
Agus Sudarmaji – Chairman Al Aqsa Working Group Indonesia
Dr.Wisoot Binlateh – President Council for Humanitarian Networking of the Sheikhul Islam Office Thailand
Jamal Abdul Nasir – Chair Justice and Development Association, Cambodia
Dr Ahed Abualatta – Chairman of the Association of Palestine Scholars Abroad in Southeast Asia
The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times