OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Local diplomatic missions for Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom issued a statement on Tuesday expressing concern over Israel’s widespread use of administrative detention without formal charges.
The missions said human rights organizations have described the conditions of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons as extremely dangerous and life-threatening.
They expressed deep concern over reports that prisoners are being given inadequate food and denied medical care, citing the deteriorating health condition of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya.
The missions stressed that detainees have the right to know the reasons for their detention, receive legal assistance and be guaranteed a fair trial.
They called on Israeli authorities to comply with their human rights obligations under international law toward detainees.
The missions also urged Israel to immediately allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit all detention facilities.
They welcomed a recent Israeli Supreme Court ruling allowing the Red Cross to visit detainees and called for its immediate implementation.
Around 9,400 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are held in Israeli prisons, including 99 women and 350 children. The number of administrative detainees stood at 3,244, while 1,320 detainees were classified by Israel as “unlawful combatants,” most of them from the Gaza Strip.
