Скачать или смотреть ISRAEL: PLO LEADER YASSER ARAFAT LEADS HUNGER STRIKE CAMPAIGN

(21 Jun 1995) English/Nat

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat is leading a hunger strike aimed at forcing the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Hunger strikers throughout the Palestinian Autonomy are now backing the prisoners who began their own action at the weekend.

Yasser Arafat came to Gaza City to give his support to the families of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli jails.

They say Israel has failed to carry out an agreement to release them.

Around 800 prisoners launched their own hunger strike last Sunday.
On Monday it spread to another jail, and the number of strikers rose to 12-hundred.

Thousands of people are expected to take part in today's general hunger strike across the Palestinian Autonomy - with Mr Arafat leading the way.

SOUNDBITE:
Q: Are you on hunger strike this morning?
A: Yes, as a symbol with our brother detainees and the prisoners which we have been promised to be released since many months ago but now none of them been released, particularly the girls and women.
SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, P-L-O Chairman

The families have been holding demonstrations, holding pictures of their relatives currently held in jails.

The Israeli government promised to draw up a timetable for the release of prisoners, but so far no dates have been set.

Last week, Mr Arafat came under criticism for failing to win the release of prisoners.

More than five-thousand Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons and West Bank army lockups.

The Palestinians say the prisoners question must be part of the agreement on troop withdrawal from the West Bank and Palestinian elections, which has a deadline of July 1st.

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