September 27, 1996

LAWE CALLS ON ISRAEL TO RELEASE PALESTINIAN ADMINISTRATIVE DETAINEES AS AN INITIAL CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURE

For anyone living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the reasons for the current violence are quite clear: Palestinian anger and total frustration arising from Israel's duplicity in embarking on a peace process while continuing its occupation policies and oppression of the Palestinians. Since the signing of the Oslo Agreements in September 1993, the Israelis confiscated 290,000 dunams of Palestinian land, demolished 109 houses, uprooted 32,000 trees, arrested and tortured and administratively detained hundreds, paved 200+ kilometers of settler bypass roads through Palestinian land

and blockaded the West Bank and Gazan populations for over three years.

One of the most overlooked human rights violations by the Israelis has been the continuing administrative detention of 300 Palestinian political prisoners in two Israeli jails - Ashmoret and Megiddo. Administrative detention is a euphemism for long term imprisonment without trial - a policy in direct contravention of international law.

None of the Palestinian administrative detainees have been tried or convicted of any offense and not one has been accused of having "blood on his hands". Under Annex VII 2(c) of the Oslo Agreement, the Israelis undertook to release all detainees charged with offenses not involving fatality or serious injury. Despite Israeli commitments, the Israelis continue to detain administratively these Palestinians for their criticisms of the current peace process: views held by many Palestinians, Israelis and members of the Israeli government.

Frustrated that they are being held without charges or trial and the fact that their detentions are summarily extended, the administrative detainees have undertaken a boycott of the Israeli military committees that review their detentions. Now they are seriously considering beginning an open-ended hunger strike until they are released. The potential for further escalation and hostility is certain if Palestinian political prisoners undertake a hunger strike until death inside two Israeli prisons.

It is clear that President Arafat will not end the violence without obtaining concessions from the Israelis. From Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements today, Mr. Arafat will likely be offered only symbolic gestures, which of course he cannot accept. In light of the urgency of the situation and the need for concrete results, LAWE calls on the Israeli government to release immediately all the administrative detainees.

The issue of the Palestinian administrative detainees is a powder keg. Now is the time to take meaningful steps to decrease the current hostilities and the potential violence to come.

LAWE - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAWE is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.