'We will not allow Palestinian detainees to go on hunger strike,' says Israeli minister

Israel’s Minister of Internal Security has said that his government will not allow Palestinian detainees to go on hunger strike. According to Gilad Ardenne, such action is to be regarded as a “suicide operation”.

Ardenne made his comment as he attempted to justify the “force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners bill” which was approved in its first reading by the Israeli parliament on Sunday night. On its website, the Knesset said that the bill was passed by a small majority of 53 members to 50. The proposed legislation must be voted through a second and third time before it becomes law.

In an official written statement, a copy of which was sent to Anadolu by an Israeli police spokeswoman, it was explained that the purpose of this law is to provide “a proper balance between Israel’s right to defend itself against the growth and the expansion of the hunger-striking prisoners phenomenon and its duty to deal with those who are under its control in a humane manner.”

The statement added that “in accordance with the principles of Jewish law, the state has to take the responsibility for saving the lives of those on hunger striker in whatever way possible, even if that is against the hunger strikers’ will, as it is prohibited for a human to harm himself.”

A number of Palestinian prisoners have gone on hunger strikes in Israeli jails to protest against their detention, forcing the Israeli prison administration to respond to their demands.