Israel High Court to discuss petition by Palestinian hunger-striker

Feb 20, 2012, 16:09 GMT

Ramallah - Israel's Supreme Court is due to discuss on Thursday a petition submitted on behalf of a Palestinian who has gone on a hunger strike after being held without charge in an Israeli jail since December, an organization group advocating the rights of Palestinian prisoners said Monday.

Khader Adnan, a member of the Islamic Jihad Organization, has been refusing to eat for 65 days.

According to Addameer Prisoners Support, a non-governmental organization that campaigns on behalf of Palestinian political prisoners, Adnan 'could die at any moment,' since his body has begun burning up his muscles, including his heart and stomach.

Adnan was arrested in his village near the northern West Bank city of Jenin and placed under administrative detention, a measure that allows Israel to detain people deemed a security risk for six months or longer without charge or trial.

The petition was filed by Adnan's lawyers on February 15, Addameer said. The court was provided with a detailed medical report prepared a day earlier by an Israeli-accredited doctor on behalf of the Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel) NGO.

An Israeli military court last week rejected an appeal from Adnan and ruled he must serve his full term, which is due to end on May 8.

EU Foreign Policy Supremo Catherine Ashton said over the weekend that she was 'following with great concern' the fate of the 33-year-old and urged Israel to preserve his health.

Adnan's hunger strike is thought to be the longest-ever by a Palestinian prisoner in Israel.

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