It’s now over five weeks since eight imprisoned Palestine solidarity activists began a coordinated hunger strike across British prisons. Five of the eight individuals have been hospitalised due to their health seriously deteriorating to the point of emergency. Their lawyers have stated that they are at real risk of dying and likely will die in prison if the State does not intervene. All eight activists are currently being held in prison without bail.
Who is Elbit Systems?
They are awaiting trial for alleged offences relating to Palestine Action – an organisation which the British State has shamefully proscribed as a terrorist organisation in an attempt to repress the Palestine Solidarity movement as a whole. Many are imprisoned for allegedly taking action against Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. Since 2012, Elbit has won 25 public contracts in the UK, totalling more than £355 million. Public money is being used to fund the machinery of genocide – and eyewatering amounts of profits are being made from it. The International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide obligates State parties and all individuals to prevent and punish genocide.
All major reputable human rights organisations, the United Nations and now multiple governments around the world, have correctly (and unforgivably too late) condemned Israel’s actions as genocide in Gaza. The ongoing sale of weaponry, technology and general trade with Israel means that the British State is complicit in its genocide. This is why the actions of ordinary people desperately trying to bring a halt to the genocidal machine and flow of weaponry is not only justified under international law, but they are to be loudly supported and commended.
Labour government’s shameful role
The treatment of those imprisoned has been abhorrent. They have been denied some of their most basic rights, including the right to bail and a fair trial. Their communications with family and the outside world have been interfered with, denied and surveilled. They have also been denied proper winter clothing and masks for COVID-19 prevention purposes. The British state has used every tool at their disposal to try to isolate and break the spirit of the prisoners for Palestine, and now they have shown they do not care one iota if activists die on this hunger strike.
The Labour Government think they can get away with this. The receding media coverage of genocidal atrocities in Palestine (which are continuing daily) has given those in power a false sense of cover and a belief that it will not be widely registered if people die in British Prisons while politically protesting against draconian repressive law and unjust treatment. It is yet another example of how callous and inhumane those in power really are, as well as another mark on the British State’s long, blood-stained history, including letting 10 Republican prisoners die on hunger strike in 1981. The State will do everything in its power to ignore this – they will allow these hunger strikers to die to try to maintain a narrative which portrays Palestine Action activists as terrorists. We cannot allow this.
No time to lose
There is no time to lose. We urgently need to take action and do everything in our power to force the hand of those in power to intervene to meet the demands of the Hunger Strikers. Their strike demands include:
- End all censorship
- Immediate bail – this is vital to save the lives of those on strike
- The right to a fair trial
- The proscription of Palestine Action to be overturned
- Shut down Elbit Systems
When asked why they were striking, Amu Gib (who has been on strike for 40 days at the time of writing) said:
“I’m on hunger strike because my body has been put in the custody of the State but I still have a duty to fight for freedom from oppression. There is a hunger in me that food alone will not satisfy.”
Build pressure from below
By partaking in this hunger strike, Umer Khalid, Teuta ‘T’ Hoxha, Qesser Zuhrah Day, Amu Gib, Heba Muraisi, Lewie Chiaramello, Jon Cink, and Kamran Ahmed are resorting to an unimaginable act of desperation and commitment to the struggle for their own justice and a Free Palestine. They should not have to do this – and there is an onus on all of us to do everything we can to prevent their deaths.
We need to build a huge amount of pressure from below and reignite the Palestine Solidarity movement on a much bolder and larger scale than it has been in months – we need to force the mainstream media to cover the hunger strikes and report on the well-being of the activists. We need a revolt from below – protest, participate in direct action, and occupy and block! The Palestine solidarity movement, in tandem with the trade unions, must play a decisive role in organising strikes and mass protest action to bring everything to a halt. The recent example of the general strikes in Italy against the genocide is an example to be followed. This is a truly critical moment, and it’s time for us to act.