Lecture Details Palestinian Prisoners’ Situation to PAS Students

The Head of The Commission of Detainees and Ex-detainees, Issa Qaraqe, presented a lecture on the implications of Israeli imprisonment of Palestinians from the perspective of international law. The lecture, held on November 6, 2017, was presented to the students of the Palestinian and Arabic Studies Program (PAS) as part of the Palestinian Cause course taught by the PAS Professor Dr. Sa'd Nimer.

Qaraqe talked about the multitude of Israeli violations and harassment against Palestinian prisoners. “These are thinly-veiled, methodical attempts by the Israeli military authorities to delegitimize the legal protections and humanitarian status of the Palestinian prisoners.”

Qaraqe also discussed the best ways to support the Palestinian prisoners in their fight: “One of the best things we could do to counter these Israeli attempts is to promote the prisoners’ standing as freedom fighters against the Israeli occupation as per the Geneva Conventions, international law, and the multiple UN resolutions. The Israeli Occupation is in a race against time to subsume our struggle for freedom under the category of terrorism. We will show the world that this couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

 “This battle is one that is being fought for Palestine’s national legitimacy and independence within the presence of an Israeli government that is hell-bent on continuing the policies of illegal land-grabbing and apartheid,” he added.

Prior to the lecture, Qaraqe had met with the President of the University Dr. Abedellatif Abu Hijleh and discussed with him the possible ways of cooperation, especially in supporting the university’s detained students.