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| Worried That Fasting Palestinian Prisoner Could Die, Israel Releases Him | Worried That Fasting Palestinian Prisoner Could Die, Israel Releases Him |
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| TEL AVIV — A Palestinian prisoner who has emerged as a potent symbol of resistance to Israel’s occupation ended a 55-day fast on Monday after Israeli officials, concerned he could die, agreed to release him. | TEL AVIV — A Palestinian prisoner who has emerged as a potent symbol of resistance to Israel’s occupation ended a 55-day fast on Monday after Israeli officials, concerned he could die, agreed to release him. |
| The prisoner, Khader Adnan, had been on a hunger strike to protest his indefinite incarceration without formal charges. It was the second time that Mr. Adnan, 36, had fasted in an Israeli prison to protest and achieved a success. | The prisoner, Khader Adnan, had been on a hunger strike to protest his indefinite incarceration without formal charges. It was the second time that Mr. Adnan, 36, had fasted in an Israeli prison to protest and achieved a success. |
| Israel’s capitulation ended a confrontation that had threatened to incite violence in Palestinian areas. The Israeli authorities, who had been negotiating with Mr. Adnan for two weeks, clearly wished to avoid his death. They also were concerned that his wife and hundreds of supporters were threatening sympathy hunger strikes. | Israel’s capitulation ended a confrontation that had threatened to incite violence in Palestinian areas. The Israeli authorities, who had been negotiating with Mr. Adnan for two weeks, clearly wished to avoid his death. They also were concerned that his wife and hundreds of supporters were threatening sympathy hunger strikes. |
| The confrontation underscored the power of hunger strikes among imprisoned Palestinians, who use them to protest their conditions and incarceration. | The confrontation underscored the power of hunger strikes among imprisoned Palestinians, who use them to protest their conditions and incarceration. |
| Mr. Adnan started fasting on May 6, said Addameer, a Palestinian prisoner rights group. | |
| Israel’s government has sought to pass legislation allowing hunger strikers to be force-fed, arguing they hold the security establishment hostage to their demands. The legislation, approved by the Israeli government on June 16, must still pass through its second and third readings in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. | Israel’s government has sought to pass legislation allowing hunger strikers to be force-fed, arguing they hold the security establishment hostage to their demands. The legislation, approved by the Israeli government on June 16, must still pass through its second and third readings in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. |
| “Security prisoners are interested in turning a hunger strike into a new type of suicide terrorist attack through which they will threaten the State of Israel,” Gilad Erdan, the public security minister, was quoted as saying by Haaretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, in arguing for such legislation. “We will not allow anyone to threaten us and we will not allow prisoners to die in our prisons,” Mr. Erdan was quoted as saying. | “Security prisoners are interested in turning a hunger strike into a new type of suicide terrorist attack through which they will threaten the State of Israel,” Gilad Erdan, the public security minister, was quoted as saying by Haaretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, in arguing for such legislation. “We will not allow anyone to threaten us and we will not allow prisoners to die in our prisons,” Mr. Erdan was quoted as saying. |
| Mr. Adnan’s hunger strike took on increased urgency this month after the Red Cross and Palestinian Authority appealed for his release, an Israeli military spokesman said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case. | Mr. Adnan’s hunger strike took on increased urgency this month after the Red Cross and Palestinian Authority appealed for his release, an Israeli military spokesman said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case. |
| The Israelis have never made clear precisely why they arrested Mr. Adnan, who was taken into custody last July under Israel’s policies of administrative detention, which can leave Palestinians in prison indefinitely. | The Israelis have never made clear precisely why they arrested Mr. Adnan, who was taken into custody last July under Israel’s policies of administrative detention, which can leave Palestinians in prison indefinitely. |
| He is a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group that refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and is considered responsible for dozens of Israeli deaths during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, more than a decade ago. | |
| It threatened to fire rockets at Israel from Gaza, in violation of a truce that ended the war last summer, if Mr. Adnan was not released. | |
| The military spokesman said Mr. Adnan could be rearrested “if there are concerns” that he was threatening Israel’s security. | The military spokesman said Mr. Adnan could be rearrested “if there are concerns” that he was threatening Israel’s security. |
| He declined all food and medical care, drinking only water. | He declined all food and medical care, drinking only water. |
| “His demand the whole time was: Put me on trial,” Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian lawmaker in Israel’s Parliament, who closely followed the case. “Take me to a court and try me,” he said, quoting Mr. Adnan. | “His demand the whole time was: Put me on trial,” Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian lawmaker in Israel’s Parliament, who closely followed the case. “Take me to a court and try me,” he said, quoting Mr. Adnan. |
| It was Mr. Adnan’s second long hunger strike. He secured his release from administrative detention in 2012 by fasting 66 days. After that hunger strike, hundreds of other Palestinian prisoners followed, extracting better incarceration conditions from the Israeli authorities. | It was Mr. Adnan’s second long hunger strike. He secured his release from administrative detention in 2012 by fasting 66 days. After that hunger strike, hundreds of other Palestinian prisoners followed, extracting better incarceration conditions from the Israeli authorities. |
| In administrative detention trials, security officials typically present evidence only to judges — not to detained Palestinians or their lawyers. They may be held for renewable periods of six months, sometimes stretching into years. Israeli security officials say they cannot make charges public because it would expose their intelligence-gathering systems among Palestinians. | In administrative detention trials, security officials typically present evidence only to judges — not to detained Palestinians or their lawyers. They may be held for renewable periods of six months, sometimes stretching into years. Israeli security officials say they cannot make charges public because it would expose their intelligence-gathering systems among Palestinians. |
| There are nearly 370 Palestinians in administrative detention, according to the Israel Prison Service. | There are nearly 370 Palestinians in administrative detention, according to the Israel Prison Service. |
| The last hours before Israel’s capitulation that ended Mr. Adnan’s hunger strike were replete with turmoil, Mr. Zahalka said. | The last hours before Israel’s capitulation that ended Mr. Adnan’s hunger strike were replete with turmoil, Mr. Zahalka said. |
| Mr. Adnan’s parents and his wife, Randa, were allowed to visit for the first time in weeks at the hospital at which he was being watched under guard. | Mr. Adnan’s parents and his wife, Randa, were allowed to visit for the first time in weeks at the hospital at which he was being watched under guard. |
| Upset over Mr. Adnan’s condition, his wife announced she was beginning a hunger strike as well. She began calling for help on social media networks, and about 200 pro-Palestinian activists gathered. Senior Israeli military officials came to the hospital to negotiate. | Upset over Mr. Adnan’s condition, his wife announced she was beginning a hunger strike as well. She began calling for help on social media networks, and about 200 pro-Palestinian activists gathered. Senior Israeli military officials came to the hospital to negotiate. |
| A point of contention centered around Mr. Adnan’s demand that he be released before July 13, the presumed date of Lailat al-Qader, or Night of Destiny, the most important night of Ramadan, when Muslims believe that the gates of paradise open. | A point of contention centered around Mr. Adnan’s demand that he be released before July 13, the presumed date of Lailat al-Qader, or Night of Destiny, the most important night of Ramadan, when Muslims believe that the gates of paradise open. |
| Finally, Mr. Zahalka said, Israeli officials agreed to the terms. | Finally, Mr. Zahalka said, Israeli officials agreed to the terms. |
| Mr. Adnan was then expected to eat something to show he had broken his hunger strike. But he insisted that only his mother, Nawal Mousa, 75, could feed him. She brought a bowl of soup. | Mr. Adnan was then expected to eat something to show he had broken his hunger strike. But he insisted that only his mother, Nawal Mousa, 75, could feed him. She brought a bowl of soup. |
| “He ate a little from my hands,” she said in a telephone interview. “He said, ‘Mother, I want you to make my favorite meal, I want stuffed vegetables from your hands, Mama.’ ” | “He ate a little from my hands,” she said in a telephone interview. “He said, ‘Mother, I want you to make my favorite meal, I want stuffed vegetables from your hands, Mama.’ ” |