Khader Adnan

Khader AdnanAccording to various news sources, Khader Adnan has ended his 66-day hunger strike in return for the Israeli government agreeing to release him from “administrative detention”—a phrase the Israeli government gives for holding 309 people indefinitely without charge (one man has been held for over 5 years according to Human Rights Watch).

Bobby Sands, a volunteer of the Irish Republican Army, died on 5 May 1981 in Her Majesty’s Prison Maze after a hunger strike of, interestingly, 66 days. The song below is really good and compares these two men.

What I find frustrating about this is how Israel uses our own indefinite detention (and our habit of not allowing people to defend themselves because the information is classified) to justify locking people up for years without charge or due process of law. I will always be angry that we don’t even come close to living up to our ideals—the ideals I was lied to about all during my childhood. The ideals that most Americans still think we stand for.

Update

I read through the comments for this video: very troubling. On the one side, a fair fraction (but nothing close to a majority) fall into antisemitism. On the other are a bunch of people who make the case that if the Israeli government says he’s a terrorist, he must be. The antisemitism doesn’t even need comment. At least I hope it doesn’t. I’ve noticed a lot of antisemitic comments on videos that have nothing to do Palestine, Israel, or even politics. A couple of times, I’ve started to reply to a comment, only to notice I’m surrounded by such comments. When you see the word “Zionist” it is best to turn away unless you are prepared to go to war (internet war).

The other side bothers me more, because I think (I hope!) the “Zionist!” chanters are a minority—at least in this country. I am concerned when I see people saying things like, “This fucking islamofascist arab terrorist must die!” Really? Adnan hasn’t even been charged with anything. If he were really dangerous, I don’t see why the Israeli government is letting him go free. For all I know, I would find the guy’s opinions repugnant. But the fact is that he hasn’t even been charged with anything and probably never will be. For the zillionth time: this is about who we are. And I’m someone who thinks that people must be proven guilty. And yes, I am willing to die for that.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized by Frank Moraes. Bookmark the permalink.

About Frank Moraes

Frank Moraes is a freelance writer and editor online and in print. He is educated as a scientist with a PhD in Atmospheric Physics. He has worked in climate science, remote sensing, throughout the computer industry, and as a college physics instructor. Find out more at About Frank Moraes.

Leave a Reply