Victim of the number game: Hana Al Shalabi re-arrested

The number game Israel plays as it arrests Palestinians is nothing but a mere smudging of numbers to satisfy the agenda of Zionists. Within the period of the first wave of the prisoner swap deal, an equivalent amount of Palestinians were arrested as those released. 309 still remain in administrative detention today, voiceless and still without charge that would justify their arrest.

The preemptive nature of colonization is nothing about security, but is a means of collective punishment. And sadly, some of those released during the prisoner swap deals have only found themselves in Israeli prisons once again. As Israeli continously violates the human rights of Palestinians, and continues to arrest Palestinians without charges and imprisoning them, the mechanism of Israeli military remains unchallenged despite the prisoner swap deal. While numbers of prisoners exchanged, there was certainly no will for Israel to change its policy as it continues to oppress Palestinians.

Palestinians facing administrative detention are arrested, criminalized, and kept for random periods of time since the 6 month period of administrative detention can be renewed indefinitely according to Israeli Military Order 1591, which stipulates that so long as the individual is presumed to be a "security threat," the order can be renewed. Prisoners remain so without charge or the possibility of standing in court on the basis of "secret evidence." The Zionist judicial system was not made just for the interest of equality, nor are administrative detentions a means for security. It is a means of collective punishment, of making examples out of loud or active resisters, and very plainly put, discriminatory. 

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Hana Al Shalabi is a victim of Israel's number game, again in administrative detention since February 16, despite being released about four months prior from prison. The 29 year old spent 25 months in Israeli prison under administrative detention.  Now she has resorted to the counting of days that is nothing of a game, but a threat to her life. Following in the footsteps of Khader Adnan who is also in administrative detention, she is on hunger strike protesting her detention. 


Al Shalabi comes from the village of Bruqin, in the northern part of the West Bank, where illegal Zionist settlers attack and vandalize the village. Bruqin has been devastated by the so called Price Tag campaign, waged by Zionist colonists against indigenous Palestinians. 


Her parents have stated that they will also join this hunger strike until her release. Khader Adnan was on hunger strike for 66 days until he was able to negotiate the end of his unjust arrest, scheduled for April.  Entrusting his faith and the support of the community, Khader Adnan is slowly recovering, although the damage to his body may not be completely reversible.

It is unfortunate that Al Shalabi must now too submit to literal starvation after being starved of her rights and justice. She and 309 other Palestinians currently face administrative detention, shackled simply for being who they are. Take action against administrative detention and visit Addammeer for the latest on Palestinian prisoner rights.