ISLAMIC Jihad, the Palestinian resistance movement has held the Israeli regime fully responsible for any harm to its high-profile official Sheikh Khader Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for more than 70 days in protest at his detention, warning of a harsh response if he loses his life.
Khaled al-Batsh, a member of the politburo of the Islamic Jihad, called on international bodies and institutions on Wednesday to exert pressure on the Tel Aviv regime and force it to end his suffering before it is too late.
He warned of Israeli officials’ attempts to issue a verdict against Adnan on trumped-up charges in order to keep him away from his family and other Palestinians.
Batsh also demanded unwavering support for all Palestinian prisoners, especially Adnan.
Adnan was detained on February 5th and immediately went on a hunger strike in protest against his illegal detention.
He is already suffering from severe health problems as a result of the strike, including frequent vomiting of blood, severe weakness, frequent loss of consciousness, difficulty in speaking, movement, sleep and concentration, and severe pain all over his body.
Over the past 20 years, Adnan has been arrested a dozen times by Israeli forces for his political and anti-occupation activities. He has spent a total of eight years behind bars.
He has gone on hunger strike four times during his detentions, the longest of which was a 67-day period in 2012 that resulted in his release and inspired other Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention to follow suit.
In 2015, he once again went on a hunger strike for 56 days to protest his detention. He did the same in 2018 for 58 days.
Adnan was also arrested in 2021 and was transferred to administrative detention. He went on a hunger strike for 25 days at the time.
Hundreds of the inmates have been apparently incarcerated under the practice of administrative detention.
A report by a group of Palestinian rights advocacy groups says Israel is keeping about 4,900 Palestinians inmates, including many women and children, behind bars.
The report, which was released last Sunday, on the occasion of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, said the figure includes 31 Palestinian women and 160 children under the age of 18.
It was published by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, and the Palestinian Wadi Hilweh Information Centre in the holy occupied city of Jerusalem (al-Quds).
The report added that there are more than 1,000 administrative detainees, including six children and two women, among Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the enemy has always sought to polarise the Iranian nation, calling on the country’s student community to adhere to the principles of realism in its demands.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on the 27th day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on Tuesday in an address to a group of university students and campaigners of student movements.
Kamenei said: ‘Student activities should not polarise the student community and the country. Polarisation is the will of the enemy.
‘Students’ demands must be accompanied by realism and providing scientific and practical solutions.
Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed the idea that any dismay about the resolution of the country’s problems has an internal origin, saying it is the enemy’s strategy to make the Iranian nation feel disappointed about itself.
‘Hardships do not demoralise a motivated young student. He studies and fights to solve problems,’ he said.
Khamenei emphasised that ‘everyone should be up-to-date in getting to know the enemy’s plan and strategy’.
He added: ‘Whether we understand it or not, the enemy is constantly working against the “righteous front’’ by spending money and resources.’
Responding to a question about the possibility of holding referendums on the country’s issues, he said, ‘Is it possible to hold referendums on various issues in the country? Where in the world do they do this? Do all the people who have to participate in the referendum have the ability to analyse that issue?’
He called on the Iranian youths to resolutely follow the path of the Islamic Revolution and Islam while keeping hope and rationality alive, and warned, ‘Enemies hold a grudge against the Iranian youths’ as they are afraid of the Iranian young generation’s presence, work and motivation.
- Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani says his force has employed new unmanned aerial vehicles designed and manufactured domestically to detect and destroy hostile vessels and submarines.
Irani made the remarks in an interview with Tasnim news agency, during which he talked about the Islamic Republic’s latest progress in the field of drone production.
He said the drone uses a homegrown sonar system and other domestically-developed equipment to stalk and hunt submarines.
The commander noted that the new unmanned aerial vehicle is currently in service in the Iranian Navy.
On Tuesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army units unveiled a broad range of advanced gear such as homegrown missiles, tanks, armoured vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, radar systems and air defence missile systems in a military parade marking the National Army Day.
Four divisions of the Iranian Army, namely the Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Air Defence, held military parades on Tuesday in the presence of President Ebrahim Raeisi in Tehran.
Among the major achievements put on display during the parade was Mohajer-6 drone, which is capable of carrying guided bombs and sophisticated surveillance equipment. It has already been used in combat by the Iranian Armed Forces.
Iran’s first wide-body unmanned combat aerial vehicle, the Kaman 22, was also unveiled, along with the Iranian suicide drones such as Arash, Kian and Karrar, which could be flown from both ground and offshore launchers.
The Qader (Capable) medium-range anti-ship cruise missile, the laser-guided air-to-ground Sattar missile, Fakour-90 (Thoughtful-90) air-to-air missile, Qaem surface-to-air missile, and the Shafagh precision-guided missile, which has a range of 20 kilometres, were displayed as well.
The Army’s air defence division unveiled several domestically-developed missile systems, including the Damavand strategic and long-range system used for downing various aircraft as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, the Nasser 40 navigation assistant radar system, Majid short-range and low-altitude air defence system, the Nawab medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Mersad mid-range air defence system, Khordad 15 surface-to-air missile system, and the Talaash (Endeavour) long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great headway in manufacturing a broad range of equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
