PALESTINIAN prisoner Kayed Fasfous has won a decisive victory and ends his hunger strike after an agreement was reached to end his administrative det-ention and release him on December 14.
Fasfous, the father of one daughter, has been on a hunger strike for 131 days in protest against his administrative detention.
The agreement was reached on Monday.
34-year-old Ayad Al-Harimi also suspended his hunger strike after 61 days, after Israeli occupation authorities agreed to release him in March 2022.
On November 11, Palestinian prisoner Miqdad Al-Qawasmi agreed to end his hunger strike, which was ongoing for 113 days, after Israeli prison authorities agreed to release him in February.
Two other Palestinian prisoners have been on extended hunger strike; they are protesting at being held by occupation authorities without charge or trial.
The Palestinian detainees are Hisham Ismail Abu Hawash whose hunger strike has continued for 106 days and Louay Al-Ashkar who joined the protest 42 days ago.
Israel currently detains some 4,650 Palestinians, including 34 women, 160 children, and about 500 administrative detainees.
Meanwhile a chemical factory in Wales has become the latest target of Palestine Action, a UK based direct action protest group. The activists occupied the roof of the facility which reportedly produces materials used on drone production. Drones which are sold to regimes such as Israel and used to harm innocent Palestinian children.
The Pro-Palestinian campaigner shut down the local chemical factory, as part of a wider campaign against Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems, situated in the quiet Welsh town of Wrexham. The protesters targeted Solvay to demonstrate against the supply of materials used in drones.
This is the first time the group has struck a location in Wales. Although this firm isn’t Elbit Systems it has a working relationship with the Israeli arms manufacturer. Palestine Action has made clear that shutting down Elbit is its key objective but it is prepared to make an example of any other business which works with Elbit.
Solvay released a statement following the occupation of its roof, stating: ‘Solvay is one of the world’s top three producers of composite materials.
Solvay’s high performance composite materials are durable and lightweight, making them well suited for a diverse range of applications, including in automotive, and both civilian and military aircraft.
Solvay’s business practices strongly embed ethics and integrity.
Solvay observes and supports all laws and regulations governing the export and import of products, technologies, services, and information throughout the world.’
After their eventual release, the activists could face court action but that hasn’t been enough to deter this type of activism before. So this may not be the last time Palestine Action strikes in Wales.
Meanwhile, Apple is suing Israeli spyware firm NSO Group and its parent company for allegedly targeting iPhone users with a hacking tool.
Apple said NSO Group has created ‘sophisticated, state-sponsored surveillance technology’ to allow whoever purchases a licence to use it to surveil a highly targeted, small selection of individuals.
NSO Group is most famous for creating the Pegasus spyware capable of monitoring and stealing information from specific targets’ devices and allegedly selling it to nation-states.
NSO’s Pegasus software can infect both iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras.
NSO Group said its tools were made to target terrorists and criminals.
But it has allegedly also been used on activists, politicians and journalists.
