PLO senior official declares that Palestinian terrorists "defend our honour"

Headline: “Activities and processions for Palestinian Prisoner’s Day”

“Yesterday [April 17, 2022] hundreds of civilians participated in a rally to mark Palestinian Prisoner’s Day at Al-Manara Square in central Ramallah…

Director of [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadri Abu Bakr said in his speech during the rally that the heroic prisoners are the pioneers of our people, and that they are defending our honor and our holy sites. He added that there is a cruel attack that the occupation is waging against them, as if there is an Israeli decision to assassinate them – and particularly the sick among them – through slow murder (see note below regarding PA libel on medical abuse of Palestinian prisoners -Ed.).”

Libel on medical abuse of Palestinian prisoners - The PA claims that Israel abuses Palestinian prisoners through medical neglect, medical experiments, and by intentionally infecting them with diseases. However, the International Red Cross regularly visits these prisoners and has not documented or accused Israel of any of these claims. Likewise, lists of demands occasionally issued by the prisoners during hunger strikes—such as during one in 2011—include no demands relating to these claims. PMW has documented prisoners talking about how they "lack nothing" in the prisons and that "the worst thing about Israeli prison" is riding in a prison vehicle that has no padding on the seat. When PMW contacted the Israeli Ministry of Health in 2007 regarding PA claims of medical experiments on prisoners, the ministry responded: "Clinical testing on prisoners in prison was never approved, never performed, and is most certainly not taking place at present."