Palestinians strike in West Bank after prisoner’s death in Israeli jail

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestinians staged a general strike in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday following the death of a prisoner in an Israeli jail.

Khader Adnan died inside prison on Tuesday after an 86-day hunger strike in protest of his detention without trial or charge.

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) said Adnan was found unconscious and was taken to hospital but attempts to resuscitate him failed.

According to an Anadolu reporter, public and private institutions, shops and markets across the West Bank closed as part of the strike.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh accused Israel of assassinating Adnan, a leader of Islamic Jihad group.

"The [Israeli] occupation, its prison administration and judiciary have implemented a deliberate assassination against Sheikh Adnan by refusing to release him and neglecting him medically by keeping him inside prison despite his serious health condition," Shtayyeh said.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society NGO, an Israeli military court last month rejected a request by Adnan’s lawyer to release him on bail.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for an investigation by a UN inquiry commission into the circumstances of Adnan’s death.

Adnan, 44, was repeatedly detained by Israeli forces and had staged several hunger strikes to protest his detention.

In 2012, Adnan staged a 66-day hunger strike in protest of his detention, forcing the Israeli authorities to release him. He staged similar hunger strikes in 2015 and 2018.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar