I wonder what the phrase ‘Prisoners for Palestine’ means to you? It may mean nothing at all, given the very limited coverage in the mainstream media. There was an exception in the Mirror on Wednesday:
We must not replicate Thatcher’s cruelty by letting Palestine hunger strikers die. As six unconvicted Palestine Action prisoners enter the deadly phase of the UK’s longest hunger strike in decades, columnist Aimee Walsh argues Labour must break its silence to save lives
Time is critical. There are six hunger strikers in British prisons, who have not eaten in 46 days. The longest hunger strike prior to this was the 1981 Irish Republican Army hunger strikes in HMP Maze / Long Kesh in the north of Ireland. During the Irish protest, 10 men died as a result of lack of political intervention. Bobby Sands MP was the first to die in the Irish hunger strikes on day 66 of his protest.
The Palestine Action hunger strike began on 2nd November and is now entering its second month. The prisoners who are refusing food are: Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib who are on day 46 of hunger strike, Heba Muraisa who is on day 45, Teuta Hoxha on day 39, Kamran Ahmed on day 38, and Lewie Chiaramello on day 24.
The Guardian caught up with the story today, Saturday.
Photo: Dave Sharratt
The desperately worrying condition of the hunger strikers was the focus of our Vigil on Wednesday. That evening’s news bulletins led with reports of a police crackdown on placards carrying statements like ‘Globalise the Intifada’. As Intifida means ‘Uprising against injustice’ this is bizarre. The BBC referred to ‘Jewish groups’ feeling threatened by Gaza Ceasefire / Pro-Palestinian marches - but the marches are full of Jewish groups. As I’ve said before, the major driver of anti-semitism is the lawless violence of the Israeli government, still unchecked by those who could stop it. The BBC seems to be behaving like an arm of government by failing to report on either the hunger strikers or the marches - as if coverage ‘will only encourage them’.
While BBC news and current affairs are failing us, other programming is still wonderful - such as R4’s ‘More or Less’, also on Wednesday, which debunked the claims by a Tory shadow minister, Chris Philp, that Labour policies have led to an exodus of the wealthy. The programme also found wanting the government’s claims about the scale of our latest flu crisis. Invaluable.
Becki Driscoll and Rootnotes created a marvellous Ceilidh at Northam Hall last Sunday afternoon. It was a splendid community occasion, with delightful music from performers of all ages, zestful dancing and lots of cakes. I hope to go again next year.
We shall meet in the Square on Sunday evening (as above) and at 5pm in the High Street as usual on Wednesday, Christmas Eve.
Our front door - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for reading.