Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has released a\nvideo showing himself inside the prison cell of Palestinian detainee\nHassan Salameh, who has been held by Israel since 1996. In the footage,\nhe expressed his intention to execute all Palestinian prisoners.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to kill you. I want to execute you,\u201d Ben-Gvir said to Salameh\nin the recording, as reported by the Anadolu news agency. Salameh,\noriginally from the Gaza Strip, is serving several life sentences after\nbeing convicted by Israel for a series of attacks in the 1990s.<\/p>\n
Currently, approximately 10,000 Palestinians are held by Israel, many\nwithout proper legal procedures. Women and children are also among those\ndetained. Human rights organisations and former detainees have\nhighlighted the inhumane conditions within Israeli prisons.<\/p>\n
In a post accompanying the video, Ben-Gvir stated that he would\nstrive to implement the death penalty for prisoners like Salameh if he\nholds the position of Minister of Defence in the upcoming Israeli\ngovernment. He also pledged to promote what he terms \u201cvoluntary\nmigration\u201d from the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank\u2014a phrase he\nfrequently uses to refer to proposals for the forced displacement of\nPalestinians.<\/p>\n
Ben-Gvir stated that his party, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit), will\ndemand the positions of Minister of Defence and Minister of Justice as a\ncondition for joining the next government. The Israeli Knesset elections\nare scheduled for 27 October.<\/p>\n
The Prisoners\u2019 Media Office condemned Ben-Gvir\u2019s appearance on camera\nwith Salameh. In a statement reported by Al Mayadeen, the office\ndescribed the confrontation with the handcuffed detainee as a \u201cshow of\nbravado that reveals an occupation mentality based on the targeting and\npersecution of prisoners.\u201d<\/p>\n
The office stated that the threat constitutes \u201cdirect incitement to\ncommit a crime against prisoner Salameh,\u201d who has reportedly endured\nharsh detention conditions for many years. They called for the\naccountability of Israeli authorities regarding Salameh\u2019s life and\nsafety and urged international human rights organisations to\nintervene.<\/p>\n
The office also described the video as a \u201ccheap political and\nelectoral manoeuvre,\u201d accusing Ben-Gvir of using threats against\ndetainees to garner sympathy from extremist voters. They stated that\nSalameh\u2019s appearance demonstrates the impact of systematic starvation,\ntorture, and medical neglect in Israeli detention.<\/p>\n
The Palestinian Prisoners Commission also condemned the video. The\ncommission\u2019s head, Raed Abu al-Hummus, described the conditions in\nIsraeli prisons as \u201corganised terrorism\u201d and called for international\naction, according to Anadolu.<\/p>\n
Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, stated that Ben-Gvir\u2019s\nvideo signals the danger of further killings of Palestinian prisoners.\nThe movement asserted that such threats would not weaken the spirit of\nSalameh or other detainees and pledged to continue working towards their\nrelease.<\/p>\n
This confrontation occurs amidst Ben-Gvir\u2019s pressure to impose the\ndeath penalty on Palestinian prisoners. According to Anadolu reports, in\nMarch, the Israeli Knesset passed a law allowing the application of the\ndeath penalty in certain cases through a vote, with a result of 62 to\n48. The law allows for the imposition of the death penalty without a\nprosecution request or a unanimous decision.<\/p>\n
Ben-Gvir has also tightened restrictions on Palestinian prisoners\nduring his tenure as National Security Minister. Al Mayadeen reported\nthat he visited the Negev prison last month and ordered the seizure of\nclothing still held by the detainees.<\/p>\n
The Prisoners\u2019 Media Office stated that their warnings regarding\nSalameh reflect broader concerns regarding the treatment of Palestinians\nin Israeli prisons. They called for urgent measures to protect detainees\nfollowing the open threats issued by Ben-Gvir.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ben-gvir-threatens-to-execute-all-palestinian-prisoners-1790646799", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }