For Immediate release
Today, Tuesday, March, 14, 2006 Israeli Military Troops imposed a siege on Jericho Central Prison, a detention facility located in Jericho City which it totally under The Palestinian National Authority’ sovereignty.
According to media reports Palestinian National Forces inside Jericho central prison took its position to confront any Israeli Military raid to the detention facility.
It will be useful to note that a number of Palestinian prisoners are held in Jericho Central prison including Mr. Ahmad Sa’adat The General Secretary of The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and his comrades in addition to Colonel Fua’d Shoubaki head of The Palestinian Financial Military Bureau. All prisoners are held since may, 2002, under the total control of guards from USA and UK according to an agreement sponsored by the governments of USA, UK and others.
Mandela considers the Israeli military operation imposing a siege on Jericho prison :-
- Grave violation and aggression that intends to increase tension levels in the area.
- Grave breach and attach on the Palestinian Sovereignty as Jericho is under the Palestinian total jurisdiction.
- Grave violation to the agreement sponsored by the USA and UK and other governments regarding the imprisonment of Mr. Sa’adat and Colonel Shoubaki.
The Mandela institute alerts of the consequences to such aggression and its results with the possibility of raiding the detention facility which impose threat to the safety and well being of all inside the detention facility, and urgently appeals to international community, UN organs, Governments, ICRC, Arab and Islamic States to intervene to lift the Israeli siege to Jericho central prison.
The Mandela Institute do hold the Israeli government total responsibility for the safety and well being of all Palestinians in Jericho central prison.
END