The headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ramallah was closed on Thursday by a group of determined Palestinian activists, which included many family members of the hunger striking prisoners. The protestors see the ICRC as “complicit with Israeli policies of occupation”. This closure is part of the escalating campaign against international organisations in Palestine whose silence is seen as complicity.
The father of Thaer Halahleh and the brother of Bilal Diab, who entered their 73rd day of hunger strike on Thursday, were joined by the parents of prisoners participating in the mass hunger strike, on its 24th day. They called for action from the ICRC to support the prisoners’ strike against occupation and human rights violations, and asked that the committee not take a “neutral” stance, but instead highlight Israel’s role as “executioner” towards the hunger strikers.
This move comes one day after a group of Palestinian activists closed the United Nations headquarters in Ramallah with similar demand. It is clear that the empty rhetoric of these organizations is not what is required by the Palestinian people of these International Organizations, and it is likely that more such actions will be seen until pressure is put on the Israelis to yield to the prisoners’ demands.
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