OCCUPIED
JERUSALEM, August 20 (IslamOnline.net) - Some 50 Palestinian detainees
were injured, at least two seriously, when Israeli army forces used tear
gas and rubber-coated bullets to break up a protest in the Israeli
military detention campaign of Megiddo, detainees told IslamOnline.net
Wednesday, August 20.
"Israeli
helicopters sprayed gas on the camp, and the situation further
exacerbated when the injured were denied first aid and left to
bleed," said one of the detainee by phone.
The
Palestinian detainees were protesting the transfer of 61 of their
compatriots to the notorious southern Ketziot detention centre, known
for its squalid conditions and routine torture practices.
On
February 2, more than 70 prisoners were injured when Israeli occupation
forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at the Palestinian detainees in
the Ketziot camp to protest against tough living conditions, bad
treatment and filthy conditions into their cells.
The
Ketziot camp, largely consists of makeshift tents, was erected following
Israel's six-week incursion in the West Bank launched in late March
2002, and is where several hundred Palestinians alleged to be involved
in anti-Israeli attacks are detained.
"The
situation in the camp is on the brink of explosion, as the Israeli
authorities are set ready for any new round of clashes with the
detainees," another detainee told IOL by phone.
Some
of the Palestinian detainees then clashed with Israeli border guards
brought in as reinforcements, said sources who had been in contact with
other detainees.
An
Israeli military spokesman confirmed that a "disturbance" had
broken out, claiming the transfer had been announced in a bid to ease
overpopulation in Meggido.
Things
began to worsen when the detainees’ representative committee refused
the transfer of 600 of the 1,161 detainees to Ketziot camp in Negev,
southern Israel.
The
committee’s request was put down, and the camp authorities said the
decision would be carried out by force.
The
Israeli authorities threatened to use punitive actions such as solitary
confinement of detainee leaders unless the committee answered in
positive to the transfer decision.
The
threats were vehemently condemned by the jeering detainees but the
transfer was announced.
Earlier
in August, two Israeli guards and 20 Palestinian security prisoners were
injured from inhaling tear gas used by Israeli security officials to
bring under control a protest at the Shikma camp in Ashkelon.
