Father of youngest Jordanian in Israeli jails threatens hunger strike

AMMAN — The father of the youngest Jordanian prisoner in Israel said on Thursday he will start a sit-in near Parliament on Sunday to urge MPs to help him visit his son.

Mahdi Suleiman said he will begin the protest at 9am to urge the authorities to intervene and facilitate a visit to his son, Mohammad, who was 16 years old when he was arrested in March 2013 while visiting relatives in the West Bank. 

Mohammad faced 27 charges, including attempted murder and injuring 18 Israeli soldiers, after being arrested along with Palestinian children for allegedly throwing stones at an Israeli army patrol. 

Mahdi is threatening to go on a hunger strike if the government does not successfully secure a visit to his son. 

“If deputies don’t help me, and their efforts bring no positive results, I’ll go on a hunger strike again near the Foreign Ministry, abstaining from food, water and medicines until officials secure me a visit,” Mahdi told The Jordan Times.

In June 2015, the father started a hunger strike near the Foreign Ministry, calling on officials there to arrange a visit to his son. 

He eventually managed to secure a visit later that month, the first time since Mohammad’s arrest in 2013.

Israeli authorities sentenced Mohammad in November 2015 to 15 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 Israeli shekels (about JD5,480).

“About 10 days ago, I met with Foreign Ministry Secretary General Bashir Zu’bi, head of the consulate department Mohammad Quraan, and Mohammad Ghleilat, who is responsible for follow-up on Jordanian prisoners in Israel. They promised to arrange a visit soon,” the father said.

He commended the officials’ cooperation and understanding, yet he criticised the long time it takes for procedures to finish.

Foreign Ministry officials were not available for comment on the issue on Thursday despite several attempts by The Jordan Times.

Asked whether there is system that organises the number of visits to Jordanian prisoners in Israel, Anas Abu Khdeir, head of the media team supporting Jordanian prisoners in Israel, Fedaa, expressed his regret that no such mechanism exists. 

“What happens is that families of prisoners apply to the Foreign Ministry to arrange visits to see their relatives in Israeli jails, and officials usually fail to uphold these legitimate rights,” Abu Khdeir told The Jordan Times. 

He added that many family members afterwards find themselves forced to go on hunger strikes to have officials consider their demands seriously.

One example is the case of Shaheen Merie, whose brother Muneer is serving five life sentences in Israel on charges related to attacking settlements in the West Bank. 

“Palestinians visit their imprisoned relatives in Israel twice or at least once a week,” Abu Khdeir noted, highlighting that Jordanians demand only one visit every four or six months. 

The last time the ministry arranged a group visit to Jordanian prisoners in Israel was in 2008, when some 15 prisoners managed to see their relatives, Abu Khdeir said, calling on the ministry to exert more efforts in this regard.

There are currently 25 Jordanian prisoners in Israel, six of whom are serving life sentences.