Islamic Jihad threatens to end truce if Adnan dies

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement will end its truce with Israel if Khader Adnan, a Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike, dies in jail.

The group's Ahmed al-Aouri made the announcement late on Monday, saying that the deal reached with Israel in August after Israel's aggression on Gaza would be annulled if Adnan, himself a leading figure in PIJ, succombs to his fast.

Adnan has been on hunger strike for six weeks in protest against his administrative detention, and there have been contradictory reports about his health.

The martyrdom of Adnan will change the shape of the next stage - Ahmed al-Aouri

"The martyrdom of Adnan will change the shape of the next stage," Aouri told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

"The West Bank and Gaza are parts of the homeland, and the Islamic Jihad Movement - in which Khader Adnan is a leading member - will not be bound by any truce agreement if he comes to any harm."

The head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Committee, Issa Qaraqe, warned that Israeli intelligence services might want to kill Adnan. "We have entered a stage where disregard for his demands, or his forced feeding might lead to his death," he said.

Qaraqe also warned that any harm that may come to Adnan might lead to an explosion of public anger against Israel.

He indicated that prisoners' hunger strikes could be used more frequently to collectively pressure Israeli authorities.

Qaraqe also called on prisoners and their lawyers to boycott court hearings for administrative detentions, so as not to recognise this kind of detention.

Administrative detention is the legal term given to a case in which a suspect may be held without formal charge or trial, for a maximum period of six months.

Each six-month period can be renewed indefinitely, meaning many prisoners are locked up by Israel, without charge or trial, for years on end.

Adnan's father, meanwhile, has attacked rival Palestinian political factions for their lack of action to support his son.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.