Israel threatens to force-feed Mohammed Allan

The family of a Palestinian prisoner held by Israel says his health is dire after waging a hunger strike for the last 56 days.

Naser Allan says Israel arrested his son, Mohammed, in November 2014 and placed him under administrative detention for two six-month periods. He says his son was imprisoned from 2006-2009 for affiliation with the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

Mohammed Allan is on hunger strike to protest his administrative detention, a controversial measure that allows Israel to detain suspects without charge for long periods.

Allan's father said Sunday that Israeli authorities are threatening to force-feed his son. Allan has refused medicine or vitamins, only drinking water.

If carried out it would be the first case since the adoption last month of a new law permitting the practice.

Allan's attorney Jamil al-Khatib told AFP Israeli judicial officials "informed me of the intention to proceed with the force feeding of Mr Allan."

"I have informed him of this but it does not alter his intention to continue his strike," Khatib said.

He added that Allan was placed in intensive hospital care when his body became unable to absorb drinking water.

Palestinian health minister warned Saturday that the force feeding procedure itself would endanger Allan's life.

Israel's contentious law was passed last month and permits the force-feeding of inmates on a life-threatening hunger strike.

The Israeli Medical Association called the law "damaging and unnecessary," stressing its doctors would "continue to act according to medical ethics, which prohibit doctors from participating in torturing prisoners".

It said force feeding was "tantamount to torture".

Physicians for Human Rights Israel said the "shameful" law revealed the "anti-democratic face" of the Israeli parliament, saying they would continue to oppose the law and its implementation, and "support anyone who will refuse to obey the law".

Spokeswomen for both organisations said they were considering filing petitions at the high court against the law.