Hunger-striking Palestinian Hiba al-Labadi moved to Israeli hospital as health deteriorates

Hiba al-Labadi, who has been on hunger strike for 39 days, has been moved to a clinic after a rapid deterioration of her health under Israeli custody.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

01 November, 2019

Hiba al-Labadi is being held by Israel under administrative detention [Twitter]

Hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner Hiba al-Labadi, who has been held by Israel without charge since August, has been moved from her cell to a medical facility, Israel's Prison Service said Friday.

"The female security prisoner under administrative detention, a Jordanian citizen who is on hunger strike, was moved...to the IPS medical centre," it said in a Hebrew-language statement.

It said the move was for "continued observation and medical care" but did not describe her condition or say when it took place.

The Palestinian Authority's detainees commission confirmed in a statement that al-Labadi, 24, was transferred on Friday - the 39th day of her hunger strike which has left her in poor health.

Labadi is one of two Jordanians held by Israel at the centre of a diplomatic row between the neighbouring countries.

Amman announced on Tuesday that it had recalled its ambassador in Israel over the country's refusal to free them.

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According to Jordan, Labadi and Abdelrahman Merhi, 28, were arrested at a crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Authority says that Labadi was detained on 20 August at the Allenby Bridge crossing and Merhi was seized there on 2 September.

Israel has not given reasons for their detention but Israeli newspaper Haaretz says that Israeli authorities suspect her of "contact with a foreign agent and supporting terrorism".

Since their arrests, Jordanian authorities have repeatedly called for their release, a demand Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi repeated on Tuesday.

"In view of Israel's refusal to respond to our persistent requests to release Jordanian nationals Hiba al-Labdi and Abdelrahman Merhi and the continuation of their illegal and inhumane detention, we have recalled our ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations," Safadi said in a statement.

According to the Palestinian Authority, Merhi is suffering from cancer.

Jordanian media reported that he and Labdi had travelled to the West Bank to attend relatives' marriages.

Israel has not commented on the recall of Jordan's ambassador.

Jordan is one of only two Arab countries - along with Egypt - to have a peace treaty with Israel.

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