Palestinian prisoners end hunger strike

were right. In the Arab world, we have seen any sign of compromise is believed to demonstrate a weakness to prey upon. Witness the reponses to the Israeli pull out from Gaza and southern Lebanon.

If the Palestinians from pro-genocide organizations such as Islamic Jihad and Hamas wished to continue with their hunger strike, the Israelis should have accommodated them…

Thank you, Dan, for your opinion. The article does not mention what was probably the biggest grievance of the hunger strikers: Israel’s practice of administrative detention, in which someone can be held in prison, without charges and without trial, a six-month period, which can be renewed an unlimited number of times. There are over 300 Palestinians in administrative detention in Israel. I hope all of us, who love Israel understand Israel’s need for security, also see a significant problem, and a conflict with our Torah values, that over 300 human beings are held without charge, without trial, and without time limit. Israel has promised to sharply restrict, but not abolish, administrative detention. This is a good thing. It means that most administrative detainees will be given the chance to confront and fight the charges against them in court, or be freed. This is a basic hallmark of justice. As for regular convicted prisoners, Israel agreed to restore family visitation privileges and improve conditions. This is not a bad thing either. It doesn’t cost Israel anything and it is conducive to rehabilitation.

The Palestinians coaxed Israel to compromise, not by throwing rocks, not by launching missiles, and not by blowing up buses, but by the peaceful tactic of a hunger strike. One hopes that Palestinians will learn from this success and continue to coax Israel to improve conditions for Palestinians through peaceful, non-violent protest.