JURIST - Paper Chase: Israel Supreme Court to hear prisoner hunger strike case

[JURIST] The Israeli Supreme Court [official website] announced Monday that it will hear the hunger strike case of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan, despite a military judge rejecting his appeal in early February. Since his December arrest in the West Bank, Adnan has refused food [AP report]. This hunger strike has been carried on to protest Israel's policy of detaining Palestinian prisoners without bringing formal charges, presenting evidence, and without a trial. The spokeswoman for the Israeli Court released this information on the condition of remaining anonymous. Adnan's strike marks the longest lasting hunger strike by a Palestinian detainee in history. Doctors warn that Adnan may not survive long enough to stand trial.

Israel has recently faced criticism for the country's policy toward Palestinians. Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] urged Israel [JURIST report] to change its policies that forbid Palestinians from traveling through and living in Gaza and the West Bank. The Israeli Supreme Court upheld [JURIST report] a law that prevents Palestinians who marry Israelis from obtaining Israeli citizenship. With its ruling the court again rejected the petition filed by Adalah [advocacy website], a civil rights group in Israel, arguing that the law is unconstitutional.