A protest in solidarity with the Palestine hunger strikers at Pentonville in north London on Tuesday (Picture: Guy Smallman)
Three of the Palestine hunger strikers who faced imminent death, Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello, have ended their action.
Prisoners 4 Palestine said, “The decision to end their hunger strikes came as it was revealed that Elbit Systems UK was denied a vital £2 billion army training contract with the Ministry of Defence, a key demand of the hunger strikers.
“The contract, which would have seen Elbit Systems provide training to the British Army over ten years, was lost despite the best efforts of officials both in the Ministry of Defence and British army.
“The abrupt cancellation of this deal is a resounding victory for the hunger strikers, who resisted with their incarcerated bodies to shed light on the role of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, in the colonisation and occupation of Palestine.
“With this victory it has never been clearer that Elbit’s days in Britain are numbered.”
It added, “We turn our efforts and attention to Umer Khalid, the last remaining hunger striker, who continues to use his body as a weapon against the state in pursuit of justice.”
Earlier this week Sally Rooney, Angela Davis and Judith Butler were among dozens of authors and academics who signed an open call demanding justice for the Palestine hunger strikers.
The hunger strikers are part of a group of Palestine activists on remand—imprisoned without trial—allegedly in connection to action against Elbit Systems and RAF Brize Norton.
Heba Muraisi had reached 73 days, Kamran Ahmed 66 days and Lewie Chiaramello 52 days on hunger strike. A fourth prisoner, Umar Khalid announced on Sunday that he has restarted his hunger strike.
The statement, published on the Protest Is Not Terrorism website, also shows solidarity with Greta Thunberg. She was arrested for protesting in support of the hunger strikers in London on 23 December.
The Labour government is determined to make an example of those who have bravely resisted Israel’s genocide.
The fight must continue for justice for the prisoners and an end to British state’s complicity in genocide.
The article below was published last week:
The sister of hunger striker Kamran Ahmed has called on Labour ministers to meet urgently with representatives of pro-Palestine prisoners who are at risk of imminent death.
Remand prisoner Kamran reached the 60th day of refusing food on Thursday.
Heba Muraisi reached 67 days and is now experiencing uncontrollable muscle spasms which doctors say could point to neurological damage.
Teuta Hoxha has been on 61 days of hunger strike and Lewie Chiaramello on 46 days. Four other prisoners have now paused their strike but remain in grave danger.
The hunger strikers are on remand—held without trial—allegedly in connection to action against Elbit Systems and at the RAF’s Brize Norton base.
They are demanding immediate bail and an end to all censorship of their correspondence in prison. And they’re calling for the de-proscribing of the group Palestine Action and the shutting down of all Elbit Systems facilities in Britain.
Police arrested Kamran in a dawn raid on 19 November 2024, and the state has held him on remand since then.
“Home secretary David Lammy, people told me, used to stand for something. At the moment, he’s not even standing for having a meeting,” Shahmina Alam, older sister of Kamran, told Socialist Worker.
“I call upon them to uphold their integrity and their values.”
Shahmina said the imprisonment of anti-war activists as “terrorists” has shattered her faith in Western values.
“Growing up, we’ve always spoken about how the Western world is the forefront of human rights, the forefront of democracy, the forefront of ending conflict and ensuring that life is preserved,” she said.
“But what we’re witnessing right now is the opposite of that.”
And, says Shahmina, the case illustrates the way the state is becoming increasingly authoritarian. “Right now, we’re not that far from being in a dictatorship,” she said.
“Keir Starmer is probably the person I’m most heavily disappointed in. To be a former human rights lawyer, who has represented people that have taken direct action, and to respond the way he does now is a disgrace. It is shameful.”
Starmer told MPs that “rules and procedures” were being followed last December. They questioned him over the government’s failure to meet with hunger strikers’ loved ones and lawyers.
Ministers repeatedly refused to even meet with the strikers’ representatives. It means that, should any Palestine prisoners come to harm, Labour will have their blood on its hands.
19 homes have been destroyed and at least 19 more damaged
Another Blairite gimmick
Human rights groups say the sentences are 'torture'
