Abu dhabi: Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, has made an urgent plea for international intervention concerning the plight of Palestinian prisoners. He labeled the approval of a 'law to execute prisoners' as a grave crime and an alarming escalation that seeks to legitimize the deliberate killing of Palestinian detainees, thereby perpetuating a systematic approach to undermine the Palestinian cause.
According to Emirates News Agency, Al Yamahi emphasized that this unlawful legislation fails to bestow legitimacy on the actions of the occupying forces, placing them in direct opposition to international justice. In commemoration of Palestinian Prisoners' Day, observed annually on April 17, he highlighted the enduring historical injustices faced by Palestinian prisoners, including 370 children and 85 women, who are subjected to systematic violations and crimes within Israeli prisons.
Al Yamahi described the dire humanitarian conditions these prisoners endure, including repression, abuse, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and starvation, all in stark violation of international laws and conventions, particularly the Geneva Conventions. In response to this escalation, the Arab Parliament has initiated immediate measures by reaching out to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and other regional and international parliamentary bodies, advocating for the suspension of Israel's parliamentary membership and calling for robust international measures to prevent the enactment of this legislation.
The Speaker urged global entities such as the United Nations, the Security Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to fulfill their legal and humanitarian duties. He called for urgent intervention to provide international protection for Palestinian prisoners, halt all forms of violations against them, ensure compliance with the Geneva Conventions, and work towards their immediate release.
Al Yamahi underscored that international silence on these crimes amounts to complicit behavior, enabling the occupation to continue its violations with impunity. He urged the international community to impose sanctions and hold perpetrators accountable in international courts, specifically the International Criminal Court.
Reaffirming the Arab Parliament's commitment, Al Yamahi stated that the issue of prisoners will remain a pivotal concern and feature prominently on their agenda across various platforms. He emphasized that despite the repression, the resolve of the prisoners remains unyielding, symbolizing freedom and dignity. He concluded by asserting that a just peace and stability cannot be achieved without the complete release of all Palestinian prisoners, as their freedom is a legitimate right and an essential element of the Palestinian struggle for independence and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.