Prisoner Khader Adnan on 62nd day of hunger strike; NGO says Islamic Jihad leader faces "imminent death."
By REUTERSGaza protest for Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan R 390(photo credit: REUTERS)
GAZA - Several thousand Palestinians rallied in Gaza and the West Bank on Friday in support of jailed Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan, who is on the 62nd day of a hunger strike to protest against his detention by Israel."We are all Khader Adnan," chanted crowds gathered in the Gaza Strip, with activists from the main political parties joining forces in a rare display of Palestinian unity.Adnan, 33, has been refusing to eat since mid-December following his arrest in the West Bank. He is being held under so-called "administrative detention", which means Israel can detain him indefinitely without trial or charge.The Islamic Jihad group, which advocates the destruction of the state of Israel, has said it will escalate violence if Adnan dies, following reports that his health was deteriorating."We will pursue our Jihad and resistance. We will sail in the sea of blood and martyrdom until we land on the shore of pride and dignity," top Islamic Jihad leader Nafez Azzam said during a Friday sermon at Gaza's oldest al-Omari mosque.The Physicians for Human Rights group in Israel (PHR), which has been monitoring Adnan's condition in an Israeli hospital, said on Friday he was "in immediate danger of death," adding that he had suffered "significant muscular atrophy."The IDF has said in a statement that Adnan was arrested "for activities that threaten regional security." It has not given further details.Adnan owns a bakery and a fruit and vegetable shop in his West Bank village, Arabeh. He has served as a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad, which describes him as a local leader.
