Israeli Arab supporters of Mohammed Allan, a Palestinian prisoner on a hunger strike, hold signs during a support rally outside Barzilai hospital, in the costal city of Ashkelon
Israel’s Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended the detention order against a Palestinian prisoner who has been on a hunger strike for 65 days, releasing him while he receives medical care in a ruling that his relatives and supporters hailed as a victory.
The decision means that Mohammed Allan will no longer be shackled to his bed and his family will be able to visit him in the hospital, where his lawyer said he remains sedated and unconscious.
The court’s action did little to resolve a debate over Israel’s practice of holding suspects without charge, known as administrative detention, or a new law that permits the force-feeding of hunger strikers.
Before he fell unconscious Aug. 14, Allan had appeared set to be the first test of the law. Since then, he has been given fluids and nutritional supplements while the case went to court, although those treatments were not considered to be force-feeding.
After a long day of deliberations, the Supreme Court announced that Allan, who doctors say has suffered some brain damage, would remain hospitalized but that his administrative detention was suspended.
But the decision did not address what would happen to Allan if he recovers, saying only he can petition for his release if his condition improves.
“I feel very happy,” said his brother, Amid Allan. “I hope that my brother will stand up, will stand up from his bed healthy, as happy as he used to be when they took him from his house.”
Israel says Allan is in custody for his affiliation with Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group that has carried out scores of attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers. He denies the affiliation.
Allan’s case became a litmus test for a law that was narrowly passed in July that permits a judge to sanction force-feeding of a fasting prisoner if the inmate’s life is in danger.
Critics of force-feeding see it as an unethical violation of patient autonomy and akin to torture. The U.S. has admitted to force-feeding detainees at its Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Britain force-fed some Irish Republican Army prisoners on hunger strikes. Miriam Berger, Jerusalem, AP
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