A Palestinian held without trial by Israel agreed on Tuesday to end his 66-day hunger strike after Israeli authorities promised to release him in April in a deal that avoided judicial review of the detention policy. Khader Adnan, a 33-year-old member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, had been refusing food since mid-December and doctors had voiced fears about his deteriorating health.
"There is a deal. He will stop his hunger strike. They will not extend his administrative detention and he will be free on April 17," an Israeli Justice Ministry spokeswoman said. Supporters of Adnan welcomed the deal as a symbolic victory over Israeli occupation of the West Bank and handed out candy in the streets of its administrative capital, Ramallah.
"He got all the world to stand in solidarity with the detainees through his heroic strike," said a neighbour, Mohammed Jaber. "He won against Israel and scored an achievement for Palestinian detainees." Human rights activists said the outcome would not change Israel's practice of "administrative detention" which allows it to hold suspects indefinitely. Concern had been mounting that Adnan was on his deathbed, raising the prospect of a violent backlash against Israel.
Student blogger Jalal Abu Khater said that by Day 50 of the hunger strike the story "exploded especially on Twitter and Facebook" and followers numbered Adnan's days without food. A Reuters photographer who managed to enter Adnan's hospital room on Tuesday saw him sitting up on his bed looking around, apparently fully aware and talking with his lawyer. Hundreds of Palestinians cheered at a news conference held outside Adnan's village home by lawyer Jawad Boulos.