Palestinians end hunger protest

A hunger strike that, at its height, involved some 4,000 Palestinians interned in Israeli jails has ended after nearly three weeks. Inmates of the Beersheva prison were the last to end the fast, which was called in protest at prison conditions. A spokesman for the prisoners said the protest was suspended after Israeli authorities agreed to some concessions. Israel has denied giving in to the prisoners, whose actions led to rallies in their support in Palestinian towns. Palestinian leaders also called on the people to avoid eating for a day, in a gesture of solidarity towards the prisoners. The prisoners had demanded their Israeli jailers cut down on strip searches, improve sanitation, install telephones and allow more family visits in the jails. At one stage, roughly half of all Palestinians in Israeli jails were participating in the protest. The numbers fell as successive groups of prisoners began taking food again. [more ]