General strike observed in Bethlehem to mourn deceased cancer-stricken prisoner

BETHLEHEM, Palestinians are observing a general strike in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem to mourn the death of a cancer-stricken prisoner.

Heading a call from nationalist factions, Palestinians are observing a general strike to mourn the death of Hussein Masalma, an ex-prisoner, who died at al-Istishari Hospital in Ramallah due to complications resulting from Israeli medical negligence and procrastination at the time he was in custody.

The strike would include all businesses, public transportation, schools and universities.

Masalma, a resident of the Bethlehem-district town of al-Khader, was arrested by the Israel army in 2002 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

While in prison, Maslama’s medical condition deteriorated and he was subjected to medical negligence. He was suffering from pains for over two months during which the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) procrastinated in hospitalizing him, according to the Commission Director, Munqeth Abu-Atwan.

He added that IPS held Masalma in the Naqab Prison in southern Israel and subjected him to the systematic medical negligence, causing his condition to severely deteriorate. Upon his admission to the hospital, it became clear that Masalma had end-stage Leukemia.

After serving 19 years in Israeli prisons, Masalma was released on February 14, when his condition became too critical as Israel denied him urgently-needed medical care and Israel’s negligence caused him inevitable slow death.

He was first moved to the Israeli hospital of Hadassah in Jerusalem before being transferred to the Istishari Hospital in Ramallah on September 13.

Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency

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