PSC expresses its immense relief that that imprisoned activists Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello have ended their hunger strikes. This announcement follows the disclosure that Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems has been denied a £2billion army training contract by the Ministry of Defence. We remain concerned for the safety of Umer Khalid, who is on day 6 of his resumed hunger strike.  

We welcome that as a result of the hunger strike, some of the prisoners have started to receive withheld mail and that a meeting between leaders of prison healthcare and representatives of the prisoners has taken place. However, we continue to demand that prison authorities do everything required to ensure the safety and rights of these prisoners, including providing them with the necessary ongoing medical care and that they be held in prisons accessible to visits from family and loved ones as is their right.  

We thank all PSC members and supporters who joined protests, lobbied their MPs, and phoned the prisons in order to support the hunger strikers.  

The continued imprisonment of Palestine solidarity activists is a disgrace. It is the architects and enablers of Israel’s genocide in Palestine – both arms companies like Elbit Systems and the British political leaders who provide Israel with diplomatic, military and political support – who should be facing trial. 

As Kamran says in his moving statement, referencing the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, “perhaps the government thinks that they’ve turned out our lights. But the wick remains long and full, ready for me and you to continue being a candle in the dark.” We must all redouble our efforts to end Britain’s shameful complicity in Israel’s genocide, military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.