After being promised by the Israeli prison system that he would be transferred to a less severe prison, and that the conditions of his incarceration would be made less brutal, Jewish dissident Noam Federman ended his 54-day hunger strike late last week.
The Israeli Knesset (Parliament) held a special hearing last Thursday, December 11th, on the barbaric mistreatment of Federman by Israeli prison authorities.
Noam's brave and loyal wife Elisheva testified at the Knesset hearing. Other witnesses testifying on Federman's behalf included Knesset member David Azulai of the left-wing Shas Party, who visited Federman at Ashmoret prison.
Knesset committee chairman Michael Eitan of the ruling Likud Party promised to personally keep track of the Federman case to insure that the Israeli prison system keeps its promise to lessen the harsh conditions of Federman's captivity.
Federman is serving a 6-month prison sentence under Israel's anti-democratic "administrative detention" law - a law which originated during the days of the British occupation of the Holy Land, and which Israel's Bolshevik leaders decided to keep on the books after the resurrection of an independent Jewish State in 1948.
The "administrative detention" law permits Israel's Bolshevik authorities to incarcerate right-wing Jewish dissidents without any charges, any right to a trial, any right to an attorney, or any other elementary legal protections guaranteed in all free and civilized countries.
Ironically, prior to Israel's miraculous resurrection in 1948, the British occupation authorities used the same "administrative detention" law to imprison Noam Federman's father, who was a heroic Jewish freedom fighter in the 1940s.
The Israeli prison authorities have promised to transfer Noam in the next few days to Ashkelon prison, where he hopefully will finally receive genuinely kosher food, regular visits from his beloved wife and seven beautiful children, and the right to make telephone calls to his family.
All of these fundamental rights have been denied to Federman for the more than 2 months that he has been incarcerated.
Our battle now must be to free Noam Federman and to end the brutal persecution of right-wing Jewish dissidents by Israel's Bolshevik authorities.
To help free Noam Federman, please send e-mails and faxes to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. See SAVE NOAM FEDERMAN'S LIFE! on the main JTF.ORG web page.
The Israeli public has now been exposed to the monstrous torture of Noam Federman, and has reacted with anger and disgust. This is the time to send e-mails and faxes urging that Federman be freed, and that this injustice end once and for all.
JTF also urgently needs to raise funds for the legal defense of Federman and other right-wing Jewish dissidents; for public relations and Knesset lobbying campaigns on their behalf; and finally, to support their wives and children.
Please make out a generous check or money order (which can be anonymous) to "JTF", and send it out right away. If you wish, you can make a cash donation.
G-d will bless you and your loved ones for fulfilling the commandment of pidyon shvuyim (redemption of the prisoners).
