Hospital trying to bring Palestinian hunger striker out of coma

The Barzilai Medical Center on Monday said it was trying to bring a Palestinian hunger striker out of a medically induced coma ahead of a High Court hearing on his possible release from Israeli detention over his deteriorating health.

Administrators at the Ashkelon hospital told Channel 2 that doctors had been gradually decreasing the dosage of the drugs keeping him sedated since Sunday night, in a bid to draw Mohammad Allaan out of his unconscious state.

Allaan has been described in critical condition following over 60 days of a hunger strike.

He has been hospitalized since Friday at the Barzilai Medical Center, where he remains unconscious but stable after being given fluids and salts intravenously. He was also breathing with the aid of an artificial respirator.

If and when he regains consciousness — and if he continues to refuse to eat — Israel’s government must decide whether it will invoke a law passed in July allowing the force-feeding of prisoners when their lives are in danger.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club submitted a request to hospital officials Sunday asking them to wake Allaan from his coma in order to check where he stands on his condition, according to the Haaretz daily.

The High Court of Justice was expected to convene on Monday afternoon to discuss an appeal filed by Allaan’s lawyer calling for his immediate release from Israeli detention.

The attorney, Kamal Natur, appealed to the court on Saturday to release him on medical grounds.

Allaan has been held by Israel without trial since November under a special anti-terror measure called “administrative detention.” He is allegedly affiliated with the Islamic Jihad terror group, and Israeli intelligence claims he played a role in the group’s activities.

Several demonstrations in support of Allaan have been held since his condition began to deteriorate over the past two weeks, and especially over the weekend. Police on Monday were gearing up for additional protests.

On Sunday, some 15 people were arrested in demonstrations outside the Barzilai Medical Center by pro-Palestinian supporters of the hunger striker and Israeli right-wingers holding a counter protest. Two people were lightly injured. Arraignments for several of the protesters were expected Monday.

Earlier Sunday, a Palestinian doctor, Dr. Hani Abedin, was prevented by the Israel Prison Service guards from seeing Allaan. According to the Maariv news site, Abedin coordinated his visit with Barzilai officials and was set to visit Allaan together with Joint (Arab) List MK Ahmad Tibi, who is also a doctor, a gynecologist.

According to Tibi, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally intervened to prevent the visit. It was an “inexplicable political decision,” Tibi said.

On Saturday, demonstrators in the northern area of Wadi Ara called for an “intifada” in all Israeli prisons should Allaan die.