Over a dozen Western embassies call for changes to Israel’s incarceration policies

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

The embassies of a dozen Western countries — some allies, some leading critics — call on Israel to change its policies on incarceration for Palestinian prisoners, arguing that Israel is not meeting its responsibilities under international law.

The German, Canadian, Danish, EU, Finnish, French, Irish, Dutch, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, and UK missions release a joint statement lamenting “the extensive use of administrative detention by Israeli authorities without formal charge.”

They also pan Israel for its prisons’ “inadequate food, denial of medical care and systematic abuse. ”

The 12 embassies express deep concern over the health of incarcerated Gazan doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, a colonel in the Hamas terror group.

They call on Israel to “uphold its human rights obligations towards detainees under international law,” including by giving the Red Cross access to its facilities.

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