Right-wing Israelis stage BBQ outside prison to taunt Palestinian hunger strikers

20 Apr, 2017 20:52 / Updated 8 years ago

Activists from an Israeli right-wing movement, Ichud Leumi, have organized a free barbecue outside a military prison in the West Bank where Palestinian inmates are currently on hunger strike.

Members of the youth branch of the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party brought outdoor grills to the walls of Israeli-run Ofer military prison on Thursday.

The activists set up tables, brought soft drinks and cooked a variety of meats, serving it for free to everybody.

The organizers of the action said on the internet that the BBQ was aimed solely at taunting the Palestinians during their hunger strike with the smell of delicious food, the local media reported.

The picnic outside the prison walls lasted for a while before the police arrived and ordered the activists to disperse, the Arutz Sheva website reported.

HREAD MORE: Hundreds of Palestinians start massive hunger strike in Israeli prisons – reports

Ofer inmates have stated a hunger strike earlier this week after some of their privileges were slashed by the Israeli authorities.

Around 1,500 Palestinian inmates are currently refusing food, Issa Qaraqe, head of detainees' affairs for the Palestinian Authority, said.

Ichud Leumi demanded the prison conditions to be made even harsher for the Ofer inmates in order to force the return of the bodies of the two slain IDF soldier from the Palestinian militants.