April 17 marks Palestinian Prisoners Day, an international day of action, solidarity and resistance for the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners.
According to Georges Abdallah, current political prisoner and the longest held prisoner in Europe, this day “is intended, above all, to affirm our strong determination to liberate our comrades from the grips of the criminal jailers.” In Seattle and all over the world, this day emphasizes the international commitment to free our liberation leaders behind bars. Since the Israeli colonization of the West Bank and Gaza began in 1967, it is estimated over 1 million Palestinians have at one point been incarcerated by the Israeli prison service, according to a U.N. special rapporteur report.
From the start of the Israeli regime’s comprehensive aggression and genocide on the Palestinian people began on October 7, 2023, more than 7,500 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been arrested. Today, more than 9,000 Palestinians remain captive and tortured in occupation jails. Because there is no exact information on the number of prisoners, these figures don’t include the thousands of people kidnapped, detained and tortured in concentration camps from Gaza. These conditions have always been a reality for Palestinian people, but so has their steadfastness (sumud) and resistance in the face of ongoing colonization for over a hundred years. Due to the intensity of the torture being carried out against the prisoners and the horrific conditions placed on them, at least 14 Palestinians have been killed in occupation prisons since October 7, the most recent of whom is Walid Daqqah.
One of the most prominent national leaders and Palestinian prisoners, Daqqah is a prime example of Palestinian resilience within the Israeli prison systems. Incarcerated since 1986, he wrote several novels and created a system of education within the prison systems that allowed many, including himself, to obtain multiple degrees. His impact was so strong, the Israeli prison service announced it is holding his body captive until at least 2025. Even in death, the Israeli regime is terrified of the collective power of Palestinian society and our political prisoners.
Palestinian society holds captives in high regard because the prisoners’ movement has made great contributions to the Palestinian liberation struggle by nourishing a unified, uncompromised leadership behind prison bars. When prisoners decide to go on hunger strike, national movements emerge alongside. Many historical and contemporary leaders of the Palestinian national liberation movement are either currently incarcerated or freed prisoners. These include current prisoner leaders Khalida Jarrar, Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa’adat.
They are the ones who represent the true uncompromised leadership of the Palestinian liberation movement and therefore also our international movement for liberation and social justice. By remaining steadfast in their resilience, Palestinian prisoners represent Palestinians all over the world in their fight for return and the complete liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea.
Since the relaunch of the Palestinian Revolution on October 7, the central demand of the Palestinian resistance and people has been an all-for-all prisoner exchange, demonstrating the significance that the liberation of prisoners plays as a part of the overall struggle for a free homeland. Historically, prisoner exchanges have proven to be the only effective means through which Palestinians can liberate our freedom heroes from the chains of colonial prisons. If it weren’t for these exchanges, thousands of Palestinian prisoners would still be captive today.
Over the last six months, tens of thousands of community members in Seattle have condemned the U.S.-backed atrocities committed by the Israeli regime and have participated in marches, donated and taken action in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide. In marching for the freedom of Palestine, protesters are also marching for the freedom of our prisoners. The role of Palestinian prisoners has always been at the forefront of this struggle for national liberation.
In Seattle and across the state, we are seeing an increase in the targeting of local organizers through surveillance, intimidation and arrests by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Washington State Patrol in response to political actions taken on Jan. 6 and Feb. 9. This is only going to continue, as the current city council just allocated $1.5 million for surveillance technology and are increasing SPD’s budget by $17 million after sustained defunding efforts led by Black organizers in 2020. Detention and incarceration have always been tools used by the ruling class to suppress resistance movements. It is no coincidence that the city of Seattle is increasing its surveillance program while Palestinians confront immense surveillance from the Israeli occupation forces. Our local police forces have trained with the Israeli occupation forces, further reminding us that a fight against Zionism and for liberation in Palestine is also a fight for our own communities here at home.
Everywhere people are fighting for liberation. There are political prisoners who are the leaders of their liberation movements and of our collective movement. We commit to uplift the stories, guidance and demands of our prisoners.
Samidoun Seattle is a local chapter of the international Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, working to take action to raise awareness and provide resources about Palestinian political prisoners. Follow @SamidounSeattle on Instagram for more information on upcoming events and actions.
Read more of the April 17–23, 2024 issue.