Israeli government approves bill to 'force-feed' prisoners on hunger strike
The Israeli government has approved a bill which will allow the force-feeding of prisoners who are on hunger strike if their lives are in danger.
The controversial move has not been supported by the Israel Medical Association (IMA) and – according to the Times of Israel – the group’s head, Dr Leonid Eidelman, said he has given doctors ‘instructions to act solely according to the demands of ethics and not to force-feed prisoners on a hunger strike.’
The cabinet’s endorsement of the bill was led by Internal Security Minister, Gilad Erdan, who said that prisoners observing a hunger strike – mainly Palestinians – posed a “threat” to Israel.
Mr Erdan said: “Alongside attempts to boycott and delegitimise Israel, hunger strikes of terrorists in prisons have become a means to threaten Israel, becoming a weapon with which they are trying to threaten the State of Israel.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israeli-government-approves-bill-to-forcefeed-prisoners-on-hunger-strike-10319902.html
