Kanaan: More than a million Palestinians detained since 1967 Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs Secretary-General Abdullah Kanaan said on Wednesday that the issue of Palestinian prisoners symbolizes Palestinian people’s suffering, with more than a million Palestinians having been arrested and imprisoned since 1967, according to a United Nations report.
According to Jordan News Agency, Kanaan stated in a message marking Palestinian Prisoners’ Day that after more than 555 days of Israel’s ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, over 10,000 prisoners, including those from occupied East Jerusalem, are currently held in Israeli prisons. These prisoners face severe humanitarian challenges and dangerous conditions, exacerbated by legislation introduced by far-right Israeli cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. This legislation, passed by the Knesset, has resulted in the death of more than 60 prisoners in Israeli jails since October 2023.
Kanaan emphasized that these figures reflect the harshness of the occupation authority. He noted that while some prisoners have been released, their deteriorating health and visible signs of torture highlight the ongoing disregard for international laws, organizations, and human rights. He urged the international community to recognize the plight of the Palestinian people, who continue to live under oppressive conditions due to escalating Israeli violations and a lack of intervention from international organizations.
The Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs called on international public opinion to support the Palestinian people. Kanaan criticized the occupation authority’s actions against international relief and human rights organizations in Palestine, including the closure of UNRWA headquarters and the denial of access to human rights workers in Israeli jails.
Kanaan reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment, as the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, to remain a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian cause.