Khader Adnan

Early detentions, 1999–2010

Adnan was first arrested and detained by Israel in 1999, when he spent four months under Israeli administrative detention. His first hunger strike, 10 days long, was undertaken during his detention by the PNA. In August 2005, Adnan was arrested and imprisoned by Israel for 15 months. A YouTube video of a rally in 2007 shows him praising and encouraging suicide bombings: "Who among you will carry the next explosive belt? Who among you will fire the next bullets? Who among you will have his body parts blown all over?" He was held by Israel for another six months in administrative detention beginning in March 2008.

At the time of his detention, Adnan was studying for a master's degree in economics at Birzeit University. He also operated a bakery in Qabatya and a produce store in his hometown of Arraba in the West Bank. The next day, he began a hunger strike that ended 66 days later on 21 February 2012.

Adnan was interrogated for 18 days following his arrest;

Adnan had "officially" been under administrative detention since 10 January 2012, a term that was set to last until 8 May at which point his detention could be renewed if the Israeli authorities deem it necessary. Under the administrative detention procedure, the Israeli military can hold detainees for renewable six-month periods without charge if it deems them to be security threats.

Adnan had not been formally charged with any crime; Israel claimed that he was arrested "for activities that threaten regional security." and according to Al-Ahram, He was a "leading figure in Islamic Jihad."

Adnan was transferred to a hospital on 30 December but refused treatment from Israeli doctors. After meeting Adnan in the hospital, the organization Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, expressed "grave concern" and about his situation, which its doctors described as "critical." About 50 days into his hunger strike his wife was permitted to visit him, and stated he appeared emaciated and dirty and was shackled to his hospital bed.

Adnan's 2012 hunger strike prompted demonstrations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, His hometown of Arraba was at the center of demonstrations, with solidarity protesters camping outside his house, with Palestinian and foreign officials visiting to enquire about Adnan's health conditions. Around 50–60 Palestinians protested outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to show solidarity with Adnan on 8 February.

On 11 February 2012 hundreds of Palestinians staged a demonstration at the Ofer Prison where Adnan was being held. The Israeli Army dispersed the protesters using rubber bullets and tear gas, injuring 16. At a separate demonstration in Beit Ummar near Hebron two Israelis and two Palestinians were arrested by Israel.

On 16 February 2012, the 61st day of Adnan's hunger strike, thousands of demonstrators protested throughout the Palestinian territories. About 1,000 mostly young Palestinians protested outside of Ofer Prison before being dispersed and in Hebron, hundreds of supporters held a sit-in holding posters reading "No to administrative arbitrary detention." That same day, Palestinians observed a 10-hour hunger strike in solidarity.

On 9 February, CNN reported that in response to criticism from human rights groups, the Israeli Prison Authority stated Adnan's case was being handled "strictly according to the law … with special attention being given to his humanitarian situation." She had also said that Adnan will not backtrack on his decision, and that, "When I married him I knew I should expect anything. I am proud of him whether he is under the ground or above it."

Peter Hart, the activism director for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), authored a comment criticizing the corporate media's silence on this "Palestinian Gandhi", while activists targeted Nicholas Kristof for his silence despite writing a 2010 New York Times opinion piece calling for a "Gandhi" in the Palestinian context.

On 21 February, the Supreme Court moved forward an emergency hearing for Adnan after initially scheduling it for 23 February, citing concern for his health. Moments before the hearing was convened, it was announced that a deal had been reached between Adnan's lawyers and the Israeli prosecution lawyers whereby Adnan would stop his hunger strike in exchange for his 4-month detention being counted from the day of his arrest and a promise not to renew his administrative detention barring the presentation of any new evidence.

Human rights and international response

Adnan's hunger strike drew critical scrutiny of Israel's practice of administrative detention by a number of human rights groups, international bodies and Palestinian leaders and protesters. He has garnered a large following on Facebook and Twitter. Several of Adnan's supporters argue his case has not received proper coverage in the international and Israeli media. The head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society Qadura Fares condemned the Israeli military court's refusal of Adnan's appeal.

Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, criticized "authority figures, from the UN Secretary General on down," who he said expressed empathy for Gilad Shalit, while being "notably silent in the much more compelling ordeal being experienced before our eyes in the form of Mr Adnan's captivity, seemingly unto death."

Political response The Palestinian National Authority condemned his arrest and demanded his immediate release. In response to Israel's refusal of Adnan's appeal, Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Qaraqe stated the decision showed "utter disregard for Adnan's life, effectively condemning him to die." He praised Adnan for "taking a stand" against the use of administrative detention. called for an international campaign demanding Adnan's release. Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders Sheikh Nafez Azzam, Dawood Shihab, Khader Habib and Ahmad Mudallal participated in the open hunger strike that began on 15 February saying it was the "least we can do for this legendary symbol." Furthermore, he accused Arab and Western countries of ignoring Adnan's case saying "Shame on the nations of hundreds of millions (of Muslims) for the fact that Khader Adnan is still in prison."

United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Robert Serry instructed Israel "to do everything in its power to preserve the health of the prisoner and resolve this case while abiding by all legal obligations under international law."

Further detentions and hunger strikes, 2014–2021 In spite of the agreement to end his first hunger strike (see above), Adnan was arrested again on 8 July 2014, at the beginning of the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, and has been held in detention ever since, beginning his second hunger strike on 5 May 2015. The government of Israel was seemingly determined to break Adnan's hunger strike using force-feeding techniques similar to those used by the USA in its Guantanamo Bay prison camp. He was arrested again in 2017 and again immediately began a hunger strike that lasted 58 days. Arrested once more in 2021 after being detained at an Israeli checkpoint, and he again went on hunger strike in protest, this strike lasting 25 days.

2023 detention and hunger strike

Adnan was arrested, for the final time, on 5 February 2023, following which he began the hunger strike that lasted 87 days until his death. Physicians for Human Rights Israel said that, in the lead up to his death, their medic had visited Adnan and raised his "life-threatening condition and the need for immediate hospital transfer". At his third military court appeal, the military judge ruled that there was no evidence of urgency in Adnan's medical condition.

Reaction

Following his death, various media outlets called Adnan a political prisoner.

The Israeli rights group B'Tselem described his hunger strike as "a form of non-violent protest against his arrest and the injustices of the occupation. The fact that a person whose life was in danger remained in prison despite repeated requests to transfer him to a hospital reflects the absolute disregard Israel held for his life."

The United Nations Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary General called for a thorough investigation and said the Secretary General "reiterates his call on Israel to end the practice of administrative detention. All those held in administrative detention should be promptly charged and tried in a court of law or released without delay".

Adnan's wife called for violence to be avoided, in accordance with her husband's peaceful protests. She said: "Not a drop of blood was spilled during the prisoner's previous hunger strikes, and today we say with the rise of the martyr and his accomplishment of what he wished for, we do not want a drop of blood to be spilled." In other reported comments, she stated: "We don't want anyone to respond to the martyrdom. We don't want someone to launch rockets and then (Israel) strikes Gaza." In response to the rocket firings, Israeli fighter jets struck targets in Gaza on 9 May, leading to at least thirteen deaths.