ICPKL 2023: Palestinian prisoners are not criminals
International Conference on Palestine Kuala Lumpur 2023 (ICPKL) advisor Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan - FILE PIC
International Conference on Palestine Kuala Lumpur 2023 (ICPKL) advisor Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan said Palestinian prisoners are not criminals, but the Israeli regime just arrests them and labels Palestine as an occupied state.
"People wonder why we support prisoners? So it’s our duty to correct the narrative," she told Sinar Daily.
"So they (Israel) are making strategic decisions to make sure they humiliate, torture, and kill as many Palestinians as possible so they can take the Palestine land."
Dr. Fauziah then recalled her experience of being detained in an Israeli prison.
"I was once in a mission to Gaza in 2016, a humanitarian mission called 'Women's Boat to Gaza’,
" We were taken on international waters as we were just 35 nautical miles away from Gaza and shoved into Giv'on prison in Ramla.
"So, this issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons is close to my heart," she said.
It was reported in 2016 that Dr. Fauziah who is a mother of three, joined 12 other activists and crew members on the Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) mission to challenge the Israeli blockade on Gaza after land routes to the strip were blocked by Israel and Egypt.
The Zaytouna-Oliva ship, which set sail from Barcelona on Sept 27, was only 35 nautical miles away from the Gaza coast when it was intercepted by three Israeli warships and brought to Ashdod, Israel on the night of Oct 5.
The activists and crew members were detained in Givon Prison but were subsequently released.
Fauziah said it was important to highlight the issue of Palestinians as there are 7.5 million people in occupied Palestine who are trying to stay and survive in their own land.
Speaking on why this conference happened in Malaysia, she commented that Malaysia is one of the strongest supporters of Palestine.
"Our prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also supports Palestine, our previous Prime Ministers have also been very supportive of the Palestinian cause, this is important in order to bring this issue to the United Nations.
“So we will continue doing whatever we can to ensure that the Palestinian people get justice." she said
