Since Thursday, more than 60 women have been on hunger strike in Umm al Khair to demand the return of the body of Awdah Hathaleen.
On Thursday, July 31st, more than 60 women in the Palestinian village of Umm al Khair, in the Southern West Bank initiated a hunger strike to demand the return of the body of community leader Awdah Hathaleen who was killed by an Israeli settler on Monday in broad daylight in the center of his village. They are also demanding the release of all the residents who had been arrested.
Two of the women have already been taken to receive medical treatment as a result of the hunger strike, but they will not stop until demands are met.
Awdah Hathaleen was shot and killed in cold blood on Monday, July 28th by Israeli settler Yinon Levi, who has been sanctioned by multiple foreign governments including the previous US administration. The incident took place during a violent and armed settler invasion into the village, as they razed village land with heavy machinery. The shooting of Awdah Hathaleen was documented on video and is widely available.
Awdah’s injured body was taken by an ambulance to Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva where he was pronounced dead. However, the police have refused to return the body to the family unless they agree to unreasonably restrictive conditions on the funeral and burial.
The police demanded that the family hold a quick and quiet burial for this community leader and beacon: at night outside of the village with no more than 15 people. The family refused saying, “Awdah is not a thief and we will not bury him in the dark”.
The family and community are in a state of suspended grief, unable to mourn their loss according to their tradition.
“We must continue in this hunger strike, until with God’s help they will release the body. It’s the least we can do for Awdah. Awdah was loved by everyone; he helped everyone. Every small child in the village knows and loves him. There’s no one like Awdah, and there never will be anyone like Awdah. We demand for the whole world, for anyone who is able, for anyone who has a voice, to help us return Awdah’s body.’ – one of the hunger strikers
The hunger strikers will continue until their demands are met including the return of Hathaleen’s body, the release of those arrested from their community, and the arrest of Yinon Levi who is walking free today after a judge released him from house arrest.
The women invite journalists to come to the village to talk to them about the strike, Awdah, and their demand to release his body.