Right with the start of the European Football Championship the Palestinian national football team player, Mahmoud Sarsak, is facing death at the hands of Israel. His fans calls for an international community stand at tomorrow's opening of the UEFA event that should be turned into a day of protest against Israel’s Zionist policies.
Mahmoud Sarsak, 25 years old and a member of the Palestinian national football team, has been detained for nearly three years under Israel’s “Unlawful Combatants Law,” which allows for Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to be detained for an unlimited perioud of time without charge or trial. Those detained under the Statute have little or no legal protections, even less than those detained under administrative detention orders in the West Bank.
Mahmoud is currently on his 81^th day of hunger strike, resulting in an imminent threat to his life. Despite the urgency of his condition, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has denied Mahmoud access to independent doctors until today. The IPS also refuses to transfer him to a civilian hospital for proper treatment. Also of utmost concern is the condition of Akram Rikhawi, currently on his 57^th day of hunger strike and others on hunger strike including, Omar Abu Shalal, Hasan Safadi, Omar Abu Shalal, Kareem Yonis, Mohammad el-Taj, Jaafer Izzeddin, Faris Elnatour, and Abdallah Albarghuthy.
