Final Palestine Action Hunger Striker Faces Critical Health Crisis
Umer Khalid, the sole remaining Palestine Action prisoner engaged in a hunger strike, has escalated his protest by ceasing water intake, a move that medical professionals warn could prove fatal within days. The 22-year-old activist, who suffers from a genetic disorder known as limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, is now at heightened risk due to his underlying health condition.
Details of the Hunger Strike and Health Concerns
Khalid initiated his hunger strike in November, briefly pausing it during the Christmas period when his health deteriorated. He resumed the action 13 days ago, and has since stopped consuming both food and water. This drastic step comes as part of a protest against charges he and seven others face for alleged break-ins or criminal damage carried out on behalf of Palestine Action. All defendants have denied the charges and are calling for them to be dropped.
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, Khalid's genetic disorder, causes significant weakness and wasting in muscles around key joints in the body, making him particularly vulnerable to the effects of starvation and dehydration. In comments provided by Prisoners for Palestine, Dr Rupa Marya, a physician suspended by the University of California in San Francisco for online remarks about Israel's war in Gaza, emphasised the severity of the situation.
Medical Warnings and Political Context
Dr Marya stated that without fluid intake, individuals typically succumb to acute kidney failure and other metabolic derangements within three to four days. She highlighted that Khalid's pre-existing condition places him at an even greater risk, potentially accelerating this timeline. "With Khalid's underlying health condition, he is at increased risk of death even sooner," she warned.
She further criticised the UK government, drawing a stark contrast between its actions and Khalid's protest. "While the UK government is making plans to build skyscrapers over the remains of Gaza's buried children, Khalid's actions expose the absolute barbarity and racist hypocrisy of the UK legal system," Dr Marya asserted. She predicted that by Monday, if the government continues to stall, Khalid could be well into the process of dying, if not already deceased.
Background on the Hunger Strikes and Recent Developments
The hunger strikes began as a collective action by eight individuals, but all except Khalid have now ended their protests. The final three participants ceased their strikes 10 days ago, following a government decision not to award a £2 billion contract to Elbit Systems UK, an Israeli arms company subsidiary. This contract would have involved training 60,000 British troops annually.
Prisoners for Palestine noted that the decision not to grant the contract fulfilled a key demand of the protesters. The group pointed out that Elbit Systems UK had secured over 10 public contracts since 2012, suggesting that the Ministry of Defence's move represents a significant shift in official thinking.
Among those who ended their hunger strikes earlier this month was Heba Muraisi, 31, who reached day 72 of her protest. This duration is notable as it fell just one day short of the record set by Irish republican hunger striker Kieran Doherty, who survived the longest of 10 men who died in a 1981 action.
As the situation unfolds, Khalid's health remains precarious, with his genetic disorder compounding the dangers of his prolonged hunger and thirst strike. The case continues to draw attention to the broader issues of protest rights, legal charges, and international conflicts within the UK context.
