“We need to continue mobilizing for releasing the Palestinian prisoners, our work is not for nothing. The oppression can’t continue for ever, especially if people are united against it” said Jamal Juma, released from prison less than a week ago after being arrested by the Israeli police.

Jamal Juma is a member of PENGON – Friends of the Earth Palestine who was detained for 27 days. His imprisonment gave way to a strong solidarity campaign calling for his release.

He is a well known activist who leads the Stop the Wall campaign against the apartheid wall that the Israeli government is building 1,800 kilometers along the border with the Palestinian territory. He is also a member of the World Social Forum international committee.

Although he has Israeli residence, Jamal was incommunicado for several days, with no access to family or a lawyer and was submitted to interrogation and bad conditions while in prison.

Asked about the treatment he received in prison, Jamal said: “There was no physical punishment. It is all psychological punishment. They put you in very dirty cells which are very small, the level of the food is very bad, health is no good and the circumstances within the cell is that you are isolated from the whole world. (…) These experiences make the people much stronger and I am much more determined. I think this work that we are doing is producing a lot of international support”.

He believes the Israeli government is aware of the growing international opposition against it, which is why it seeks to intimidate the activists to avoid global condemnation.

Jamal said “For me this makes no sense because what I’m working is purely for human rights for the Palestinian rights, to defend themselves, for their state and for their land (…) I’m working the wall and against the settlements. This is human rights defending and is working against violations of human rights and the international law and the oppression of my people”.

He finally said that his release from prison was possible thanks to an international campaign that called for his freedom.