Palestinian Arab Convict to be Released on Health Grounds
by Zach Pontz
Israel will release sick Palestinian Arab convict Muhammad al-Taj Thursday after a serious deterioration in his health, Ma’an News Agency reported the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners Affairs as saying.
Al-Taj, who was arrested in 2003 and is serving a 15-year sentence for his involvement in terror activities, has been suffering from pulmonary failure.
Undersecretary of the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs Ziad Abu Eein told Ma’an that the Israeli prison service telephoned the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh earlier Thursday and told him al-Taj would be released.
He added that al-Taj would be taken immediately to the Ramallah Medical Complex to start treatment.
Al-Taj has been a participant in the hunger strikes that have been staged with increasing frequency among Palestinian convicts in Israeli prisons.