AP Interview: Israeli doctors say no to planned force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike

TEL AVIV, Israel – The president of Israel’s national association of physicians says the country’s doctors will “absolutely refuse to co-operate” if parliament passes legislation permitting the force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike.

A vote on the bill could be held Monday.

Dr. Leonid Eidelman, head of the Israeli Medical Association, told The Associated Press in an interview on Thursday that force-feeding “is a kind of torture” and violates medical ethics.

Dozens of Palestinian inmates have been on hunger strike for two months to protest Israel’s practice of detentions without charges, and 80 of them have been hospitalized.

Palestinians allege Israel’s government wants to force-feed prisoners to stifle protest.

Israel’s medical establishment is vehemently opposed to the legislation. The World Medical Association urged Israel’s government Thursday not to go forward with the legislation.

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