Detained Mayor of Qalqilia facing a deteriorating health condition

Tuesday April 22, 2008 22:31 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The Municipality of Qalqilia city, in the northern part of the West Bank, voiced on Tuesday an appeal to several human rights groups to save the life of its Wajeeh Qawwas, imprisoned by Israel under administrative detention orders since one year, and facing bad health conditions.

Qalqilia Mayor - Wajeeh Qawwas

Media spokesperson and member of Qalqilia City Council, reporter Mustafa Sabri, stated that the municipality dispatched lawyer Mohammad Abed to visit the detained mayor.

The lawyer managed to visit the detained mayor and found out that he is suffering from complications in his heart as he suffers from a heart and blood condition.

The mayor will be examined in Al Ramla prison hospital in the coming days as in order to check his heart and the artificial valve which was implanted previously.

Sabri stated that the municipality contacted the Red Cross and appealed it to intervene and save the life of the mayor who needs a replacement of the artificial heart valve which was implanted when he was 14 years old.

Sabri added that the municipality also contacted Doctors Without Borders and sent them detailed reports on the medical conditions of the mayor.

In a letter sent by the mayor, he called on the residents to be united and to counter any internal conflicts especially as the residents are already surrounded by the Wall and subjected to daily illegal Israeli measures.  

Israel is still illegally imprisoning dozens of Palestinian officials, including elected mayors and legislators including Dr. Aziz Dweik, head of the Palestinian Legislative Council.   

qalqilia | prisoners | news report saed at imemc dot org