Caroline Rooney, Professor of African and Middle Eastern Studies in the School of English, has directed a film with William Parry entitled ‘Breaking the Generations: Palestinian Prisoners and Medical Rights’. The film has been screened at Holyrood and its North American premiere was at the 2016 Toronto Palestine Film Festival.
‘Breaking the Generations’ is a topical human rights documentary that explores how Israel’s widespread and systematic use of arrest and detention is a key tool of Israel’s military occupation and colonization, designed to crush resistance and to spread fear in individuals, families and communities. It examines this policy further by exploring what the consequences of this are for the health of Palestinian prisoners, who face widespread, institutionalized medical negligence inside Israeli prisons. It further raises the question of the complicity of the international community in this ongoing state of affairs. The film features interviews with Palestinian prisoners and their families and with leading humanitarian physicians and lawyers.
The film was made with the support of Physicians for Human Rights – Israel and Addameer, who have given the following statements:
“Protecting the human rights of prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons, specifically their right to health and freedom from ill-treatment and torture is part of PHRI work in the last 29 years. The medical community in Israel plays an inevitable role, as Dr. Ruchama Marton, founder of PHR-I states “medicine and politics..they are inter-connected”. We believe that denial of these basic rights are a form of control and suppression of Palestinian society. Without concerned members of the international community speaking out on their behalf, such systematic violation of human rights violations will inevitably continue.” Physicians for Human Rights – Israel.
“Addameer has been involved in this film and campaign because these issues are critical elements in the basic human rights of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including over 700 Palestinian administrative detainees, held without charge or trial. It is crucial that concerned members of the international community speak out on their behalf and highlight Israel’s systematic violations of international human rights laws, including systematic detention without charge or trial, torture and ill treatment, and medical negligence inside Israeli prisons and detention centers.” Addameer
A link to the film can be found on the Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) website. Viewers of the film who think that concerns raised by it are important are asked to write to their MPs (MAP has a letter that can be forwarded). The film and details of how to email your MP can be found here: https://www.map.org.uk/news/archive/post/466-call-to-action-ask-your-mp-to-support-access-to-healthcare-for-palestinian-prisoners