The Islamic Jihad terrorist group on Friday threatened Israel with force if Palestinian hunger striking terrorist Mohammed Allaan dies, Haaretz reports.
The spokesman for the group’s “military wing”, the Al-Quds Brigades, threatened that in the event of Allaan's death, Islamic Jihad will hold Israel responsible, and will be free of any commitment to show restraint.
"The death of the young hero Mohammed Allaan will be a crime that Israel is responsible for," the announcement said, according to Haaretz, adding that his death would push them "to respond with force" and would "end all commitment to calm."
Allaan, who was being held in Israeli prison for his crimes, lost consciousness on Friday and he is being artificially respirated at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Allaan's hunger strike is on its 59th day.
Arab terrorist prisoners have turned hunger striking into a pressure tactic aimed at forcing Israel to release them out of fear for their lives. Israel has several times in the past caved to the pressure and released some hunger strikers.
Some 1,550 Palestinian Arabs imprisoned in Israel ended a hunger strike in May 2012, in exchange for a package of measures which would allow visits from relatives in Gaza and the transfer of detainees out of solitary confinement.
Dr. Hazi Levi of the Barzilai Hospital said earlier on Friday that there are no intentions to force feed Allaan. Allaan was moved to Barzilai Hospital on Monday morning, after doctors at the Soroka Hospital in Be'e'r Sheva refused to comply with a newly passed law and force feed him.
"He is stable, but the situation is complex. Mohammed Allaan's life is in danger, he has been hunger-striking for 60 days. His body isn't receiving essential nutrients. The hospital has issued warnings and spoken to his family about his condition. At the same time, he requested not to receive treatment and his request was honored," he was quoted as having said.
Dr. Levi notes that although Allaan is drinking tap water of his own volition, his condition deteriorated overnight and he required resuscitation. "His body began to spasm, he is hallucinating, experiencing breathing problems and has lost consciousness," said Dr. Levi, adding, "he's currently on a respirator, is receiving fluids and vitamins to ensure essential function of his bodily systems, in accordance with human rights principles."
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)