RAMALLAH/GAZA, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians are calling on the international community to act as quickly as possible to rescue a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail, who is fighting life-threatening cancer.
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Tuesday warned in a report that Sami Abu Diak, 37, could die at any moment.
It held Israel fully responsible for the situation, while calling for the prisoner's immediate release.
Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official statement on Monday that a quick diplomatic move has to be made to get Abu Diak out of prison.
The ministry said the Israeli Prisons Services doesn't provide medicines to the prisoners, delay making operations for crucial cases and reject transfer of patients in critical condition to hospitals.
The statement urged the international community to immediately save the life of Abu Diak.
It also called for exposing "the crimes of Israel and find mechanisms to hold those responsible ... accountable."
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye on Monday also urged the international community to do its best to help release Abu Diak and other prisoners in Israel who suffer from sickness.
Abu Diak has been suffering from cancer for more than three years and before that, he suffered a medical error after an intestinal surgery in September 2015 at the Israeli hospital Soroka.
The man from the West Bank city of Jenin was arrested in 2002, and later sentenced to three life sentences and 30 years in prison.
Hanan Ashrawi, member of the PLO executive committee, called on international organizations to help release Abu Diak and save his life.
"Israel continues its criminal policies towards prisoners, including deliberate medical negligence," she said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated in several cities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Monday.
Waving Palestinian flags and carrying pictures of Abu Diak, they called for his speedy release.
"My son is in a very serious condition and his situation is bad," Abu Diak's mother said, accusing the Israeli prison services of handcuffing her son's legs and failing to give him treatment.
She called on the Palestinians to show solidarity with her son.
Palestinian Prisoners Club estimated that Israel is holding nearly 5,000 Palestinian detainees, including some 700 sick prisoners, 37 of whom are in serious condition.
