Jerusalem, ALRAY - The number of Palestinian prisoners from Jerusalem reached 294, Committee of Prisoners’ Families said.

The committee pointed out that 36 of Jerusalemite prisoners are serving life sentences. Two prisoners served more than 20 years. 37 children under the age of 18 and three women are still imprisoned.

Dean of Jerusalemite prisoners Samir Abu Ne’ma was sentenced a life imprisonment and served 28 years.

The eldest prisoner is MP Mohammed Abu Tair who served more than 30 years while the youngest is Laith al-Husainy,14, who was sentenced for nine months.

The committee added that prisoner Wael Qasem,43, is serving the highest sentence of 35 life imprisonments. He served 12 years of them.

Prisoner Murad Nemr,29, serving 10-year-sentence, has been in isolation since nine months.

53 patient prisoners and two MPs, Ahmed Atton and Muhammd Abu Tair, are still behind bars.

Since 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, more than 650,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel. This represents approximately 20% of the total population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories , and 40% of all males.

Despite prohibition by international law, Israel detains Palestinians in prisons throughout Israel, far from their families, who almost never obtain the necessary permits to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories to visit them.

There are an estimated 5220 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel, of which 10 are members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).