Israeli prisons charge Palestinian detainees for medical treatment

JENIN (Ma'an) -- Israel's prison administrations charge Palestinian detainees for medical treatment, a prisoners' center said Friday.

Ahmad Asfour was charged 700 shekels (around $200) for surgery on his hand and has to pay 1,500 shekels each month for medicine, the center said, adding that the detainee needed further surgery on his pancreas.

Asfour's father told the center he could not afford his son's medical bills.

Asfour was detained by Israeli forces in 2009 at Beit Hanoun checkpoint. He was on his way to Jerusalem for medical treatment.