The world is dealing with an exponential growth of disease tightly connected to nutritional models dictated by the lifestyle which modern society has imposed. Amongst the pathologies connected to metabolism, the World Health Organization estimates that type two diabetes is assuming the characteristics of a real pandemic with more than 370 million affected of which four million are here in Italy only.

I turn with admiration to the masses of our heroic Palestinian people, to our Palestinian leadership, to all forces, parties and national institutions. I salute them for standing by our fight to defend our right to freedom and dignity.

Despite the fact that both sides hail their victory, the important change of relationship of forces in favor of the Arab masses can easily be recognized. The Palestinian resistance eventually achieved the far-reaching easing of the blockade (1) – though the exact extend remains to be seen and even fought over. The US had to give something to Egypt which Cairo could pass on to the Palestinians and Hamas. It is a sign of a tectonic drift powered by the Arab popular movement which sooner or later will change the grand design of the entire region.

The following statement was issued early Friday morning, May 11, by the leadership of the hunger strikers in prisons, following their negotiations with IPS officials: