On Monday, a day before US President Donald Trump’s slated visit, this West Bank city was in total shutdown. But the reason for the closed shops and empty streets had nothing to do with the world’s most powerful man.

The hunger strike of more than 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails had reached its 36th day, and in support, a general strike was called across the West Bank, and for Arab citizens within Israel, by the prisoners’ support committee and the High Follow-Up Committee — the official body representing Israeli Arabs.