I have been following the news very closely ever since the beginning of the second intifada. I could only find news about people being abducted and could read some numbers, not knowing well if those numbers were correct. There is hardly ever something about what happens to the people being arrested, and what happens to them once put to trial. So how did you get arrested? And what were the charges placed against you?
Answer
The Israeli policy is to arrest all Mujahdeen or kill them, especially those who have information that related to the Intifada,
The prisoners are tortured the Jews try to keep them silent to kill the struggle. They begin this bitter journey, beating them, preventing them from sleeping for weeks. In short, no respect to our human rights.
I was arrested by special Israeli forces seven years ago when I was in Nablus. They tied me, I was beaten, they were more that 20. I was alone, in seconds they arrested me. I was not aware. They were in a car and suddenly I was a wanted, I remained wanted for a year. Then I was savagely treated, beaten, tortured mentally and physically.
The charges were: a member of el-Qassam brigades, planning and supervising some operations against the Israeli occupation. The operations were one in Jerusalem and the second in Tel Aviv. In 1995 11 were killed and 120 were injured.
I was sentenced 201 years. So when I will be released I will be 235 in sha'a Allah!
Name
Henriette
-
Profession
Question
Were the charges against you directed towards you or a whole group of people? Were there others arrested with you for the same charge?
Answer
I was the major charged but there were others with me. One of them was sentenced 99 years. Some were charged of helping us and they were sentenced for months. Some of them were assassinated later such as Yahya Ayyash and Mohyy el- Deen el-Sharif and others.
But the moment I was arrested I was alone.
Name
James
-
Profession
Question
What do you plan on doing once you are released? Are you going to leave the country?
Answer
There are still about 200 years for me to be released (I am sentenced 201 years). However, I trust Allah that I will be released, though the Ummah does not do its best to set us free. In this situation, I see it is hard for people like me to be set free.
I believe the release will be by force. The Israeli government thinks our hands are full of blood, the occupation refuses to set us free. It was just one time when the Israeli government set prisoners, who killed Zionists, free. It was in 1985 when Ahmed Jabreel forced them to set some Palestinian prisoners free in exchange for some Israeli soldiers. And in the peace process, they did not set anyone who killed Israeli soldiers. However, we do believe and trust in Allah.
Also we trust our Mujahideen that they will do their best to set us free by one way or another. Then we will not leave our country. Only death will keep us away from our Holy Land, and then we will light up the path to those who will come after us.
Name
Mizuhu
- Japan
Profession
Question
What is the situation like in jail? Are you allowed to receive any personal visits? From your family or friends?
Answer
Terrible, bad, bitter, list everything negative. We spend hard times in Israeli jails. Nagab and Ofera jails are the worst. They were recently opened. In Nagab jail there are 650 Palestinian prisoners. For example they were beaten and teargas was released at them. Not enough food, no electronic sets. No hot water, tents are crowded; more than 50 peeople in one tent. They lack food and clothes. There is a lot of sickness and disease.
We are savagely treated, tied for long periods, sometimes we do not even see the sun for at least an hour.
Ashkelon and Nafha are listed as the most dangerous. So we live in a boiling state. We are doing our best we struggle in order for them to provide us with the least life necessities.
These days our relatives and friends are not allowed to visit us. Some try to come with great difficulty from Jerusalem and lands occupied since 1948.
Personally I have not seen any of my relatives for 2 years. There are prisoners form Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan some of whom were not visited for 5 years.
Name
Abdullah
- France
Profession
Question
Are you allowed to remain in touch with the outside world? Like do you follow the news and know what is going on?
Answer
The Israeli authorities did their best to prevent us from being in touch with the outside world, they tried to separate some in solitude cells. Personally, I was isolated for 2 years. Another one has been isolated for 5 years. Thanks to Allah, the majority of us who spent long periods in Hadarim, Nafaha, Shatta' jails whose prisoners were able to struggle against these Israeli procedures. They were on strike many times, many were martyred, many were beaten, etc. In order to force Israelis to let us watch TV. This was with our only weapon which is our faith in Allah and then through the frequent strikes. We were allowed to watch the TV( jails differ)in the beginning of the 90s. After 20 days of strike we were allowed to watch TV.
If a prisoner was caught with a small radio he was beaten and treated savagely and in a barbaric way. But our persistance and that of our friends did a lot to us.
We secretly got the cell phone. We were able to get it and to use it. The Israeli authority is trying to prevent them and to take them, but due to our experience they failed.
To contact the outside world is a right to every prisoner all over the world. Israelis must do it. It is not a favour done by them to us.
Name
Malak
-
Profession
Question
Did you feel that you received a fair trial?
Answer
Never. I did not receive a fair trial. I was in a military court with three Israeli officers. This trial is a trial of injustice, of occupation. Of people who took by force the rights of others. It is unfair. It has nothing to do with justice.
The charges were of legal resistance to an illegal occupation. I got the honour, it was my duty to resist the occupation, every free loyal man should do his best to get rid of occupation, to set the Palestinian people free, my effort is allowed in all conventions all over the world. Is my resistance allowed or not then?
In a word, I was not treated in justly. Nor were any of my friends.
Name
i love balata
- Palestine
Profession
........
Question
How is the relation between different groups in jail?
Answer
Okay. To All the Palestinian groups, I can say there are representatives from every Palestinian group (in Ashkelon about 500 from all groups. 40%Hamas 45%Fateh 5% Islamic Jihad he others from different groups).
The relations are very very good, we are prisoners we have a common problem and one crisis. This situation strengthens our relations. The groups elected one group to face the Israeli occupation. There is a good relation. Also there are different activities. Problems are shared, we try to help each other. I can say that prisoners can affect what is going on in the outside. In a word we are united.
Name
abo omar_nablus
- Palestine
Profession
reporter
Question
Do u think that Palestinian prisoners lost hope in being released or exchanged?
Answer
Of course not! We have strong faith in Allah. Hope is life. We will not lose hope. We also trust all the Palestinian Mujahideen. There will come a day in which we will be set free. We trust those who art loyal in our Ummah. Prisoners see in Hizbullah a good chance for us to be set free. They have some Israeli soldiers. They should insist and force Israel to set all prisoners in the Israeli jails, without exceptions. I would say without hope the heart would break. So a day will come when all the prisoners will be set free or exchanged.
Name
omar
-
Profession
Question
Dear Brother,
I just want to express my deep admiration toward Palestinian brothers and sisters and their children. You are the best among us. I always pray for you, unable to do more. My question is about what happens to arrested children and women, because I heard about such cases. May Allah highly reward your strugle.
Omar
Answer
Thank you for your prayers. They are a strong weapon, but it is not enough. Muslims have much more to do for Palestine and for the prisoners with speech, with money, and with sword.
Regarding women and children - those under 18 - there are 14 women in the Ramallah prison among whom is sister Ahlam Tamimi who helped the Qassami mujahied Izz el-Deen elMasri. She took him to the spot of the operations. Others were arrested and charged with resisting the occupation.
They suffer a barbaric treatment which aims at killing in them the spirit of resistance, to get rid of their struggle against the occupation.
Regarding those under 18, they are separated in special jails. They are so strong. They are brave, they are courageous, despite of their age and the Israeli bad treatment to them. There are about 80 of them. Nowadays there are hundreds who were arrested in the last two months.
Name
Jack
-
Profession
Question
Did you know any of the people who were massacred in Jenin?
Answer
First of all I would like to tell everyone that what happened in Jenin was a true massacre. The resistance was the way of liberation. So Jenin has become and will remain a legend. It will be a good example to the coming generations.
Yes I know some of them. Kais Odwan for example was a university friend of mine, and others.
My final message is to my Palestinian people and our Islamic and Arab Ummah. I would like to say that we are your brothers and sons. We did our best to defend the holy places. To defend our Islamic dignity, and it was Allah's test that we went to jail. We are satisfied with Allah's Will. So all the prisoners here ask you to do your best and not to forget us. You ask you to help us in every way you can.
