THREAT Mohammed Youssef

Mohammed "Habshe" Youssef is a witness of the inhuman treatment of Palestinian prisoners, ruled by the judicial system of Israel. In 2002 when the building of the wall started he was there regularly. He either just participated in non-violent demonstrations, or threw stones at the armed soldiers surrounding the on-going building of the wall. The wall was built right by his neighbourhood Aida Refugee Camp and effectively cut off the playgrounds and fields that once surrounded it.

During the night of the 25th of March 2003, the Israeli soldiers surprised his family and stormed into their house. All family members were forced to go outside the house, and stand in the pouring rain in the middle of the winter. Including children. No explanation was given during the three hours when Israeli soldiers searched their house. Mohammed and his two brothers were arrested. Mohammed was 22 and his brothers were 18 and 16.

The interrogations were going on for 40 days. He was sitting in a chair with his hands tied behind his back with his eyes covered most of the time. Other times he had his hands tied to the roof, and had to stand in that exact position for 12 hours. As written in the report, torture and violence is commonly used when conducting interrogations that are later used as valid evidence.

"Did you try to smuggle a bomb to Tel Aviv?"

"No"

A soldier hit the back of his neck.

"Are you against the wall?"

"Of course"

And again.

During these 40 days, when he was to exhausted and fell asleep water was poured over him, and the interrogations would continue. Tired and wet.

Further shortages for Human Rights in the Israeli Judicial System that Amnesty International is writing about is the lack of lawyers during interrogations, and that civilians should be tried in front of an ordinary court instead of a military court.

Mohammed got 18 years for "being a threat against the Israeli state who has to be imprisoned". But he was lucky, after one year in prison his lawyer succeeded to shorten his penalty to four years.

"My worst memory from the prison is all the diseases and injuries. An uncountable amount of prisoners were in really bad health. If someone went to the doctor with any kind of problem, anodyne was the only given cure. One man went with a really bad toothache on the right side. The doctor gave him an injection on the left side. When he complained the doctor told him to shut up and go. "Who is the doctor here?"

"Another prisoner from Aida Camp was suffering from cancer. Since he did not get any treatment in prison except of anodyne, he died just one month after his liberty."

At any time the soldiers could come in, and everybody had to stand up in the right way, fast. This was really hard, but still obligatory, for those who were in a bad health condition.


"After two years of my imprisonment my mother got help from the Red Cross to try to visit me. But the applications were denied. They said that my mother was lying, and that I was not her son. Only family members are allowed to visit."

That is why the mother of Mohammed did not meet any of the three brothers in two and a half year. The other two that were arrested the same day were also considered as guilty. One of them got three years in prison, while the other got two and a half.

After this high price for the rights of Palestinians, paid in time and pain, Mohammed is still going to the demonstrations against the wall and works for the political party Fatah. He adds though, that he is demonstrating peacefully. Nowadays he has further restrictions of movement. This is concerning all Palestinians once charged for a crime in Israel. If he is going to Ramallah, 20 kilometres away, he can envisage four hours extra at the checkpoint. And a trip to Jerusalem is impossible.

I presented the facts that the numbers of people arrested because of resistance against the wall was increasing during 2011 in comparison to 2011, the same crime as he committed in 2002. He commented with:

"Still not as many people were arrested as during 2003 – 2004. 186 persons were arrested during this time, and among them children."

And what do you think about the Palestinian future?

"I think the Palestinian future is bright. We will reach a solution for the Palestinians one day."

By Edra Arb / PNN