A Palestinian medical source in Ramallah reported that Farha Barghouthi, 74, a mother of two detainees from Kobar village, west of Ramallah died on Saturday after a long fight with illness.
A Palestinian medical source in Ramallah reported that Farha Barghouthi, 74, a mother of two detainees from Kobar village, west of Ramallah died on Saturday after a long fight with illness.
The mother’s only wish was to be able to see her two detained sons imprisoned in Asqalan central detention facility. Last April, and after several institutions conducted extensive efforts with the Israeli authorities, the mother was transferred by ambulance to the detention facility, and visited her two sons for one hour.
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The two sons of Barghouthi, Na’el and Omar, were barred from receiving visitors for the past six years, and were only allowed to meet their dying mother for one hour.
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Na’el Barghouthi, his older brother Omar, and their cousin Fakhri were arrested on April 4, 1978 and were charged of attacking Israeli soldiers in Nabi Saleh, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah; one Israeli paratrooper was killed. Na’el and Fakhri were sentenced to life-terms.ÂÂ
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Omar was released in 1985 after serving seven years in detention but he was imprisoned again for 40 months under administrative detention orders without trial, and then he received additional 3 and a half years, and served them all.
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He was re-arrested 18 months ago, and is currently detained with his brother Na’el in Asqalan detention facility.  ÂÂ
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Farha, the mother, suffered pneumonia, heart and liver failure among other diseases. She is remembered as a great popular poet, and one of the leaders of the Palestinian women movement.
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She led several procession and strikes in support of the detainees confined in Israeli detention facilities and prisons.
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The father of Na’el and Omar died less than a year ago after suffering a sudden brain stroke.
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