Thirty five year old Mohammad Ibrahim Abu Al Zalav is a political
prisoner in the Israeli Damon Prison. He was arrested as part of a
campaign against the armed resistance, as he is among the leadership of
Fateh's Al Aqsa Brigades.
His family lives in Jenin Refugee Camp and
his mother is in her sixties. Life has been difficult since Mohammad's
arrest, as he was the family's breadwinner. His mother Fawzia has not
been allowed to see her son in five years.
She sat down with PNN on Wednesday. “Every time I go to the prison to visit I wonder how I will prove to them that I am his mother? I gave them all the papers and documents confirming that he is my son. They will not accept them. They say I am not his mother! Nor will they allow his brothers to visit under the pretext of 'security.'”
Fawzia began crying during the interview as she described their lives. “During the major attacks on Jenin Camp they destroyed the house and were killing so many. It was the saddest moment of my life and I was calling to God to help us.”
She has also appealed to international human rights organizations, but as is often the case, there are so many Palestinians appealing for help, most receive very little.
“I would take just one minute to see Mohammad's face, even behind bars,” Fawzia said. “He will be in the prison for 15 years for membership in the leadership of Al Aqsa Brigades. He was resisting the occupation and was already arrested so many times, chased and hunted. He was injured and he even did not see his wife often, nor has he seen his daughter who was born on the eighth day of the battle of Jenin. She is growing up, in kindergarten now. She always asks about her father and she cries.”
Mohammad Al Zalav's mother continued. “Mohammad spent four months in the cellars of Jelameh Prison and he was sentenced to two years, but the military intelligence refused to allow less than seven. My son Ahmed was arrested and injured several times. So was Soloman. He is disabled from the injuries now. Part of his body is paralyzed.
My other son, Walid, spent six months in Administrative Detention, without charge or trial. The occupation demolished everyones homes, they swept through in April 2002 and destroyed them all. But all I ask for is a glimpse of my son after five years of waiting.”
