Bridging the Gap Report: Brothers Torn Apart by Israeli Military Courts
By Maisa Abu Ghazaleh, 08/04/2008
Israel deports Brazilian National
Alyan Suhayb was offered two choices. He could remain in Israeli prison, or
he could be deported to Brazil. The Jerusalem man’s mother is of Brazilian
nationality, but holds a Palestinian identity card. The ruling came down from
the Israeli military court in Berseba. He can remain out of prison after 14
months if he agrees to leave his homeland. If he does not leave, he will be put
back in Israeli prison. His brother, Husam, must stay inside.
His brother, Husam, must remain behind Israeli bars breaking the hearts of the
family. But the Israeli forces are not pursuing the dreams of Palestinian
families. The 21 year old said, “The taste of freedom is invaluable,
particularly as I did not expect to be stranded in a desert prison. But after
the decision when I was walking to the Beitunia Checkpoint, the crossing gate, I
expected at any moment that the gate would be slammed in my face.” He continued,
“I have a lot of mixed emotions. I was not expecting to be freed, but it is not
freedom.”
The young Alyan described being free; he said that he was afraid. He asked the
prison director when summoned what would become of his brother, of his family,
of him. But then he received the news: if he did not leave he would be
imprisoned again. Suhayb said, “I did not expect to be released from Ofar,
did not expect to return home to Anata in northeastern Jerusalem. But what I
thanked God for is that I thought I would be in my homeland.” He continued, “But
when the prison officer informed me of the decision of deportation from prison
to Brazil, because my mother is Brazilian in origin, yet she holds a Palestinian
identity card, is when I became afraid.” |
Suhayb pointed out that a representative of the Brazilian Consulate visited him
last July in Israeli prison and informed him that he would not be released to
the West Bank. The Israeli plan, explained Suhayb, is that he would be released
from Israeli prison to an airplane headed for Brazil. His charge in the Israeli
military court system is that the 21 year old student of the College of Science
and Technology in Abu Dis, and also a student of the of the Holy Quran Mosque in
the same suburban Jerusalem town now blocked by the Wall, was that he worked for
one week on the student election campaign for the college. He was working for
the Islamic bloc. He was not in classes that often as he had trouble passing the
myriad Israeli checkpoints, but he still tried despite the issue.
The young man appealed to the Palestinian Authority and Interior Ministry, and
then went on to legal institutions and lawyers to obtain the Israeli-issued
identity card that would prove his existence and residence of the West Bank. It
was all for nothing, so it seems. He was not even allowed family visits during
his term in prison. He saw his brother once. He and Husam were separated in
Ramle Prison, where he too was denied family visits.
“When my brother and I first understood the deportation order we cried. We bid
farewell knowing we would never see each other again.” There was no ruling
against either, no charge or trial. Upon the release of Suhyb there was a chance
sighting between the brothers, but the Israeli prison guards would not let them
even shake hands goodbye. Husam is languishing in Section 9 of the prison.
The Brazilian Palestinian National Interest Committee is a non-profit
organization whose principal mission is to work with the legislative body of
Brazil on legislation that strengthens the relationship between Brazil and
Palestinians. |
