There were clashes in my village between Israeli soldiers and locals at around 5:00 p.m. I was in the area and soldiers shot live bullets in my direction. Then a group of soldiers chased and grabbed me. They beat and kicked me and struck me with the back of their guns. They also swore at me. 

 

A soldier then tied my hands behind my back with one plastic tie and tightened it very hard. It was very painful. He also blindfolded me. I was left on the ground for about 30 minutes and then I was taken to the back of a military jeep where I was made to sit on the metal floor.  Inside the jeep soldiers made fun of me.

 

The jeep drove to the nearby settlement of Dotan. At the settlement I was left in a courtyard until 6:00 a.m. the following day. I could not sleep as I was tied and blindfolded and in pain from the beating. At around 6:00 a.m. I was taken to a police station I am not sure where. At around 10:00 a.m. I was interrogated.

 

The interrogator removed the blindfold and the tie. He told me I had the right to consult with a lawyer and then he phoned a lawyer and allowed me to speak to him. The lawyer told me not to be afraid and advised me to remain silent. The conversation lasted for two minutes. The interrogator remained in the room but appeared not to be paying attention.

 

After my conversation with the lawyer the interrogator accused me of throwing stones at soldiers without informing me of any other rights. He was aggressive and wanted me to confess. He threatened to lock me up in prison for life if I did not confess. He claimed my friends had confessed against me but I did not believe him. Then he told me soldiers saw me throwing stones and gave a testimony against me. He questioned me for about 30 minutes and I denied the accusation. 

 

At the end of the interrogation I was shown documents in Hebrew which the interrogator verbally translated for me. I signed the documents after the interrogator insisted that I should sign. 

 

Then I was taken to a room where I waited a short while before being taken to Huwwara military base near Nablus. On arrival at Huwwara I was searched in my boxer shorts before being taken to a cell where I remained for 11 days. During this time I had a military court hearing by video. My father attended the video hearing and my detention was extended.

 

After 11 days I was transferred to Megiddo prison, inside Israel. I was strip searched before being taken to a special section to be quarantined with other detainees because of the Corona Virus.

 

I had four military court hearings in total and on 14 September 2020, I was sentenced, in a plea bargain, to two months in prison and fined NIS 1,000. I also received an eight month sentence suspended for three years. I accepted the plea bargain because my lawyer told me it was good.

 

I spent my prison time in Megiddo. I passed my time exercising and lifting weights. I also attended classes in mathematics, Arabic and Hebrew. Although I had dropped out of school a year earlier I found the classes interesting.

 

I was released on 23 September 2020 at Al Jalama checkpoint and I went home with another prisoner who was released with me. I arrived home at around 6:00 p.m. I was very happy to be home.