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Home » Parents »

Testimony: Fatima A.

 

Name:  Fatima A.
Age:  56
Date:  25 July 2017
Location:  Tuqu, West Bank
Event:  Night raid / child arrest

On 25 July 2017, a 17-year-old minor from Tuqu was arrested by Israeli soldiers from home at 3:00 a.m. His mother describes the night raid on the family home and the arrest of her son. 

I woke up at around 3:00 a.m. to the sound of heavy vehicles around our house. I looked out of the window and saw Israeli soldiers taking my son-in-law away. Then the soldiers came to our house. Shortly afterwards I heard loud banging at our front door. My husband answered and about 20 soldiers entered our home. 
 
The commander asked for my 17-year-old son. When my son identified himself the commander told him to put his clothes on because he was under arrest. We were all in shock because we were preparing ourselves for my daughter’s wedding the following day. Our son said goodbye to his sister and told her he was sorry he wouldn’t be at the wedding.
 
The commander gave us a document written in Hebrew with details about our son’s arrest. Then a soldier took a picture of him and the commander said he wanted to “sort things out with him”. 
 
The soldiers then blindfolded our son and took him outside where a military jeep was waiting. I could not go back to sleep; I was shaken and worried. We received a call the following day telling us that our son was being interrogated in the police station in Etzion settlement. 
 
I miss my son a lot. I am willing to pay any amount of money just to get him released as quickly as possible. His grandmother misses him most because he used to do her shopping for her.
 
Israeli soldiers come to our village every day. They fire tear gas and stun grenades because some boys throw stones at the nearby military watchtower by the road which Israeli settlers use. This military watchtower was built about two years ago and since then our lives have become unbearable. The military watchtower is the reason for our suffering.
 
My sleep habits are unstable these days. Sometimes I sleep well, other times I stay awake all night, thinking and worrying about my son and his future. He is my youngest and I want the best for him.