Bethlehem / PNN – Sajida has not seen her father in a long period of time. He is one of 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
Her dreams are boycotted, her ideas interrupted, say well-wishers. The Israeli court has decided to keep Jamal Abu Al Hija for seven years isolation from her father.
Another daughter is marrying nonetheless next month. Asim says, “My father must have a rapid release because I want to get married.” Their mother sits among children, the banter and jokes, but the crying is also prevalent. “We all yearn with nostalgia,” she says.
It has been eight years, 26 August 2002, since Al Hija was not imprisoned, nearly a lifetime for a child. This is just one family among the thousands suffering from the Israeli disregard for international resolutions and human rights charters.
Thirteen year old Sajida began her day before dawn in hopes of visiting her father in the Israeli prison of Jelbua. “I was happy to be on the bus after my brothers and my mothers were banned for security reasons from visiting,” she said Saturday.
“But as soon as we got to the gates of the prison my heart rate increased…I was sure I would be prevented by the occupation from seeing my father.”
A saddened young girl said today, “I did see him, behind a thick plastic window that I waited in front of for his shape. Tears came to my eyes and I held my hand up but he couldn’t in the same way because his was amputated in the battle of Jenin,” referring to the major Israeli attacks on Jenin Refugee Camp in April 2002.
Another child, a son of 10 years old, said, “I was appalled by the sight of my father who seemed to be a yellowish color because he has not seen the sun.”
