The Israeli Prisoner

The Israeli Prisoner

Amany Hajyassin They surrounded your home with American tanks and helicopters With American guns held in blood stained hands What was accomplished by these young Israelis? They terrorized your mother They held your father back, and was forced to watch While the Israelis pulled your arms back and tied your hands with cheap wire You were taken out of your home with your eyes covered and thrown into a hummer Most likely filled with other young brave shabab You've been taken away your destination is unknown and all I think about is the condition you are in Your eyes are covered and your hands are tied all you wonder is if you're going to live to see tomorrow Your heart begins to melt as you begin to think of the pain and sadness that your mother has witnessed A tear forced its way down your cheek as you wish it was the good-bye kiss and said the words I love you to your grieving mother The hummer comes to a stop and you're beaten as you are being yelled at viciously to get off Your eyes are covered and all you can think about is what is going to happen next You are now sitting confused and scared Your interrogation has begun and you are harassed with questions "Have you participated in any protests?" "Have you any link to Hamas?" They continue to throw more and more questions at you What you did on a certain day and who were you with and why were you there You are beaten as you give the answer but it's the answer they don't want to hear A "Yes" is a beating A "No" is a beating A beating happens whenever they feel like it Your beating becomes their amusement Their amusement becomes your humiliation As each beating gets painful you build more pride in being a Palestinian My head begins to hurt more as I try to think about why they took you Then I laugh at myself because the answer is very simple: You're a young Palestinian, a shab You are exactly what the Israelis are looking for A shab is usually seen as "a member of Hamas" and someone who participates in rock throwing and protests My heart aches as I feel the breaking heart of your mothers My eyes are red and swollen as I watched the eyes of your mother Her tears have started as clear water and ended as aching blood Your young brothers have become horrified by what they've witnessed If they participate in the stone throwing clashes or get into heated arguments with Israeli soldiers Nobody could dare to blame them! Why!? You must ask Because the Israelis have kidnapped their older brother, their role model The Israelis have left them with no other choice The rays of the sun have turned into thunder and lightening As the thunder and lightening symbolize a new death of a courageous and brave Palestinian soldier And as the shining bright rays of the sun symbolize the martyrdom and freedom of a Palestinian hero You're my hero my soldier You're a born soldier and a symbol of the Intifada You are what people call brave and courageous You shall soon be free and Palestine will once again be liberated Freedom, Peace and Justice in Palestine... * Dedicated to my cousin Tariq, who was detained by Israelis October 3, 2003 and released on November 12, 2003. God Bless those still in Israeli prisons. May they soon be free. - Submitted - Nov 21, 2003 by Amany Hajyassin - FaLasteenArabiya@aol.com