Qalandiya

A man recounted the army’s invasion of his home: how at 2 a.m. his family woke up from the sounds of banging on their door, how the door lay broken on the floor, how his wife and their children were frightened and anxious, how the soldiers invaded and made themselves at home.

He said they had come to arrest someone, but did not find that someone in his home nor has he any idea whom they were after. He only asked the commander who would pay him for the broken door. “My ass will pay you” said the commander, and added: “You’re rude”, threatening that if the man continued to speak he would be placed in the army vehicle outside and his wife and children would remain by themselves.

The man spoke no more, nor ask questions nor complain. He only counted his heartbeats and waited for the soldiers to leave. But this nightmare had its own pace and time, and when the soldiers finished going over all the rooms and corners of the house they proceeded to the veranda and sat there for another three hours. Dawn came and only then did they leave.

This happened three months ago, but the man remembers every moment and every sound as if it were today.

**

Mahmoud has been held in Ofer prison for over three weeks, waiting for trial.

His brother says he was caught in Jerusalem. That Mahmoud has been already caught four times in Jerusalem, and that if it were the first or second time he would have been dumped back in the Occupied Territories. But the fourth time means arrest.

Apparently, only the fourth time makes a man dangerous to state security.

The brother also said that family members saw Mahmoud when he was brought to court for extension of remand. They saw him from a distance. For family members are not allowed to sit in the first row of the courtroom, only in the back row. And then a date was set for his trial.

The attorney whose services were hired hopes the sentence will be “only” a few thousand shekels fine rather than a prison term.

Until then, Mahmoud is held in custody at the Ofer army prison.