“I said that my son is sick and that he came to Erez to go for medical treatment. One of the security guards told me that my son had been arrested and that I had to go back to Gaza without him.”
Samir ‘Asfour, 52, from Khan Younis
“On 9 January 2009, my son Ahmed, who is 19, was injured by Israeli shelling. After this attack he was referred to Egypt for treatment because of the severity of his condition. He underwent medical treatment in Egypt for seven months during which he was operated on several times. The fingers on his left hand were amputated and the doctors in Egypt told me that Ahmed needs surgery on his right hand and arm to transplant bones and an elbow joint. This surgery can be done in Germany.
I made several calls to the Bochum Hospital in Germany and while I was in Egypt, I applied to the German embassy to arrange travel. They told me that because I entered Egypt using my ID card, I had to go back to Gaza, then return to Egypt using my passport and have it stamped at the border. [Note: because it is difficult for Palestinians in Gaza to renew their passports, Egypt allows urgent medical cases to enter its territory using their ID cards]. I returned to Gaza in July 2009.
After 15 days I managed to travel to Egypt again and have my passport stamped. I went to the German Embassy in Cairo again. This time, they told me that I could only get a visa to travel to Germany through the German Embassy in Israel. I returned to Gaza. I went to Dr. Bassam Al Badri, Director of Department of Referrals Abroad at the Ministry of Health and told him about my son’s condition. We continued Ahmed's medical treatment at the Gaza European Hospital.
I started the procedures to obtain a referral abroad again. We obtained a referral and an appointment at Saint Joseph Hospital in Jerusalem. At approximately 10am on Wednesday 25 November 2009, I received a phone call from the Palestinian Liaison Office informing me that I had to go immediately to Erez Crossing because my son and I had been granted permission to pass through Erez Crossing so my son could receive medical treatment. We arrived there at around 11am.
After ten minutes, the Palestinian liaison officer told me that we could enter Erez. My son Ahmed and I went in. The Israelis directed us through a loud speaker. They ordered me to take off my clothes, except my underwear. They also ordered my son to do the same. I told them that my son cannot take his clothes off by himself because of his health condition. I asked if I could help him and I did.
After that, one of the Israeli soldiers entered and searched my son using a hand-held electronic device. I heard him asking my son, “Are you holding a gun?” I intervened and said that my son is sick and he came to Erez to go for medical treatment. They ordered me to wait outside the searching room. After three hours, I started to worry. I shouted at the security guards and talked to them in Hebrew. I learnt Hebrew through my work in trade. One of the security guards came and told me to wait for a little bit longer. Then he brought my clothes and my son’s clothes. I had a heated argument with him. He told me that my son had been arrested and that I had to go back to Gaza without him. They forced me to return and confiscated three mobile phones, USD 2,500 NIS1,500, our passports, and my son's medical reports and X-rays.
Ahmed’s health condition is very serious and he needs continual care and monitoring of his blood sugar levels. He cannot go to the bathroom or eat by himself. He needs a permanent accompanier.”
Ahmed remains in detention at this time and has been provided legal representation by Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights. Physicians for Human Rights - Israel is following his medical condition.
No comments:
Post a Comment