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<font size=3>Blind Fateh member spends decades in Israeli prison for
armed resistance to occupation<br><br>
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(Jerusalem) Maisa Abu Ghazaleh <br>
Friday, 13 April 2007 <br><br>
Ala' Al Bazian is calling for Palestinians from Jerusalem and from inside
1948 boundaries to be included in the prisoner exchange. Speaking from
Israeli Jilboa Prison, Al Bazian told a Palestinian Prisoner Society
lawyer, “We are awaiting the release of all prisoners who have struggled
for freedom and the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem
its capital.” <br><br>
Blind and imprisoned since 1986, the Jerusalem native said, “We look
forward to living in dignity with our families.” <br><br>
He told PPS lawyer Ra'ed Mahamid that political affiliation should not be
a factor as the Palestinian team makes the list of who it will ask to be
released in the exchange for the captured Israeli soldier. <br><br>
Israeli forces arrested Al Bazian in East Jerusalem's Old City on 20
April 1986 for being an active part of the armed resistance to
occupation. At nearly 50 years old, he described growing up being taught
“strong ethics and respect for national rights.” He said, “Since
childhood I studied diligently and went on to college until I began
working with my father as a contractor. It was in 1975 that I began
learning national revolutionary concepts, and gained a new perspective.
That is why in 1977 I joined the ranks of the Fateh movement.” <br><br>
Al Bazian continued, “The circumstances in which our people suffered
persecution and repression at the hands of barbaric occupation led me to
further action. I began to fight and during an explosion my colleague,
Kamal, was killed and I was severely injured and blinded.” <br><br>
He said that he was arrested, unconscious, from the scene of the
explosion in Mount Scopus in 1979. Waking up in Hadassah Ein Karem
Hospital, he was “exposed to severe harassment by the Israeli
intelligence.” <br><br>
Al Bazian described the interrogation. “The intelligence began the
torture and poured cold water on my chest and spat in my face. There were
some punches and other physical acts until the doctor prevented them from
torturing me.” <br><br>
His face covered in blood, Al Bazian was taken from the hospital to a
cell in Al Mascobia, the Russian Compound. “They started investigating me
using severe beatings on my injured legs and the investigator beat me on
the neck from behind and deprived me of sleep. This lasted for 18 days.”
<br><br>
He said, “After that I was transferred to Ramle Prison where I stayed for
six months and was tried in the Lod Military Court and sentenced to a
period of five years. The lawyer got it reduced to two because there was
no physical evidence of anything. <br><br>
“Later I was transferred to a prison in Beer Aseeba where I spent two
years and then was released. I received a ruling from the Supreme Court
to allow travel to Jordan for medical treatment. I went to Jordan and
Lebanon where I received medicine for my eyes, my right hand was gone,
irreparable. They wanted me to wait in Lebanon before traveling to
Germany for surgery but I told them I would return to Palestine, to the
resistance, and wait there. But I was not allowed to leave again for the
surgery. The court said I had left once already for medical treatment.”
<br><br>
His story continued into the next decade. “In 1981 I was arrested for the
second time for resistance activities and was sentenced to 20 years.”
<br><br>
Al Bazian remained in prison until 20 May 1985 when he was released as
part of an exchange, but by 1986 was again imprisoned. He said that he
was moved numerous times and kept in isolation. <br><br>
“I have lost all sight. I do not even see the guards or the bars. I need
other prisoners to be able to move, to go to the toilet, to eat, to read.
My life depends on other prisoners, which makes the wounds deeper. Words
often fail to describe the suffering behind bars, in a cell, in the dark
day and night. I look forward to freedom, which means for me the
liberation of our people, to gain dignity and live in peace.”<br><br>
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