Ammar Al-Zaben: The Man Who Smuggled Hope from Behind Bars

Ammar Al-Zaben spent only 17 years in freedom before being thrown behind bars. In 1998, he was sentenced to 27 life terms for allegedly joining the resistance. For 27 years, prison walls confined him, but his spirit remained unshaken. Now, as part of a long-awaited prisoner exchange, he is finally set to walk free today.

Born in 1975 in Nablus, Ammar grew up in a family that resisted Israeli occupation for generations. He was detained three times, first as a child in 1992. His longest imprisonment began in 1998 when he was accused of orchestrating operations to free Palestinian detainees. The price was heavy—multiple life sentences, endless interrogations under torture, and the loss of both parents while he was locked away.

But prison did not break him. Instead, it fueled his determination and hope. While behind bars, he earned degrees in political science, wrote six novels, and pioneered a revolution in hope, becoming the first Palestinian detainee to father children through smuggled sperm.

The Birth of Hope

In 2012, Ammar defied the impossible. He and his wife, Dalal, successfully conceived their first son, Muhannad, through a secretly smuggled sperm sample. It was the first known case of its kind, making Ammar the trailblazer of sperm smuggling among Palestinian detainees. His act of defiance inspired dozens of others to follow in his footsteps. Two years later, their second son, Salah, was born the same way.

The births were more than a personal triumph; they were a symbol of resistance. Ammar proved that even in the darkest confinement, life and hope could flourish.

A Smuggling Words

Ammar was not only a fighter but also a writer. During his years in prison, he authored six novels. His works chronicled the Palestinian struggle, from tales of underground resistance to fictionalized accounts of real-life battles. His book When the Oranges Bloom (2011) explored the resilience of detainees. Behind the Lines (2015) detailed the 1994 capture of an Israeli soldier.

His words, smuggled from prison like his own DNA, kept the flame of resistance alive for a generation.

Now, after 27 years, Ammar is set to be released. He will step out into a Palestine forever changed, but one thing remains the same; his people’s unyielding spirit. The man who gave his life for freedom is coming home, not as a detainee, but as a symbol of resilience and hope.

His people wait for him. The children who were born because of his courage will grow up knowing that hope is stronger than prison bars.