Israeli forces’ handing over of martyr’s clothes bring back painful memories

By Diala Rimawi

QNN (Nablus) – Five years after he was shot dead by Israeli forces, the clothes martyr Imam Dwekat was wearing when he was killed were finally returned to his family, bringing them back into painful memories.

About two months ago, Jamil Dwekat, Imam’s father, who hails from the town of Beita, south of Nablus, received a phone call from an Israeli intelligence officer asking him whether he would like to come to receive the belongings of his martyred son. Jamil was astonished as he had previously thought that his son’s clothes remained at the hospital where he had been moved following his fatal shooting.

After several phone calls, the father finally arrived in Huwwara military compound, and the officer, accompanied by an interpreter, was waiting for him. The intelligence officer began emptying a bag containing the son’s clothes. Jamil took his time to smell his son’s clothes, and the smell of the blood was clear. He hugged the blood-stained clothes before he was allowed to leave with the remains of his son’s clothes.

Jamil, his wife and children have told reporters that the return of their son’s clothes by the Israeli authorities after five years of his martyrdom was only to bring back painful memories.

On December 29, 2014, 16-year-old Imam Dwekat went to his school for his final Islamic Education exam. As he and two of his colleagues left the school, they were heading to a park in the southern part of the town. It was close to a main street with an Israeli military watchtower.

The three were walking in a row. At the front was Imam. A soldier in the watchtower was waiting for them, and soon after he opened fire on them. The other two boys were slightly injured and managed to withdraw, but Imam’s injury was critical.

Imam sustained several bullets in the upper part of his body. He was taken by the Israeli army for a few hours, and was left to bleed until his last breath. He was then handed over to Rafidia Public Hospital in Nablus.

As soon as Jamil arrived in the hospital, he saw his son lying on a metal table. The upper part of his body was stained with blood. He was wearing only his trousers, and he did not respond to the appeal of any of his family and friends.

Imam’s account on Facebook has even since been a diary left to his family. His father has been spending hours browsing the writings and pictures of his son, reading his posts, listening to his voice is messages recorded to the political prisoners behind Israeli bars as well as to his friends.