The story of the Palestinian girl Wafa Mohamed is one of a kind as she has just got engaged to a Palestinian young man who is serving two life-terms in Israeli occupation prisons.
A native of Jerusalem’s town of al-Izriya Wafa took the decision to get engaged to her life-sentenced relative Ahmad Isleim who has been incarcerated in Israeli occupation dungeons for 17 years running.
“This is the least I can do for my motherland and people. This is the price we—the Palestinians—have to pay in order to liberate our soil” said Wafa.
“I met Ahmad the day I was transferred to an Israeli court through the so-called “bosta” vehicle. I stumbled upon Ahmed there on the very day I was being taken to the Ofer court. The Israeli wardens subjected me to heavy beating and verbal abuse to which Ahmad reacted by shouting at them.”
“Like any other Palestinian Ahmad did not tolerate the fact that a girl was being beaten and abused in his presence” added Wafa. “Ahmad was violently beaten by Israeli officers while being chained hand and feet.”
“When I went back to my prison cell I asked the lawyers about the identity of the detainee but I received no answer. I was released from jail shortly after.”
“After my release a relative of my mother paid a visit to us. She presented herself as the mother of a prisoner who was sentenced to two life-terms and 25 years in Israeli jails.”
“I was surprised when the mother recounted that her son was aggressively beaten by Israeli prison officers. I immediately identified the detainee. He was the one who stood as my bullet proof vest in the ‘bosta’ vehicle” stated Wafa.
Days later both Ahmad and Wafa got engaged in absentia. Ahmad’s relatives asked for Wafa’s hands which the latter accepted with “great pride.”
“Our engagement is a source of happiness for both of us” said Wafa as she expressed her eagerness to visit her fiancé behind prison bars and talk to him about their shared dreams.
“However our happiness cannot truly see the day before Ahmad and the other Palestinian prisoners are released from Israeli lock-ups. I hope that this will come true soon.”
Ahmad was also quoted as expressing his great joy and pride of the engagement saying his fiancée epitomizes happiness and freedom for him.
“I’ve been used to write verse to describe Wafa. No words can describe her beauty and what she means to me. By giving me the chance to get engaged to her I gained my freedom” stated Ahmad.
