Martyr Jaradat: If I Didn’t Come Back...

Local Editor

"Take care of yourself, Mohammad and Yara, and don't put off Mohammad's birthday."

With these words, Martyr Arafat Jaradat, from Palestinian al-Khalil bid his wife farewell. Little did his wife know then that she would next see him a corpse veiled in his shroud.

Arafat, 30, came back minutes after his arrest to bid his wife, his daughter Yara, 4, and his son Mohammad, who turned two the next day Arafat was arrested farewell.

His wife didn't understand why he returned just minutes after his arrest. Then Arafat explained, "The "israeli" intelligence officer told me to say my goodbyes in case I didn't come back!" and that was what exactly happened.
Arafat's martyrdom was announced on Saturday night, five days after his apprehension, devastating his parents, wife, and kids.

The martyred prisoner was arrested on February 18 then transferred to al-Jalma investigation center where he was brutally interrogated, according to his lawyer, Kamel al-Sabbagh during a court session held to extend his detention on Thursday. He was then transferred to Majdo facility, particularly to the "Bird Room". And there he died.
"At exactly 3:30am, troops broke into our front yard and demanded Arafat to come out after surrounding the house. They asked him to dress up then led him out of the house. After he was dragged into a military jeep, he came back to bid us farewell because the officer told him so," his wife stated.

The wife pointed out that she had a weird feeling telling her that something was wrong, for it was not the first time Arafat or any other family member was arrested, so why would the officer tell him to say his goodbyes if it were normal?
Moreover, she added that during his last arrest, they were not allowed to contact Arafat or know any news about him. Although her immense concern, she did not except his fate to be martyrdom during investigation.
"We were deeply concerned the whole five days he was arrested, and when we were informed of a martyr in prison, I knew it was Arafat," the wife said.
The martyr, who worked at a gas station in Saaer village, southern al-Khalil, has three children. The eldest four, the second two, and the third an infant of four months.

In the Rooms of Birds

Arafat Jaradat martyred in mysterious conditions, which infuriated his family, Palestinians, and rights associations, demanding a thorough investigation on the circumstances of his arrest, and holding "Israel" accountable for his martyrdom.
Al-Sabbagh's statement mentioned, "Prisoner Jaradat seemed fatigued when the court was asked to extend his detention period, and he seemed to be in a bad psychological condition I asked the court to let Jaradat be examined by the prison's physician to be assured of his health."

Furthermore, the lawyer added, "He suffered from backache, as a result of sitting on the investigation chair for several hours, noting that he already suffered from back disk."
Regarding Jaradat being transferred to Majdo prison, al-Sabbagh clarified that the said prison has a department for agents [The Bird Room], and Jaradat was transferred there to be extracted of information by "the birds".

Moreover, al-Sabbagh attested that the occupation authorities accused Prisoner Jaradat of throwing pebbles and flaming bottles on occupation forces, and martyr Jaradat had "admitted to throwing pebbles twice, once back in 2006."

Slow Death

As for the "Bird Room", the liberated prisoner Thaer Halahla stated that "Israeli" authorities suggest that the prisoner is in the specialized departments for prisoners, usually separated from regular departments.
Occupation authorities usually use agents to trick the prisoner, and a prisoner can differentiate the rooms from the type of food served and the way they are treated. Each prisoner is treated in a different way according to the circumstances of his arrest and his personality.

Once the prisoner is transferred to these rooms, he is required to write down his whole history of Jihad and supply any information having to do with the resistance.
According to Halahla, among the methods used to pressure the prisoner psychologically and physically is threatening assault, patronizing, and accusing him of treason and betrayal.

Moreover, Halahla demanded an impartial investigation committee to be sent to al-Jalma investigation center, not sufficing to statements. He further stated that authorities must move to demand a formal investigation and the International Court of Justice must try the occupation for its crimes.


Source: al-Ahed News, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org