Official PA Daily complains about murderer’s restraint to hug his mother

Excerpt of an article prepared as part of a course entitled “Media writing” at the communications faculty of Al-Quds Open University

Headline: “Prisoner Mudar Abu Daya and his mother hang on to hope”

“The bus set out back to Hebron. Um Mudar [Abu Daya] had hoped that she would be able to embrace [her son] Mudar [Abu Daya] (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1 together with an accomplice) and take him into her arms. Perhaps one minute would have been enough to restore a bit of life to her spirit that has been exhausted ever since she lost him 17 years ago (i.e., when he was arrested for murder), but in this visit too, the prison guard separated her from her wish. She looked through the bus window, and recalled how she hates this [separation] glass, which prevented her from embracing the fruit of her womb and listening to the beating of his heart…

She closed her eyes after tears welled up in them, while recalling him as a child filling the home with life, and afterwards as a young man at the beginning of his life. Um Mudar planned a future for him like that of every young man his age – he would complete his studies, build a home, and she would bring his bride to him. Like all the mothers, she planned all the details. Her pleasant slumber was cut off by the crying of a baby, whose mother had come to visit her husband who is serving life – just like how the screams of the girl Huda Ghalia (i.e., Ghalia was filmed after losing 5 family members in a Gaza beach explosion on June 9, 2006; Palestinians claimed Israeli shelling killed them, while an Israeli investigation found a Hamas mine likely was the reason) cut off Mudar’s dreams of a quiet, calm, and normal future, like the rest of those his age and his friends.

Mudar changed greatly from the moment images were broadcast of the despicable massacre committed by the occupation on the Gaza coast. The entire world was witness then to the awful thing that happened, and everyone heard the screams of the girl Huda after she lost all her family members (sic., her father, his second wife, and five siblings died, while Huda, her mother, and other siblings survived). The sight of the wounded girl calling to her father after he fell on the sand, wallowing in his blood, was heartbreaking.

This sight turned Mudar’s life upside down. He started to plan to kill a settler who regularly sat on a hill next to the village of Beit Ummarand claimed that this was the land of his ancestors. Mudar returned from school, ate lunch, and took a knife from the kitchen. Together with one of his friends, he lay in ambush and waited for the decisive moment. When the time came, he pounced on the settler, who had attacked a land that was never his, and also never will be! He killed him and returned home, changed clothes, and sat together with his parents and siblings to eat dinner. Not much time passed until he was arrested, after the killed settler’s body was discovered…

She was unable to stop herself from crying in pain when she took her grandchildren into her embrace. She did not know why. Perhaps exactly at that moment she recalled Mudar as a child in her arms, or she prayed to Allah that one day she would see Mudar’s children filling the world with noise…

Several months passed since the visit, and Mudar called his mother while hiding from the prison guard. He told her that he intends to get engaged to a young woman from Nablus. She was in a storm of emotions, and her heart rate sped up. She did not know whether to rejoice like the rest of the mothers in a situation like this, or to cry over her situation and the situation of 6,000 prisoners like Mudar! …

‘Who is this young woman? How old is she? Is she a good match for you?,’ and other questions that mothers ask. She knew that her questions were not fitting and not appropriate for this time, as Mudar is sentenced to life, and this young woman is setting out on an adventure whose results are unknown. She certainly comes from a home of education and religion, and has good traits and a special national sentiment, and no, why would an educated young woman who lacks nothing get engaged to a young man sentenced to life? …

A delegation of dignitaries set out from Hebron to Nablus to ask for the young woman’s hand [in marriage]…

The engagement was held in the best way possible. All the family members were there, while Mudar, whom the occupation took, was absent. Everyone returned home, and Um Mudar also returned to her home – but this time she returned stronger than ever, with a hope like firm mountains in her heart…

The prisoner, who was sentenced to life and sees his salvation as near, got engaged. He does not see this as a dream, but rather experiences it as a reality and a true dawn. He hangs hopes on Allah that his salvation will come soon, and thus his joy will be complete and he will unite with his bride and embrace his mother, far from the prison’s darkness and the prison guard’s injustice.”