If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian

Poster in solidarity with Khader Adnan (Photo: Activestills)

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, the goals of his hunger strike would be granted to him by his 3rd day of hunger strike because if he was anything but Palestinian, he wouldn’t have to be on hunger strike for dignity, and dignity does not come after demanding it for three days.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he would have been given a change of underwear and a nail clipper while imprisoned.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, Ban Ki Moon would express his deep distraught at the state of which Khader is being kept in, a state which violates humanity, and the UN would insure that Khader’s capturer’s release him soon, and offer compensation and apologies to Khader and Khader’s government. But alas, Khader is Palestinian and the UN will only offer him a bag of rice if he gets lucky and Khader’s twelve governments are too busy seeking dubious reconciliation deals.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, his story would appear on every television news station with BREAKING in florescent colors written at the bottom of the screen. But alas, he is Palestinian, and Twitter is the only available source for up to date reports on Khader.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, his toddler daughters wouldn’t have to see him feet-shackled to a hospital bed and ask “Why does he look this way? Why can’t he come home with us?”

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, the European Union would hold high profile conferences in his name, brainstorming ideas to get him released as soon as possible. But alas, he is Palestinian, and the European Union would only take action in order to sugar coat their bias towards Palestinians.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he would be called “human” and not “bearded”. But alas, he is a Palestinian defending his non existent rights, therefore his appearance must be made mainstream to further imply the racist stereotype that portrays Palestinian defenders as terrorists.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, a human shield wouldn’t have been used to arrest him. But alas, he is Palestinian, and arrests like Khader’s (or kidnappings) made by the most moral army in the world, the Israeli military, are very frequent in Palestine, in which they break into homes in the middle of the night (or very early in the morning) and insult and harass the members of a household wretched from the shifty silence of the night, ignoring the screams of old women and young children that watch as their “wanted” family member is treated like a criminal by the Israeli military; grabbed violently and slammed into the back of a military jeep, not knowing why, or where, or how, or what-kept in complete ignorance until lawyers give them an update, which is always miserable news.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he wouldn’t be arrested on empty charges and any “secret” evidence that his capturer’s use against him would be shared with his lawyers. But alas, he is Palestinian and the practise of administrative detention is the most dreaded of all sentences, a military sentencing in which Israel indefinitely holds Palestinians without trial and without a charge,
and in which sentences can be renewed numerous times.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he would have received regular medical examinations, not only five since his hunger strike began 61 days ago. But alas, he is Palestinian and special permits by Israel must be obtained by doctors in order to make this happen, a blatant show of Israel’s indifference to Khader’s deteriorating health. Khader’s medical exams show that his immune system is on the verge of collapse, his kidneys are shut down and his body has begun to ingest itself. Israeli Prison Services are doing nothing to aid his critical condition and Khader has pushed away even vitamins, for dignity does not come in the shape of lettered minerals.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, the international community would have expressed its deep concern at the infringement of Khader’s rights and condemned Khader’s capturers for their violation of the humanitarian laws Khader has rights to, while holding Khader’s capturers’ government full responsibility and increasing pressure on them to release Khader.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he wouldn’t have received as much global support from human beings that believe in a world built on justice, freedom and dignity and the destruction of tyranny.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, Palestinian youth would not throw rocks at the Israeli military outside Ofer Military Court in his honor.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, fellow Palestinians in Israeli jails would not be on hunger strike in solidarity with him, even if it means being placed in isolation cells as “punishment”.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, his name would not have been chanted in various demonstrations across the world.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he wouldn’t resist Israel with the one thing they haven’t taken away from him: his empty stomach. But alas, he is Palestinian and when trampled on, beaten and humiliated, his only means of resisting is by what his oppressors cannot control.

If Khader Adnan was anything but Palestinian, he wouldn’t have reminded us of the road to freedom that is no springtime’s breeze. He wouldn’t have proved that life in chains is no life at all.

He wouldn’t have raised our heads as much.

This post originally appeared on Deema Al-Saafin’s blog thekfcmonument.