Nidal Izziden Fattash
This is a story of an amazing bittersweet twist of fate, of a mother’s love for her son and how she stepped in to save his dreams in a system designed to crush Palestinians.
On May 23, Israeli forces stormed the dormitory of An-Najah University in Nablus. They arrested Nidal Izziden Fattash, a graduate student, hours before he was due to present his master’s thesis to the university committee. He had just completed his project at 2 am.
Nidal’s mother, a school principal, had helped her son throughout his MA degree, and knew the subject of his research well.
“It had been three weeks since I’d seen Nidal, he had been engaged and busy working on his final project which forced him to stay at the university in Nablus. I kept in touch with him through Facebook and phone calls,” she said.
After finding out about his arrest, Nidal’s mother headed to work with thoughts racing through her head.
After consulting with the university administration and several teachers, she decided to represent her son by presenting his final MA project to the university committee.
With a confident voice and sheer determination, Nidal’s mother discussed her son’s final project and answered all of the committee’s questions on the subject.
She was later told by the university that Nidal had passed his presentation and successfully obtained his MA degree.
“I did this for Nidal in revenge against the Israeli occupation, who tried to crush my son’s happiness, and to deliver a message to the whole world that there is a strong Palestinian will which can’t be conquered,” she said.
Nidal Izziden Fattash is still being detained by Israel’s military occupation authorities. The charges against him are unknown.
I would like to congratulate Nidal on his master’s degree.
Let’s hope Israel releases him shortly. Arresting someone hours before finalizing a dream that takes years of study and effort to achieve seems particularly cruel and heartless. But it is what we’ve come to expect from this military occupation.
Thank you annie. With all the depressing reality reported on this site, this one is quite up-lifting. After reading this story, I came to the following conclusion: OMG, Zionisms is doomed!
As selfish as this sounds, I do occasionally thank my lucky stars that Herzl didn’t go for Uganda.
RE: “Arresting someone hours before finalizing a dream that takes years of study and effort to achieve seems particularly cruel and heartless. But it is what we’ve come to expect from this military occupation.” ~ Annie Robbins
FROM ALISTAIR CROOKE, London Review of Books, 03/03/11:
SOURCE – http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n05/alastair-crooke/permanent-temporariness
FROM WIKIPEDIA [Learned helplessness]:
SOURCE – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_helplessness
We teach life, sir!
It seems and has seemed to me that the one word that best describes Israeli attitudes and behavior vis-à-vis Palestinians is: SADISM. What’s wrong with us that we tolerate and encourage this behanior? If Israel were a person, it would long ago have been confined to a psychiatric institution because it is a danger to itself and to others. Brava, Annie Robbins, for this inspiring account!
This accomplishment, against great odds, makes the day taste like tears. So many questions remain unanswered for him, and for all other Palestinians who strive for higher education. After all the hard work and family support, this young man is still imprisoned without charges. Will he be able to pursue work in his chosen field? Further academic degrees? Will he be able to study and/or work abroad to broaden his scope?
What of the others like him? The young people of Gaza? Where will the next generation of educated people, of doctors, lawyers, lawmakers come from if they are being thwarted at every turn by the occupation?
Young Palestinians deserve a future with the capability for human thriving available to them.