Their complaints ranged from human rights violations whilst in captivity to the humiliation that families suffer on visitation days. Some family members have reported in the past that they were denied access to the facility just minutes before seeing the prisoner.
Others claimed that they were subjected to strip searches because they were considered a security threat. Only first-degree family members with a valid visitors permit issued by Israeli Authorities are allowed to register for visitation.
This permit is valid for three months to one year. Families are elligable to visit the prisoners once a month for a period of 45 minutes only. Once it expires they have to apply for renewal that can easily be denied. Family members supported the April 2010 strike and would not register for visitation.
I interviewed Em Mohammed, the mother of Masoud (20yrs) who is now serving the last three years of a five year prison sentence. He was arrested in 2008 in an attempt to free Palestine from Israeli occupation in the West Bank. She has eight children, five daughters and three sons. Her eldest son was arrested in 1993 at the tender age of 14 years and also spent one year in jail.She starts at 5h00 in the morning to catch the bus that leaves at 5h30 to take the families to the respective prisons. They travel to Taybe checkpoint where they are allowed to cross between 7h00 and 7h30. Here they go through a stringent security check before they are allowed to pass. Thereafter she waits a further one to two hours at the prison before seeing her son for 45 minutes. To communicate with him she has to speak through a double glass over a telephone system. All conversations are normally recorded and therefore their privacy is enfringed.
He often writes letters to the family that she keeps neatly stowed away in two a heart shaped boxes. He draws beautiful animations and appeals to her in his encouraging letters to take care of herself and not to worry about him. "How can I not worry", she says.
Before his arrest he worked on a farm and sold vegetables at he market. However he always dreamed of attending university. She mentioned that he will have to marry upon his release because the population of Palestine has to increase if they wish to gain their freedom from Israel.
I asked her if she would change his circumstances if she could. She said: "This is his destiny; it is not my choice." It seems as if destiny has other plans for his future.
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