MAHMOUD’S CASE

In 2000, Mahmoud lived with his parents and his six siblings. His home was located in the city of Tabus, northeast of the West Bank and since 1995 under Palestinian Authority administration. He was in his last year of High School, months away from University, but dreamed about becoming a professional football player –he was at the time one of the most promising players in the city’s local team. Despite being a busy young man he still managed to help his father with the family business, a carpenter’s workshop.

On October 20th, 2000, most of the citizens of Tabus attended the funeral of Firas Al-Kilany, who died during the ongoing Intifada. After the service, women, children and men made their way to the closest Israeli check-point to demonstrate, and started throwing stones at the soldiers. Mahmoud, who was 19 years old at the time, was among them.

Things escalated, until a sniper’s shot caught Mahmoud in the head. The bullet, which penetrated six centimetres into his head, was covered with rubber but had a metal core. Human rights organisations had been denouncing this class of ammunition (supposedly used by the Estate of Israel to reduce casualties when controlling demonstrations), believing it responsible for the deaths of dozens of Palestinians.

The demonstrators carried Mahmoud to the nearest clinic. From there, he was transferred to a hospital in Nablus, where emergency surgery was performed. Mahmoud was unconscious for 15 days. When he woke up, he could recognise no one but his parents, couldn’t understand those around him and had lost the ability to speak. He also suffered from a sort of mild hemiplegia.

From then on, thanks to his hard work and the rehabilitation program implemented by the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation, Mahmoud made gradual improvements. He was treated for some six months on an irregular basis.

Currently he still lives with his parents, but now suffers severe headaches and reduced angle vision. These injuries deprived him from his dream of becoming a football player, and also disqualified him to become carpenter like his father. He now works as an instructor for children in summer camps.