Few days ago, Ni’lin high school held a graduation ceremony for the last class at high school (tawjehi students).during the ceremony there was 2 guys with sticks as a result of being shot by Israeli snipers during a peaceful protest against the apartheid wall in Nilin 5 weeks ago and 2 empty chairs on the graduate student platform, on one chair there is a photo of Ahmed Mousa and on the second chair there is a photo of the prisoner Mostafa Nafi 17 years old, and prisoner since 5 months in Israeli military jail. At the first moment I was shocked, memories are back to a painful past!. Yes this is the Generation of Ahmed Mousa the 10 years old kid that was murdered in cold blood by an Israeli soldier in 29. 07. 2008 during our peaceful protest against the apartheid wall in Ni’lin village.
I remember Ahmed next to me when the sniper started firing live ammunition at us, everybody was trying to hid behind a stone or an olive tree except Ahmed and 3 other kids who have same age as Ahmed, in fact, the shoe of Ahmed fell while running away so he returned to pick it, but the death bullet was waiting for him.
Ahmed was shot in the forehead, it was so quick, I didn’t know he was shot, I thought I fainted as a result of falling, I ran to him to carry him and as soon as I carried him his brain fell from his head because the bullet blow off his head. I fell on the ground from shock!, I was 16 years old and it was the first time for me to see a brain of a human being falling in front of my hands!,Then my other friends took him from me and carried him to the ambulance, but it was already too late because Ahmed was already dead!
What I haven’t payed attention to was the look and feeling of his 3 friends who were there at that moment and experienced and seen all what happened.
Seven years have passed, 4 other guys from the village were murdered, hundreds were arrested and injured, dozens were sniped by the Israeli snipers unite which set them disabled , a large number of unemployment due to confiscation of lands and refusing permits of work for workers and due to these reasons the number of protesters got declined day after day. But this generation of Ahmed Mousa, was struggling in silence ,keeping their promise to Ahmed to continue on the path that Ahmed was killed defending, our beloved land and life of dignity.
When I returned from my last European Speaking tour in June 2014, I was impressed by the large number of young guys who join in the protests against the apartheid wall, or maybe I only noticed them now because its them who are mostly who left in the arena of the struggle as a result of the continuous unbearable suppression and arrests.
However, during one of the protests, an Israeli soldier began firing Live ammo directly at us, I started shouting at the guys to protect themselves and hide behind a rock or tree, not fearing death but because I don’t want the murdering Scenario to be repeated again in our protests, not fearing death but to save our lives and keep going strong in our struggle for freedom and justice!
One of the guys reply to me saying: hide from what?
I said: from the bullets, we need to keep everyone safe, we don’t want anyone to get shot!
He answers: and what will we lose if we get shot? Nothing is left to worry about!
I haven’t thought clearly of what he answered because there was no way to discuss under the bullets and soldiers attack.
5 weeks ago, the same guy was shot with a live ammo in his leg and also another 3 guys in the same time got shot in their legs and feet, 2 of them were lucky that the bullets entered and went out, the week after they joint in the protest with strong determination, and the other 2 guys still have the bullets in their legs and caused breaking in the bones .
During the graduation ceremony , I got surprised that these determined angry guys whose spirit is unbreakable are the same kids who were with Ahmed Mousa at that day when he was killed!. And during their graduation they insisted on the school to honor and graduate officially their friends Ahmed and the prisoner Mostafa.
These students are not normal high school students anymore, but a homeland, justice and freedom students!
I now understood very well and clearly the answer of that boy, and what was its source. it’s the result of brutality and savage that our kids face on daily manner which set them fearless and men at a very young age!.
I only wonder, how many parents where waiting this moment to see their children graduating and be proud of them while building their own future, but never had this chance because of a bullet!. And how many more young Palestinian will not have this chance yet until freedom and justice and peace achieved in Palestine!
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