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Free Samir Kuntar the Longest-Held Lebanese Detainee in the Israeli Prisons Personal Background Name: Samir Sami Al- Kuntar Date and Place of Birth: July 20, 1962 in Obey of Alley – Lebanon. Date of Detention: April 22, 1979. Samir Al- Kuntar was born in Aabey, a strategic area overlooking Beirut. He studied in the town school and was distinguished by his bravery, his great enthusiasm and patriotism ever since he was a little kid. Some of his many friends said Kuntar had once wrote under his picture, “ Samir Al-Kuntar the Martyr!” Samir participated in the armed resistance against the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1978, as well as in aiding the citizens who were forced to flee their towns and villages under heavy Israeli bombardment. Some of Kuntar’s most famous activities (next to his early defending of his country against enemy attacks) were: 1- An attempt to carry out a military operation against the Israeli forces in June 1978, from Jordan. but the Jordanian authorities captured him. He was imprisoned in Jordan from 31/1/1978 – 25/12/1978. 2- The military operation that led to Kuntar’s imprisonment in Israeli prisons was called “ The Nasser Operation “ (After the Egyptian leader jamal Abdul Nassar who believed in and defended Arab unity). The operation centered on a settlement that the Jews settled in. The operation was carried out on April 22,1979. Kuntar was leading the group, which included Abdel Majeed Asslan (born in 1955), Mhanna Salim Al-Muayed (born in 1960) and Ahmed AlAbras (born in 1949). DETAILS OF THE “Nasser’s Operation”: The group departed from the seashore of Tyre in South Lebanon using a 55 horse-powered motorized rubber boat with an 88 km/hr speed. The goal of the operation was to attack one of the biggest 1 military bases located in Naharya, 10 kms away from the Lebanese border and 8 kms north of the city of Acca, IT was an attempt to prevent the establishment of more permanent residences of Jews in Palestine. What was so special in the “Nasser Operation “(and portrayed Kuntar as very dangerous by the Israelis) was Kuntar’s success in crossing and reaching the Naharia settlement. He first maneuvered his motor boat through sixth squadrons of warships; then hid the boat right – under the noses of the Israeli seashore guards and radar; and then managed to enter the settlement , after fighting with an Israeli patrol squad . The operation lasted from 2:00 to 5:00 a.m. Kuntar and his colleagues reached the seashore of Naharya where, in addition to the military base, there were also a police military academy, the coastal guards and artillery the naval alarm network, and the headquarters for the Israeli warship group. Kuntar and his colleagues fought, at first, with a police patrol where an Israeli sergeant was killed. The group burst into a high building (number 61) in Jabootinski where they parted into two groups. The battle that ended the operation took place when Kuntar tried to get closer to his boat at the seashore. Abdel Majeed got killed and Mhanna was seriously wounded in the head and later died. Kuntar had five bullets all over his body (a fact he mentioned in one of his letters). He was under fire from all directions after Kuntar fell to the ground, he was unable to move. The Israelis imprisoned Kuntar and his colleague Ahmed Al Abrass (who was later released in 1985 in a prisoners exchange operation). The result of the operation was the death of 2 of the commandos group members, and the imprisonment of Kuntar and Al Abrass . On the Israeli’s side, 5 were killed and 12 others wounded. Samir Kuntar interrogation and the torture used in the process began immediately after his imprisonment in an Israeli Intelligence prison. He once wrote that if he were to describe the torture he was subjected to, it would be beyond people’s apprehension and conception. One of the tortures we can speak about is that when the Israeli doctors picked up the bullets from Samir body they didn’t give him cure and this is one of hundred way of torture that was done to Samir . 2 Political results of the Nasser operation The Israeli government determined at first to make a decision to execute Kuntar in an attempt to eliminate resistance operations. Israeli Prime Minister at that time, Menachem Beagin , proposed a draft resolution to the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Israeli Keenest on April 24,1979. He demanded to eliminate a previous resolution stipulated by the Israeli cabinet, which said no execution should be implemented against gorilla fighters as the international law prohibits it. The Israeli Foreign Minister Izer Weizman and Transportation Minister Hayeem Landau supported Beagin’s draft resolution. Abraham Sharer, who was the head of the Likude parliamentary bloc also, called for Kuntar’s execution. Isaac Shamir issued a statement on April 25, 1979 also calling for the execution of the fighters of the Nasser operation. On the public level, all residences of the Jallil slept in shelters for more than a weak, Izer Weizman cancelled his trip scheduled to Egypt at that time, although it was important for the negotiations about the Egyptian-Israeli relationships after the Kamp- David agreement. The Israelis tried to implement the execution sentence on Samir Kuntar and the whole parliament agreed on them. The only dilemma they were Having was the Israeli law that doesn’t allow execution except for the Nazis of the World War II and to those found guilty of betrayal to their country. Furthermore, they did not want the international community on their backs; also, they wanted to improve their relationship with Egypt after the peace process. As a consequence, the Israeli central court in Haifa sentenced Kuntar to 5 life sentences plus 47 years to come up with the total of 542 years. The judges of this trial were Ibrahim Freedman, Milik Slouiskie and Ahroun David Harmon. During the trial, and although Kuntar had a lawyer at that time,, Samir asked to defend himself instead . His comment after he was sentenced was: “ I don’t care if the sentence was 9 or even 10 life sentences, the important thing for us is that we made them realize that we (Arabs) are here to stay. Now and tomorrow”. 3 Post Imprisonment Samir was transferred from one Israeli prison to another Sarafaned, Asskalan, Bier Alsaba, Jalama, Ramleh, Jonied, . In 1986 he was moved to Nafha in 1987, currently Samir was transferred Hadarim Prison Isolation section number 3, he is held in Hadarim since September 2004. During his imprisonment, Samir led many strikers from within the detention centers. Many of the freed detainees exclaimed their admiration of his high and revolutionary spirit. Even his letters always held the meaning of one of his sentences: “Even after the long years of imprisonment, my head is still held up high “. Samir Kuntar held many food strikes in 1980-1987-1992 where several detainees died. Among the martyrs during food strikes were Rassem Halawi, Aneess Dawleh , Isshac Mouragha, Hassan Obeidat and others .. Samir now heads a committee that defends the detainees inside detention centers. The committee undergoes all the negotiations with the Israeli prison administration, and Samir acts as its official spokesman since he is the one most knowledgeable, in reading and writing, of the Hebrew language. Samir always thought of education to be one of the most powerful tools in war. So, he filed a request to continue his education by correspondence, with one of the Israeli colleges. After a lot of efforts and a whole lot of years, finally Samir won his education battle and was registered in one of the colleges in Tel Aviv in 1992. He specialized in Sociology where the courses were sent t o him and he sent his home-works, or “ cell-works”, back to the college. At the time of tests, supervisors from the college would come with their tests where the detainee is only allowed to bring a pen or pencil. Samir got his degree in June 1997, and when they asked him for 2 researches before graduation , Samir chose the subjects of “ The Military Surprises of World War II “ and “ The Contradiction of Security and Democracy in Israeli “ . To the surprise and anger of the prison administrators, Samir got very high grades. In June 1998, Samir filed another request to pursue higher education in a private college , Samir now is trying to registered for M.A studies in “Democracy “, he said if Israeli want my to stay here then I will continue in my studies tell the PHD degree 4 As per readings other than his studies, and because Samir knows very well English and Hebrew , he read all magazines and books that were allowed in these languages too . Samir also filed a report to allow him and the rest of detainees a computer. The prison administration has already denied that request, and it is expected that Samir will lead another food strike and other means to get what he wants. In November of year 1997, samir led a bloody confrontation in the Nafha prison against its administration for their continuous violation of detainees’ rights. During that appraisal, 800 guard soldiers invaded the prison and its cells, threw 300 gas bombs and hit as many detainees as they could. 16 detainees were sent to isolation and 4 were seriously wounded. In prison or outside, Samir has acted as the revolutionist that he is. To him, the detention center was just another place for battle. He has already spent 22 years in prison. 22 years of Hunger strikes and more struggles against the aggression of Israel. Samir’s most famous sentence would be: “If I were to spend another 20 years in prison, I will not write an apology letter for the Nasser operation, since the struggle continues. I had the honor of defending my Nation in 1979 and the only regret I have is not being there to fight for my country during the ruthless Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982”. There isn’t a prison in Israel that Samir Kuntar has not visited yet and been submitted to its means of torture, And in spite of all the prisoners exchange that have occurred ever since his capture Samir is still held prisoner. Samir Kuntar is a Lebanese and Arab fighter, fighting for his country and Nation, and thus legislated by the international community. His detention and trial are thus considered illegal. Samir suffers asthma and still has a bullet settled in his right lung, threatening his everyday. Samir has also been denied any meetings with his family where he has not seen them since 22/4/1979. The Lebanese detainee longest – held, Samir Kuntar , is actually a hostage , as the Israeli Supreme Court labeled Lebanese detainees , and is not even regarded as a prisoner of war … 22 years have passed on Samir away from his country, family and loved ones. We ask the world – wide Human Right organizations to 5 mount all efforts for the liberation of Samir Kuntar . We ask for more pressures to be exerted on Israel for his liberation…. It’s time to do something about those who use torture against people and legislate the taking of hostages … It’s time to stop Israeli aggression and violation of Human Rights … It’s time for civilization to prevail. It’s time to free samir Kuntar and all the Lebanese and Arab Detainees in the Israeli Prisons. Samir Kuntar Official Website www.samirkuntar.org