Dean of Palestinian prisoners released after spending 40 years in Israeli jails 

After spending 40 years behind bars, Karim Younes, the dean of the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli occupation detention centers, was freed today, triumphing with his determination and solid will over the Israeli jailer.

Palestinian media outlets quoted the spokesman for the Prisoners’ Information Office, Hazem Hassanein, as saying that the occupation released Younes, 66, at dawn today, suddenly, as the information was that the release would take place at noon. He was left alone in the city of Raanana in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948 without informing his family, in an attempt to upset them. The crowding and the organization of any celebration of his liberation were prevented.

Hassanein pointed out that this method, which confirms that the occupation fears the Palestinian people’s pride in their heroes, will not prevent the joy from entering the heart of every Palestinian with the liberation of the captive Karim Younes.

Last night, the occupation forces stormed the house of Younes family in the town of A’ara in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948, and seized the Palestinian flags. They informed the family to prevent raising the flag of Palestine and posters with pictures of the Dome of the Rock or any national symbols, and also prevented them from playing Palestinian patriotic songs.

In his first statement after gaining his freedom, Younes said: “This is the first day that I see space and the world now is different from the one I left.. My heart remained with the prisoners who carry their corpses on their shoulders,” adding, “ 40 or 50 years in captivity does not matter. We are all ready to give our dearest for the freedom of our people.”

For his part, Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh pointed out in a statement that the Palestinians’ joy over Younes’ freedom is great and their pride in his steadfastness is greater. He called on international human rights organizations to intervene to release all prisoners, especially women, children and the sick.

In turn, the Fatah movement pointed out that Karim Younis, with his legendary steadfastness, constituted an icon for all the free people of the world who were determined to reject injustice, persecution and racism. It pointed out that the occupation’s attempt to prevent the joy over his freedom through his sudden release will not prevent the Palestinian people from celebrating and honoring him in a manner that is worthy of him.

Karim Younes is one of the most prominent Palestinian activists. He was arrested by the occupation authorities in January 1983. Over the course of 40 years, he participated in all the battles that the captive movement fought, including the hunger strike, which is considered the most severe of these battles, the last of which was the strike in 2017, which lasted for 42 days.

Inas Abdulkareem