Bassel al-Araj

Bassel al-Araj
Born 1984
al-Walaja, Palestine
Died (aged 33)
Residence Ramallah, Palestine
Nationality Palestinian
Other names "The Educated Martyr"
Occupation Pharmacist

Bassel al-Araj (1984-باسل الأعرج) (2017) was a Palestinian activist, author and pharmacist. He was a graduate of an Egyptian university and was known for his writings about revolution and resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.[1] He was killed by the Israeli military force on March 6, 2017, in a two-hour gunfight.[2] He is known as "the educated martyr" among some Palestinian activists.[3]

Biography

Al-Araj was a native of al-Walaja, near Bethlehem. He worked as a pharmacist and organized educational activities and lectures in which he narrated experiences of Palestinian resistance in tours of Palestinian landmarks.[4] He was imprisoned by Palestinian Authority security forces on April 2016 [5] in the West Bank for six months, and following his release he was pursued by Israeli occupation forces.[6]

Death

During their imprisonment in the PA-administered Beitunia prison, al-Araj and his companions were subject to torture and mistreatment, leading them to commence a hunger strike in demand of their freedom.[6] During their nine-day hunger strike, al-Araj published a single sentence via his lawyer,[7] "The da`i and the son of the da`i (one whose parents are unknown but someone claims him as his son) has required us to choose one of two: a basket of gains or humiliation. Far away we are from accepting humiliation"[8] (Arabic: ألا إن الدعيّ بن الدعيّ قد ركز بين اثنتين، بين السّلة والذلّة.. وهيهات منّا الذلّة), a saying attributed to Husayn ibn Ali. After their release from prison, Israeli occupation forces arrested several of the group, and al-Araj went into hiding for two months. Israeli occupation forces repeatedly served warrants authorizing them to search his family's home and properties. The IDF located him on March 6, 2017 and surrounded him in an apartment near the Qaddura refugee camp in al-Bireh.[2] He engaged the Israeli forces in a two-hour gunfight, during which the IDF reportedly fired an ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenade, resulting in the partial destruction of the building. Israeli forces reportedly stormed the building and executed al-Araj after his ammunition was depleted,[2] although Israeli reports state that al-Araj opened fire after IDF troops were already in the building.[9] Palestinian reports note that Israeli forces removed al-Araj's corpse from the building by dragging him by his feet.[10][11] Israeli forces refused to turn over al-Araj's body, and elements of the PA reportedly informed al-Araj's family that occupation forces would deliver his body on the condition that his family move the location of his funeral from al-Walaja to another area, due to al-Walaja's proximity to Israeli settlements.

In a handwritten letter published posthumously, al-Araj appeared to predict his own death and placed it within the context of the struggle for Palestinian liberation.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Well known Palestinian activist Basil Al-Araj killed by Israeli forces in home raid
  2. 1 2 3 Basil al-Araj assassinated by Israeli occupation forces after PA imprisonment and months in hiding
  3. ↑ Arabs mourn ‘hipster terrorist’ killed in shootout
  4. ↑ Videos of al-Araj on one of his educational tours of Palestinian landmarks, published by the Arabi21 network (Arabic)
  5. ↑ "Basil al-Araj: Police break up protest over court case". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-03-17.
  6. 1 2 Basil al-Araj was a beacon for Palestinian youth
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ Al-Husain: Lessons of a Lifetime English translation
  9. ↑ PALESTINIAN SUSPECTED OF PLANNING ATTACKS ON ISRAEL KILLED IN GUNFIGHT WITH IDF, Jerusalem Post
  10. ↑ Palestinian activist 'executed' by Israeli forces after 2-hour shoot-out, Maan news
  11. ↑ http://www.arab48.com/%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/2017/03/06/%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-
  12. ↑ In final letter, slain Palestinian activist Basel al-Araj ponders looming death, Maan news
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