It’s impossible to feel safe, says Palestinian photojournalist Muath Amarneh

In almost ten months of Israeli genocide in Gaza, coupled with escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, one category in particular has become a target: media workers. At least 160 journalists have been killed in the offensive against the Palestinians Gaza since last October. Many others have been abducted by the occupation forces, both in Gaza and in the West Bank, along with thousands of civilians who have been forcibly disappeared into a prison system that perpetuates brutal violations such as torture, sexual violence and summary execution.

Muath Amarneh is a Palestinian photojournalist who lost his left eye to an Israeli rubber bullet while documenting the killing of a 19-year-old Palestinian in November 2019. Muath was wearing a bulletproof vest and a helmet with clear press credentials at the time.

He lives with the bullet fragment lodged in his head. Doctors could not remove the shrapnel due to its proximity to the brain, as the risk of death was too great. There is also a risk that the fragment could shift and worsen his condition. Despite this, Muath has continued his work.

He spoke with me in Brazil following his recent release from an Israeli prison. Khaled Latif aided this exclusive interview by translating Muath’s account from Arabic.

LS: Now that you are home, are you safe? Does giving this interview put you at risk?

MA: It is impossible to feel safe. Whatever I do, Israel is watching. Whether I am giving an interview, working or protesting, the Israeli authorities are watching. Interviews are extremely dangerous, especially if I appear in videos or photos because they use anything we do as “evidence” against us.

How and why were you arrested?

On 16 October last year, Israeli soldiers raided my home and presented me with an arrest warrant. They just told me to stay calm and not do anything that would give them any reason to harm me.

That was not the first time you have become a victim of the occupation. Do you think this is related to your job as a journalist?

I became known in Palestine and abroad when an Israeli soldier shot my eye in 2019. When they arrested me, they claimed incitement and sabotage against the State of Israel due to my social media posts. As a journalist, and particularly as a Palestinian, my job is to expose the occupation’s crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank and the hardships and genocide faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

However, the occupation authorities consider truth to be a form of sabotage.

How did they treat you in custody?

As soon as they put me in the jeep, the soldiers started taunting me, swearing at me, knowing that certain words are highly offensive to us Muslims. They wanted me to react so they would have a reason to harm me. I stayed silent, so they escalated the taunting by saying they would **** [Muath could not say the word] my mother and my sister and threatened to do horrible things to my wife. I had to stay calm. Nevertheless, they started assaulting me physically right there in the jeep. When I arrived at the prison, they told me to thank God I came alive because many Palestinians die on the way.

READ: 7 Palestinian detainees attempt to commit suicide at Israeli prison, authorities say

Even before being arrested, I was always afraid because of the shrapnel I have in my head. When working, I must be extremely careful not to fall or hit my head, as it could harm me seriously. It is not a common injury in any body part. It is in the brain. When they arrested me, however, I was in a panic. There is not a single Palestinian they haven’t beaten. I thought a lot about that while they were hitting me. They beat me for three consecutive days until I lost consciousness. When I woke up, they told me again to thank God because not everyone survives the beating. At that moment, I became desperate and cried. I didn’t want to return to my family in a body bag.

What were the conditions like in custody?

As soon as I arrived at Megiddo Prison, they interrogated me for seven straight hours. Then, they placed me with other Palestinian prisoners. They gave us meals in insufficient quantities, and I lost 20 kilograms in weight in the first three months. Moreover, the food was bland, without salt or sugar, all intended to make our lives even more miserable.

Did you have proper access to medical care during your detention?

In my case, the worst part was that they took away my glasses. I do not have my left eye, and the sight in my right eye is poor. I spent the first five months without glasses, unable to see much, if anything, as if I were in a prison within another prison. Furthermore, I have diabetes, and despite having my medical prescription with me, they did not allow me to take my medication, which caused me severe headaches. After much insistence from my lawyer, they started giving me some medication, but they did not inform me what it was for. I asked several times but never received an answer. I was afraid to take the medicine without knowing its purpose, as it could worsen my condition or even kill me. In the first week, I refused to take it, but the migraines worsened. I couldn’t know how long I would stay in prison. So, eventually, I gave in.

Then they ran a blood test and said my health was good and that I didn’t need any medication. They claimed that the diabetes was under control because of the drugs they were giving me.

The truth, however, was that they were starving me.

What is the condition of a Palestinian prisoner in Israeli prisons?

There is no hygiene in prison. We cannot even shower. We go for months without washing, and when they finally allow us, they give us a single bar of soap to share among all the prisoners. After showering, we had to wear the same dirty and foul-smelling clothes we had been wearing for months.

[When Muath was released, he was hospitalised to treat a widespread skin infection, something that affects most Palestinian prisoners.]

Could you speak with your family during detention?

I had no contact with my family whatsoever. After six months in Megiddo, they transferred me to Al-Naqab. When my lawyer tried to visit me, they informed him that I had been transferred but refused to give him my location. My family only found out where I was because a Palestinian prisoner was released shortly after my arrival and informed my family of my whereabouts.

How was the legal process?

In court, it was alleged that my work was incitement against Israel. Neither I nor my lawyer had access to the evidence. We could not know what they had or if they had anything against me at all. There is not much you can do. You cannot simply demand your freedom just because there is no evidence. They had nothing against me or any other Palestinians; they simply arrest whoever they want and claim to have “secret” evidence.

READ: Turkiye decries Israel’s recent attacks on journalists

During interrogations, the Israeli officers often put words into my mouth, like “Confess that you did such-and-such,” “Confess to this,” and “You were at such-and-such place.” They also gave me a confession document to sign, in which they described absurd allegations against me. I refused to sign something “confessing” to something that I had not done, and the interrogator said, “If you refuse to sign, we’re going to f**k you up.”

That is Israel’s so-called legal or judicial system. The Israeli authorities disregard every single Palestinian right. Like other Palestinians, they held me under administrative detention, which hinders any access to justice, as you do not know what they are accusing you of, what “evidence” they have against you, or how long they will keep you imprisoned. You know nothing.

What human rights do you think were violated during your detention?

The Israeli authorities completely disregard the human rights of Palestinian prisoners.

There was no proper food and minimal hygiene conditions, and I spent the first three months in the same clothes. Throughout the winter, with temperatures as low as 0°C at night, we did not even receive appropriate clothing for the season. They respected none of our human or civil rights.

Did any human rights organisation attempt to intervene in your case?

Yes, I received visits from some humanitarian organisations that requested my release or at least proper medical treatment, but unfortunately to no avail. Israel does not care about justice or the opinions and actions of the international community. They show no concern whatsoever. Inside the prison, Palestinians are victims of violence, torture and even murder. We do not receive food, medication or any form of assistance. It is frustrating to know that even with the presence of humanitarian organisations, Israel remains indifferent.

What was your experience after being released?

They called me in, and I thought they would interrogate me again. Surprisingly, they gave me a document to sign. When I asked what it was, they said it was for my release but did not tell me when it would be. I was both elated and shocked. After nine months of imprisonment, I was about to reunite with my family, yet I was also leaving behind many friends, other prisoners who, like me, had committed no crime.

I still have very mixed feelings.

Did you face any difficulties in trying to resume your professional and personal life?

It has been a week since they released me. My family and I still live in constant fear of another arrest. In the first few days after my release, I had to be hospitalised, and I am still undergoing tests to understand the infection on my skin and identify the medication that the prison authorities gave me. Palestinian doctors have advised me to avoid physical contact with my wife and children to prevent transmitting the infection. We do not even know what the infection is.

Do you plan to keep on reporting after your release?

Israel wants us to stop exposing what is happening. The occupation authorities want to intimidate us into giving up our struggle for freedom. But I will not stop.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, will make me give up fighting for a free Palestine so that we can live in peace.

Whether it is for the Palestinian people or any other oppressed people, wherever there is oppression, I will be involved in the struggle.

What would you like people to understand about the reality of the occupation?

It is crucial to raise awareness all over the world about Palestine as a nation and the plight of its people. We Palestinians face daily oppression, imprisonment and assassinations. Every day, we lose our children, our homes, our jobs and our loved ones. Unfortunately, we live in a situation where we are confined to what is, in effect, a large prison, with Palestine being arbitrarily divided with more and more military checkpoints imposed to restrict our freedom. This reality makes ordinary daily life nearly impossible. What happens in Palestine is not normal, and people need to understand that. But it is not enough to understand; the world must not become comfortable with or silent about this situation. We cannot accept this as the norm, as something trivial. We need the world to stand with us against injustice and not to forget Palestine.

OPINION: France wins Olympic gold for hypocrisy

Do you have any messages to your colleagues abroad?

Yes, I do have a message for all of my fellow journalists and everyone else: Please, never stop fighting for us. For everyone in Palestine or abroad: Do not stop fighting for us. Do not stop fighting for Palestine. Do whatever you can to end what is happening; to stop this genocide, stop this bloodshed. Post videos on social media, write articles, give lectures, talk to family and friends, participate in demonstrations, and do whatever is within your reach. All of this help. We know that Israel could not care less about our plight. Even with everything the world has seen and heard, the occupation authorities do not care, but we must not stop talking about Palestine. Do not stop talking about Palestine! Do not forget about us!