On Wednesday, February 25, 2004, I was on my way to Karmiel. When I passed the entrance to the village of al-Bea’neh, I noticed large groups of people and police. I asked what was going on and was told that a demolition operation was underway in the village. At that point, I decided – as I am a relative of the Head of the Municipal Council – to go and see him and discuss what could be done. I went on foot towards the council, where I saw people gathering inside and outside the building. I entered, and I and other people inside the building talked with him. Eventually, we decided to go out and try to calm the situation to prevent further escalation.

I went out with the Head of the Municipal Council, accompanied by Ahmad Qasem Bakri and Omar Qasem and Ibrahim Khatib. We headed towards the police, who were firing teargas bombs in all directions. After we had walked for about 10 meters, a police vehicle started to spray us with yellow liquid. Despite this, we continued approaching them.

The Head of the Municipal Council pointed towards the police officers and asked them to stop spraying the yellow-colored liquid and to stop firing teargas bombs. They responded to his request and stopped spraying the group with yellowed water. As soon as we arrived, the Head of the Council approached the head of the police unit and asked him to calm the situation by halting the firing of teargas bombs and by halting the police’s advance into the village. Instead of agreeing, the police behaved violently towards the people present, among them Ahmad Bakri and Omar Qasem. As a result, the tension increased and the police fired a teargas bomb into the crowd. This provoked a young man to try to attack one of the police officers, but I stopped him and tried to calm him down.

Suddenly, I felt a strong blow on my forehead and another blow from behind. I fell on the ground, and the police officers started to kick me with their boots. I got up and tried to move away from the police towards the council building. As I was walking, a police car sprayed me with yellow liquid and I fell again, causing an injury to my left side. I tried to get up but I could not. Then I fainted.

I regained consciousness in the Intensive Care unit at Hayat Center in Der al-Assad, where they offered first aid treatment. Then they transported me in an ambulance to Nahariyya Hospital where I was told that I had suffered the following injuries: fractures in the frontal part of the skull; fractures of the ribs from the left side; a blow on the back of the head.

In the hospital, I was told that I need to be treated at Rambam Hospital. I was moved to that hospital, where I underwent surgery to my head. Broken bone in my skull had to be removed. The hospital also told me that I will need plastic surgery, since the shattered bones have to be replaced.  I stayed in the hospital for four days.

25/2/2004