Sounds like psychological torture now, threats and bluffs, instilling fear, but then, it was most real.
But Abu Ghadab had finally finished with th poor Syrian kid opened the door and started to drag me on the ground getting ready for another session. But the First man, whom i will call Fidny wa Afeedak aka Tarek or AbuTarek, began to explain that i have very little options. That if i don’t start explaining my trip to Israel, that i would be shocked with electricity. Under my blindfold, i could barely see, but he made sure to show me a wire, with 2 emerging ends on it kind of forking off. I was waving my hands and he told me to be careful or else i would get accidentally shocked. He told me to listen to what he was saying or first he would shock me in between my eyes on my forehead, touching my forehead with his finger. He said if i still didn’t speak, that i would be stripped naked, have water thrown all over me, and have my genitals electrocuted.
I freaked the fuck out.
I told him it was not necessary and that i would say anything he wanted. He said i went to Israel I figured i could deny this and use logic to at least postpone the inevitable. I told him they were Mokhabarat, if i was to lie about going, then i would have to lie about all the questions that would follow, and that they would see through the lies and get angry and start beating me or threaten electrocution again. He said either way the electrocution was going to happen. I figured to postpone as much as possible, i would tell him i went.
Fidny was Afeedak was quite pleased.
He started to ask me how?
How motherfucker? I told him i just lied to him, and i don’t know how to get there, that this is what i was talking about a few minutes ago. He got angry again and said no, i actually went. I told him i just said this to him because i don’t want to get electrocuted. He asked me how i went, from Jordan right? i gave in, i answered yes.
How?
With a taxi.
Then?
I arrived at the border
Which crossing did you take?
I don’t know theres 2 right? i took the southern bridge?
Whats the name?
I’m not good at names, i forgot.
Some other guy speaks up, “Philadelphi?”
Yea thats it Phialdelphi.
So when you arrived, who did u see first, Palestinians, Jordanian,s Israelis, Which border?
The Jordanian, i used my Egyptian to leave. (I knew Egyptian wouldn’t get me into Israel, that requires visa stamp) i told him: i used my US to go into Israel
What about the border, did they just let you in?
No, i had to wait there for 4 or 5 hours of questioning, but that they ffinally let me in.
Oh, they just let you in, a guy named Muhammad. Where did you tel them you were going?
I told them i was going to see a friend in Bethlehem, an old friend from Texas, a Palestinian doctor.
An Israeli!
No a Palestinian who has now become a US citizen. Bethlehem is in occupied territories, as you know, only people in Palestine 48 obtain Israeli passports.
So then what did you do?
I took a taxi to Bethlehem, but didn’t get to see him.
Why not?
I wanted to but couldn’t contact him.
So then what?
So i went back to Jordan?
Furiously, he said i didn’t, and that i went to Jerusalem. I said OK, but that didn’t happed, he said it did.
Where?!
I went to Jerusalem?
Where?!
East Jerusalem
Where did u stay?
I don’t know, a place called Ibrahim. (I figured there must be some place called Ibrahim in east Jerusalem)
He said Ibrahim Hotel?
I’m not that good at names, so it was hotel or hostel or palace or something.
Ok, then what did you do?
I told him i walked around the souk or market
Who did you meet?
No one just walked around and when i ended in west Jerusalem, i saw the guys with long sideburns and hats and they started looking at me weird and i felt like i had made a mistake and started to head back
Why did they look at you weird?
I don’t know maybe they could see that i am an Arab looking person and they don’t like us
See? see what happens and how they are?
What the fuck is this guy nuts, what is he talking about? I couldn’t believe i was sitting here listening to this guy comment like this.
He said then what?
I told him i decided to go back to the place and check out and head back to Syria via Jordan to go back to work.
He said but you met someone?
No not really?
He insisted i met at least one person
I started telling me that there was a guy in the place in a lobby area who was there.
He started to tell me that he taught me how to use technology. I denied this. He insisted once again, i said he had an iphone and was showing it to me.
He said bravo, then what?
I told him i packed and came the same way back to Syria
It seemed he was content with what he had done.
I was walked back to my cell, more like carried back. At this point, my feet were in such pain, i could barely stand up. And when i arrived, they asked me which cell i was in. I wasn’t sure but pointed to the most likely one. When they opened it up, there was someone inside, an older looking person. So i said i had left my shoes in there, the man picked up my shoe and i said yes that was mine, so they pushed me, shut the metal door behind me, and locked it.
I was in utter fear. What the hell just happened? Was this a dream? A nightmare? Did i just admit to Syrian authorities that i have been to Israel, while they are dealing with major unrest in the south of the country? did i just do this the day after the spokesperson for Baath said there were foreign elements in the country causing this mess, and that they were the ones being killed in Daraa, not regular Syrians? i was fucked and i knew it.
the man in the cell hadn’t been there before. but after hours and hours of interrogation, the only person over 50 that i had seen was in my cell. i became suspicious. but i was so thirsty and exhausted i just laid down, positioning my feet so that it wouldn’t touch anything.
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