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Arab Media’s Latest Attempt To Demonize Israel Backfires

Many Arab media outlets are reporting on the “injustice” of palestinan prisoner Rajab Tahhan “only” being allowed to see his cancer-stricken son for 30 minutes.

For instance, the official PA-owned Wafa news agency reports:

RAMALLAH, October 30, 2017 (WAFA) – Rajab Tahhan, who is serving a life sentence in Israeli jails, was allowed only 30 minutes on an early Monday morning hour to see his son, Majd, 19, in his Israeli hospital bed where he is getting treatment for cancer.

The Prisoners Affairs Commission said the Israeli Prison Services brought Tahhan to see his son, who has leukemia, at Hadassah Medical Center in West Jerusalem hand and foot cuffed and without the presence of any other family member. The ward was even shut down during the short visit.

The father and the son cried during the entire visit, which, according to Tahhan family members, was a brief re mixed with feelings of joy and sadness at the same time.

The Commission’s legal staff has approached Israeli courts to allow the father to see his critically ill son. The Israeli District Court in Beersheba finally ruled after several appeals to allow the brief visit.

Tahhan was one the prisoners who were released in the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, but was re-detained in 2014 and his former life term was reinstated.

When you read this report, what should stand out is the fact the palestinian boy is being treated in an Israeli hospital!  And not just any palestinian boy, but the son of a terrorist serving a life sentence for murdering an Israeli.

That’s right. Daddy dearest Rajab Tahhan, was sentenced to life for the murder of David Catorza, a Jew on his way to the synagogue, as well as unlawful transfer of weapons and conspiring to commit a crime. He was released in the Shalit swap deal, but rearrested because he was in contact with Hamas terrorists and receiving funds from the organization.

Yet Israel’s compassion for the teenage son suffering from cancer has trumped all of this, and he has been receiving treatment in Israel. That is the real takeaway from this story.

I should also note that Al Jazeera is the worst of the lot in reporting this. For a start, they contradict the other sources by reporting he was only given 10 minutes with his son (not 30).

They also spin the granting of privacy to the family as a bad thing!

The family said that the Israeli court handling the case placed difficult conditions on them for the visit to happen.

“They said that no one is allowed in the same room as Majd when his dad walks in,” Bassem Tahhan, the boy’s uncle, told Al Jazeera.

“This was very difficult because Majd cannot be left alone for a second. He must have an attendant with him 24 hours a day due to his condition.”

About the author

Picture of David Lange

David Lange

A law school graduate, David Lange transitioned from work in the oil and hi-tech industries into fulltime Israel advocacy. He is a respected commentator and Middle East analyst who has often been cited by the mainstream media
Picture of David Lange

David Lange

A law school graduate, David Lange transitioned from work in the oil and hi-tech industries into fulltime Israel advocacy. He is a respected commentator and Middle East analyst who has often been cited by the mainstream media
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