Bahrainthismonth.com 40 July 2024 KARIM YOUNIS’S JOURNEY FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE Karim Younis, the second-longest-serving prisoner ever in an Israeli jail, possesses an extremely calm demeanor for someone who has gone through so much in his 67 years of life. “I think that’s because four decades in prison teaches you to be a little patient,” he smiles. Younis is an extremely significant figure for Palestinians. He authored political works advocating for dialogue and agreements between Palestinians and Israelis. His writings resonated with fellow inmates and the broader Palestinian community. Younis’s voice transcended prison walls, urging for peace and understanding amidst the conflict. His unwavering spirit and commitment to justice sustained him through the darkest of days. The distinguished and resolute figure in front of me looked strong and determined, belying the fact that he had spent all but one of the previous 41 years in an Israeli jail. With an extended family consisting of his siblings’ children and grandchildren, although with none of his own, Karim reflects on the changes that have taken place over the last forty years. Originally from ‘Ara, a predominantly Arab village within the pre-1948 Israeli borders, his life took a dramatic turn on June 1, 1983, when Israeli authorities arrested him at school together with his cousin Maher. “Everyone is different and everything is different,” he says. “Forty-four years ago, I used to live in a village with houses every 400 to 500 meters and trees, and now... my village is a town with all the houses stuck together. The cars, the streets, everything has changed…. even the people,” he laments. I was curious to know what it was like for Karim Younis, the Palestinian Mandela, on his release from prison after being deprived of his freedom for so long. “Without a doubt,” he replied, “the feeling of freedom after 40 years is indescribable, but it’s not just freedom of movement that we are talking about here. Freedom is not complete until everyone is free,” he says. We then went on to ask him what he had learned and how his life had changed due to this whole experience. He responds, “There are many things. But, most of all, after 40 years of imprisonment, my sense of national pride at being a Palestinian increased dramatically.” Since he possessed an Israeli passport, he was allowed visits from his parents in prison. However, his father died 10 years ago on the same day that he would ultimately be released a decade later, and then his mother passed away only six months prior to his release. Karim believes that a majority of the Israeli people supported the concept of peace and security with Palestinians at the time, which led up to the Oslo Accords. Now, however, he suggests that sentiment has gone the other way, with at least 70 percent of the Israeli population supporting the government’s uncompromising stance. According to Karim, Jewish and Israeli activists who stand resolutely against Israeli Zionist oppression are very much in the minority. Those few remaining, who still call for social justice, equality, and peace, have severely declined since the days of Rabin when the peace process was on track. Karim argues that there are two schools of thought in the Israeli political world. The first decision taken after the occupation by the Israeli government in 1967 was that the occupied Arab and Palestinian lands would be controlled temporarily until a peace deal was achieved. That was the Israeli government’s perceived policy at the time. The Israeli Labour Party, in the meantime, was encouraging all Arab neighbours to cooperate with them “In order that we can give you peace and we can give the Palestinian people peace,” says Karim. The Arabs were told that they needed to make concessions, and the implication was that these concessions would ultimately lead to a permanent and just peace for all concerned. Karim Youssef Fadl Younis, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, recently stepped out of the shadows after serving 40 years in Israeli prisons. His story is one of endurance, conviction and unwavering commitment to his cause. On a visit to Bahrain last month, he spoke to publisher George F. Middleton. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the life of the second longest-serving Palestinian prisoner and explore the impact of his incarceration. interview A LIFE SHAPED BY STRUGGLE
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