I was asleep when Israeli soldiers walked into my bedroom and woke me up. It was 2.00 a.m. I thought I was dreaming but then a soldier told me to get my birth certificate. Another soldier told me to get dressed because they were going to arrest me. They did not tell me why they were arresting me or where they were taking me.

 

The soldiers took me out of our house and immediately tied my hands to the front with three plastic ties: one on each wrist and one connecting the two. The ties were not painful. They also blindfolded me with the scarf I was wearing. Then they walked me for about five minutes towards the centre of town where a troop carrier was waiting. I was taken into the back of the carrier where I sat on a seat. The vehicle drove away. On the way soldiers slapped me.

 

About 15 minutes later the vehicle arrived at a nearby settlement. I was taken to see a doctor who examined me and gave me a medical questionnaire to answer. A soldier, who was in the doctor’s room, asked me why I throw stones at soldiers. I told him I don’t throw stones. He then told me it was in my interest to cooperate with the soldiers and give them the names of the boys who throw stones at soldiers. I told him I wasn’t going to cooperate with anyone. I was then taken back to the vehicle. I remained inside the vehicle for about 15 minutes. I tried to sleep but soldiers didn’t allow me to sleep.

 

The vehicle drove for about 30 minutes before it stopped at the police station in the settlement of Kiryat Arba. I was immediately taken into the room of an intelligence officer whose name I don’t remember. The intelligence officer did not inform me of my right to silence nor of my right to see a lawyer.

 

The intelligence officer wanted to know why I still participate in clashes when I was arrested just a few days earlier. I told him I didn’t participate in clashes. He then showed me a file with photographs of boys from my village, some of whom were throwing stones, others were just standing around. The officer wanted me to give him the names of the boys in the photographs. I told him I didn’t know any of them. I was then taken to a caravan with lots of other boys who were blindfolded. Some were standing; others were sitting on the floor. The officer asked me whether I knew any of the boys in the caravan and whether I saw any of them throwing stones. I told him I didn’t know any of the boys.

 

The officer blindfolded me and made me sit on the floor next to the other boys in the caravan. I remained on the floor until 10.00 a.m. when the intelligence officer took me out, removed the ties and the blindfold and asked me for my father’s telephone number. My father didn’t answer his phone so I gave him my mother’s number. He told my mother to send someone to the settlement to take me home. I went home with one of my relatives.