On Sunday, Ayham al-Salaymeh, a 14-year-old Palestinian, began serving a one-year prison sentence, becoming the youngest Palestinian ever to be imprisoned in Israel.
Salaymeh turned himself into the Israeli Prison Service at al-Maskoubiya prison, his father, Nawaf, said in a video. The prison administration refused to allow Ayham to bring in belongings such as clothes, shoes and other personal items.
Ayham's sentencing came after he had spent a year-and-a-half under house arrest in his family's home in the Ras al-Amud neighbourhood in Silwan, in occupied East Jerusalem.
Before entering prison, Nawwaf took his son on one last tour of their hometown, Jerusalem. In several viral clips online, Nawaf can be seen accompanying the young boy and advising him on how to behave in prison.
"Every prisoner inside is your brother," his father tells him in one video. "They are all like you. They were imprisoned because of the love they have for their country."
TVNL Comment: Israelis have no shame. Has a single settler been jailed for abusing Palestinians or razing their homes? No. Not one. This child will grow up with hate in his heart, and no one must blame him.
