The Palestinian arena lost today, Sunday, the fighter and freed prisoner Maher Younis, who passed away as a result of a sudden deterioration in his health. Younis's passing comes after a long struggle and a bitter detention experience that lasted forty years, making him a national symbol of steadfastness and defiance in the face of the Israeli jailer.
The deceased regained his freedom on January 19, 2023, after completing the full term of his unjust sentence in the occupation's detention centers. The deceased was born in the village of Ar'ara in the Triangle in 1958, and grew up in a struggling family that made many sacrifices for the Palestinian cause over decades.
The roots of the deceased's legal pursuit date back to the early eighties, specifically in January 1983, when occupation forces arrested him on charges of belonging to the Palestinian National Liberation Movement 'Fatah'. He was then charged with participating in resistance acts and killing an Israeli soldier, leading to a life sentence that was later set at forty years.
Over four decades, Younis was transferred between various Israeli prisons and detention centers, where he faced harsh detention conditions and systematic abuse policies. Despite all attempts to break his will, he remained steadfast and maintained his position as one of the most prominent leaders of the prisoner movement, and for many years was classified as the second oldest Palestinian detainee.
The moment of his release early last year was not ordinary, as the occupation authorities imposed a tight security cordon around his home and prevented any celebrations or reception of popular delegations. These measures reflected the occupation's fear of public rallying around national symbols who spent the prime of their youth behind bars defending the rights of their people.
Maher Younis's death leaves a lump in the throats of Palestinians, as it brings to mind the extent of the health and physical suffering that pursues freed prisoners even after their release from cells. Local sources confirm that the long years of captivity left a deep impact on the deceased's health, which ultimately led to this severe health setback that claimed his life.
The deceased recorded his name among the longest periods of captivity in contemporary Palestinian history, ending four decades of steadfastness behind bars.
שתף את דעתך
The passing of freed prisoner Maher Younis after decades of struggle