Mahmoud 'Arara, victim, aged 69
On Monday, 2 September 2002, I was sleeping on the roof of my house, which is in the center of Aqqaba. At around 2:00 A.M., I woke up to the sound of cars in the neighborhood. I looked from the roof of the house. I saw dozens of Israeli soldiers surrounding the neighborhood, and I heard them calling to my neighbor, Muhammad Mustafa Narmi Abu 'Arara, to leave his home. Afterwards, the soldiers called to me, using loudspeakers, and threw stones at my house and at Muhammad's house. The front windows broke.
Afterwards, the soldiers banged on the door of my home. I was very frightened because they were throwing stones at the door. I decided to open it, carefully. When I opened the door, the soldiers demanded that I take off my clothes, even though I am an old man. I took my clothes off, and the soldiers ordered me to turn around. They let me get dressed and demanded that I approach the commander, who was waiting at a distance of about forty meters. Three soldiers accompanied me.
The commander ordered me to go to Muhamed Abu 'Arara's, and tell him to come of his house immediately. The commander warned me that if Muhammad didn't come out, the soldiers would force their way in and kill him inside. I went towards Muhammad's house, accompanied by three soldiers. I knocked on the door of the house and Muhammad, aged 22, stepped out immediately. I told him that the army was surrounding the area and the soldiers demanded that he come out of his house, otherwise they would force their way in. Muhammad went toward them and the soldiers that had come with me demanded he take off his upper clothes and approach the location where the commander was waiting. Afterwards, one of the soldiers demanded that I bring Muhammad's clothes.
The soldiers tied Muhammad's hands and took him with them. They ordered me to return home and when they saw me peering from behind the door, they shouted at me. The soldiers did not leave the area until I shut the door.
Mahmoud Narmi Hamed Abu 'Arara, born 1933, is married, a farmer, and a resident of al-'Aqqaba, Jenin District. The testimony was taken by 'Ali Daraghmeh at the witness' home on 5 September 2002.