Remembering Mohammad Al-Durra

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Muhammed al-Durrah (Arabic:محمد الدرة) was a twelve-year-old Palestinian boy reported to have been killed by gunfire on September 30, 2000 at the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada. A French television crew (France 2) near Netzarim junction in the Gaza Strip filmed the boy clutching his father as his father tried to shield him from bullets. Broadcast around the world, this event caused outrage against Israel, which was assumed to be responsible. Shortly thereafter, a number of controversies arose made about the incident, including the source of the bullets and the authenticity of the tape. Controversy persists to this day.

Incident, as initially reported

Muhammad al-Durrah left home that morning to accompany his father, Jamal al-Durrah, on a day's outing to shop for a car. On the return trip home, the father and son crossed a main street in the Bureij refugee camp when heavy shooting broke out between Palestinian militiamen and an Israel Defense Force (IDF) outpost near Netzarim junction. Muhammad and Jamal al-Durrah sought sanctuary in vain between a concrete cylinder and a low cinderblock wall as bullets rained down around them for about 45 minutes, of which 27 minutes were filmed.

"He stayed close to me, clutching me from my back while I was trying to keep him away from the bullets," said his father. "But one bullet hit him in the leg. I started screaming and crying, hoping that the bullets would stop, but to no avail."

Edited television footage showed Jamal al-Durrah waving desperately, shouting, "Don't shoot!" but Muhammad was eventually hit by four bullets and collapsed in his father's arms. Jamal al-Durrah was also shot and suffered critical injuries but survived after receiving emergency surgery in Jordan. He suffered a permanently paralyzed right arm.

"It is the worst nightmare of my life... My son was terrified, he pleaded with me: 'For the love of God protect me, Baba (Dad).' "I will never forget these words."

An ambulance driver who tried to reach the trapped pair was reported shot and killed. A second ambulance driver was reported wounded. Read more...


To the soul of the child martyr, Mohammed Al Durra

by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Pressed back, without supporter
A child defenceless, confronting aggression

Hiding, the bullets of tyrants
Have no mercy for a child, so young

Seeking shelter, slaughter him the criminals
Savages, whose tyranny never waned

Oh Mohammed, in Paradise of the eternal
Oh Mohammed, your voice reverberates throughout

Oh Mohammed, with you, the God of the Worlds
Whose mercy enfolds you forever

Oh Mohammed, who saw you grieved
And all, if we could, would sacrifice

A thousand million, the Muslims
All for you, Mohammed, fathers

Alas, where is the peace of the just?
The peace you seek is futile

Lost it, without doubt, the usurpers
When allowed their hatred to renew

And boiled the blood of Arabs, East and West
When Sharon visited the mosque

Oh Arabs, comrades for years
Bury that which passed, as became

Our greatest concern, to defend against aggressors
Who against Al Aqsa their aggression began

My nation, would that you unite
In lines, terrified then the enemies

Follow Zayed, the leader of the wise
Who called for unity and initiated

Oh Saladin, oh the greatest conquerors
Oh Omar, oh the dignified and the generous

The state of the nation allures the greedy
We seek naught but unity to satisfy