Israeli jeep drives into Palestinian school killing pupil

Fuad's family with his picture

Fuad Atiya Turkman while lying in his brother's arms uttered his last words: "Say goodbye to my mother and father," then he was taken to Jenin Hospital were he died half an hour later.

Fuad was 17 years old from the West Bank village of Yabad, attending Al- Shaheed Iz Al Din School. Fuad was preparing to leave his school when the Israeli army suddenly entered the school. Fuad at that time was close to the army jeep because he was just preparing to leave the school to head home. When he saw the jeep he tried to stop it from entering further into the school but unfortunately he was pushed to the ground and the jeep ran over him. Teachers and students saw the incidents and began asking the soldiers to stop but they refused, according to eye witnesses.

Fuad's brother Mahdi when he saw the jeep he ran towards it to see what has happened. There he saw his brother Fuad lying on the ground bleeding. Mahdi began wiping the blood that was coming out of his brother's mouth and began screaming and crying pleading to the soldiers to open the door, but they did not respond.

Also, teachers and students tried to come to Fuad's rescue but the Israeli occupation forces blocked anyone from approaching.

Instead they attacked Mahdi and hit him heavily on his head until he fell unconscious. After 20 minutes a family member came to take Fuad to the hospital.

The Israeli military called it an accident. The army said the car hit Fuad Turkman after developing mechanical problems and it was investigating the incident.

Fuad was in his last year a senior and a hard working student. He was a good student. He was not a trouble maker. He was liked by his peers.

The assistant principal said: "Until this day the students have kept his books and some of his belongings. The school is filled with pictures, posters and banners of him. Many students are still traumatized by what they saw."

He said: "The school has 450 students, an all boy's school. This is the first time that this school has been attacked in this way. I can tell you one thing, our students did not throw any stones at the Israeli soldiers but for future protection of our students from the Israeli soldiers we have placed a large metal door, a fence, and we have made restrictions on students leaving the school."

Fuad's brother Mahdi, has been moved to another school. He is still in a state of shock and refuses to speak to anyone. His father Mahmoud Turkman sai:, "Mahdi is suffering. He is traumatized. He has nightmares. He barely talks to anyone. His sister who is only one year younger than him closes the door on her self and cries."

On the day of the incident, Fuad's father was in Jenin at the Red Cross to get permission to visit one of his sons, who is in prison. He received a phone call that Fuad was injured. He rushed to Jenin Hospital but when he arrived hospital Fuad was already dead.

He said: "Fuad was lying on the hospital bed with tyre marks on his body and blood filled his clothes. I could not believe it".

A day before the incident Fuad told his father he wanted to finish school and work for the Palestinian Authority so he can help provide for his nine other siblings. "Fuad was a loving, caring, and helpful person. He was funny. He was loved by everyone, his neighbours and friends... He was a very good son."

Source: Caritas Jerusalem