PETACH TIKVA - A 17-year-old Palestinian has been hospitalized in handcuffs for the past 10 days, a move that has drawn the ire of human rights group Physicians for Human Rights.
Khayar Baraghoti, who sustained serious injuries as Palestinians were hurling stones and Molotov cocktails, can barely move and is physically unable to escape, the human rights group says.
The youngster's father, Muhammad, told Ynet his son sustained injuries to his intestine and liver.
"We don't know what exactly happened there, but we were told…the army arrived at the village and shot two boys who were hurling stones and Molotov cocktails," he said. "We didn't know they were talking about Khayar. We waited for him and he didn't come home, until they told us the army took him to Beilinson (hospital) in serious condition."
Muhammad said he initially faced problems in his attempt to secure special permits for him and his wife to visit his son at the hospital, but the matter was subsequently resolved and both father and mother were able to visit their son.
"Yesterday he started talking a little bit. Right now he's like a baby – it's difficult for him to talk, but God be blessed, the situation is progressing," the father said. "The problem is that his hands are tied and it's very difficult for him."
Kind words for IDF
Muhammad has no qualms with the soldiers watching over his son, but said things can be made easier for Khayar.
"I explained it to the soldier standing guard and he understood the problem, but it's an order from above," Muhammad said. "I understand him. He's merely a 20-year-old who does what they tell him. He said (my son) is a dangerous prisoner. I know my kid, he never gets in trouble, he's a good kid."
Despite the tragedy, the father also had kind words for the IDF, which decided to bring his son for treatment in Israel.
"If they would have taken him to a hospital in Ramallah, he might have been dead by now," he said.
The army, meanwhile, said the injured youngster constitutes a danger to those around him and must be kept handcuffed.
"Notably, the (handcuffs) do not undermine the medical treatment…and his doctors did not protest the handcuffing," the IDF said.
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