Fun in the sun
Photo: Yaron Brener
Palestinian teen fulfills dream to see sea
Fifteen-year-old Ahmad Najjar finally makes it through military's red tape; joins Machsom Watch summer camp on visit to Bat Yam's Sela Beach
Ahmad Samir Said Najjar got his first taste of the beach experience Wednesday, as he and his fellow Machsom Watch campers arrived at Bat Yam's Sela Beach.
The 15-year-old from the West Bank village of Borin was denied entry to Israel by the military, citing "security reasons." Machshom Watch was outraged by the IDF's refusal and recruited local celebrities to their cause, eventually leading to the decision's annulment.
Ahmad Samir Said Najjar (Photo: Yaron Brener)
"I had no idea (the sea) was so big," he said. "And the waves! I would love to come here again. God willing, I'll get to see the ocean a few more times."
Despite the authorization, Najjar was still held up at the Hawara checkpoint on Wednesday morning, for about 90 minutes, but he was eventually allowed through.
Najjar, along with 70 other children, spent the day having fun in the sand, riding the waves and eating watermelons. The children's next stop was a play at the Jewish-Arab Theater in Jaffa, before heading back to Nablus.
