Israel denies Mabhouh relative medical treatment
Short time before senior Hamas figure assassinated in Dubai, his relative Mohammad al-Mabhouh undergoes surgery in east Jerusalem. His health deteriorates since hit, but Israel denying him entry into its territory. Shin Bet insists he is 'suspected of ties with terrorist activists'
Mohammad al-Mabhouh, a Palestinian heart disease patient living in the Gaza Strip, underwent surgery in an east Jerusalem hospital in December in order to stabilize his health. Since then, his family member Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was assassinated in Dubai. Ever since, the Shin Bet has denied him entry into Israeli territory to receive additional treatment for his illness.
Even though al-Mabhouh claims he was never involved in terror activity, Israel reiterated that there are "up-to-date suspicions regarding his own and his family's connections with terrorism."
"In December, I entered Israel in order to reach Ramallah for cardiac catheterization," Mabhouhd told Ynet. "Two days later, I also underwent surgery in al-Maqasid Hospital in Jerusalem, but it apparently didn't help. The doctors in Gaza said that I need to have open-heart surgery, but since then, the Israelis are refusing to allow me to enter. I don't know why."
He said that he was quite shocked by the decision especially in light of the fact that he served as the head manager at a Tel Aviv gas station for 12 years and worked for two and a half years in Netivot.
"I never had any security issue or another. I have never been arrested. Evidence of this is that a few days before the assassination I had the surgeries, and no one had a problem with this," he said.
Mabhouh is a third-degree relative of the senior Hamas family and noted that relations between his family and theirs are far from being close. "I had a lot of problems with his father. I don't care about Hamas or Fatah, only my health. I have 10 children," he explained.
After his health deteriorated and Israel continued to refuse him entry, Mabhouh decided to go to the Erez Crossing on his own accord in a last-ditch effort to save his life.
"The pain became strong, and I told myself that anyway I'm going to die, so I'll go to Erez and what will be will be," said al-Mabhouh. He said that only following pressure from his family out of fear that IDF soldiers would shoot him did he decide not to go through with is plan.
Mabhouh insists that his family name is what has led to the decision to block him from leaving the Strip for surgery: "Everyone knows the nature of the relationship between me and the one who was assassinated and know that the relationship is not good. They should ask my boss at the Paz gas station if I am a security threat. Even after the intifada, he offered me a job with him because I was dedicated to the work."
A Shin Bet spokesperson said in response, "Mabhouh's entry into Israel is being blocked for clear security concerns related to up-to-date suspicions of ties with terrorists – both on his account and on account of his close family."
In the meantime, Mabhouh is still sick and at wit's end. "I sit on the shore since because of the pain and nerves I don't feel like speaking with anyone. If I'm going to die, I should die alone," he said.
