Somea’s Story

Somea’s Story

by Julie Webb-Pullman

Today I interviewed Somea Saqer, the wife of Jala Saqer, a hunger-striker in the Gaza solidarity tent who was one of the prisoners released in last year’s swap with Gilad Shalit.

Jalal's release saw them reunited after 20 years of separation by his incarceration in Israeli jails. He had been sentenced to life. When he was detained, their three daughters were three years, two years, and four months of age.

“When the girls were little they kept asking why other children had fathers, and why they didn’t,” she told me. “It was very difficult to keep him alive in their minds. They did have some contact with him – when there was a wedding or a funeral in the family the prison administration allowed a phone call, and they even had some visits with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross, but after Shalit there were no visits. For five years our children did not see their father at all, and I did not see my husband.”

Somea received a small pension from the government, but it was not enough. She considers herself fortunate that her family was very supportive, especially her aunt, who helped her keep her family together.

The girls all did well at secondary school, but even that success did not come close to matching the incredible joy of their father’s release from prison.

“This was the greatest, the most important thing that ever happened to us, thanks to Allah,” she said. “We are very happy now, life is getting better.”

I asked if it was difficult for her husband to readjust to life outside of prison. “He is starting to adapt,” she replied. “It is the same as children, going step by step. We believe that everything will turn out okay. We are partners in our life, and we share everything.”

And how is it for her readjusting from a house full of women for 20 years, to having a man around? “Wonderful – finally I have a man!” she laughed. “It is a happiness that can’t be described!”

And now you have someone to fix the things that break down?

"Oh, no! As I said, we share everything, even that!"

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