The Palestinian-American teenager who relatives allege was beaten by Israeli authorities returned home to Florida, saying he will never think of freedom in the same way again.
Tariq Abu Khdeir, 15, and his mother flew back to Tampa on a flight arriving late on Wednesday from New York and were greeted by about 50 cheering supporters waving US and Palestinian flags. The Khdeirs had flown out of Israel earlier in the day.
“I am only 15, but I will never think of freedom the same as I did two months ago,” Tariq said at Tampa International Airport. “No child, whether they are Palestinian or Israeli, deserves to die.”
Photo: AFP
The teenager said the thoughts and prayers of the supporters had helped him, adding: “I got through these past two weeks because I knew you were all thinking of me.”
Now, he said, he just wanted time with friends and to relax.
“It feels so good to be back in Tampa. Can I even put it in words? I can’t wait to go back to play with my friends and go fishing,” he added, speaking only minutes.
Hassan Shibly, the teen’s attorney and the executive director of the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, had said Tariq suffered head trauma and had to receive stitches on his face when beaten two weeks ago as he was arrested during a protest.
Supporters say Tariq’s beating was videotaped.
The Israeli Ministry of Justice has said an investigation has been opened into the footage.
There were no immediately apparent signs of injuries to Khdeir on his arrival.
Israeli authorities released Tariq shortly after his arrest and sentenced him to nine days of house arrest while they investigated what they say was his participation in violent protests over the death of Tariq’s cousin, 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir.
His family denied that he participated in the protests.
Palestinians suspect Mohammed Abu Khdeir was killed by Israeli extremists pursuing revenge for the abduction and killings of three Israeli teens in the West Bank last month.
Tariq’s mother, Suha Khdeir, said that the past two weeks had been a “nightmare.”
She wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke and added she was “grateful” for the support she received at home in the Tampa area.
“I cannot begin to describe to you the pain I felt when I looked at his face for the first time after that beating,” she said.
Friends and family have said Tariq went on a vacation to visit relatives he had not seen in about 10 years — not to be part of a conflict. They have described him as a good student who likes basketball, soccer and video games.
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