On the day the world discovered that Israel had amputated the feet of Palestinian prisoner Wafa Jarrar, an Israeli prisoner appeared in a video clip at the Al-Quds Brigades with an athletic body and an elegant uniform, despite the fact that 7 months had passed since his detention in the Gaza Strip.
The prisoner is Alexander Turbanov. He appears wearing a youthful T-shirt, and appears to be no more than thirty years old.
Turbanov spoke of the good treatment he receives in captivity, and of his and the rest of the Israeli prisoners’ disappointment in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Turbanov sent messages to the government, the army, and the Israeli public, and spoke about Tel Aviv Tribune and other topics.
Below is the full text of the message:
“As I promised, I will deliver a message to you. The first thing is that I am fine and my condition is good. This is despite the fact that the army and air force tried to kill me many times.
Thank God that today I am before you and addressing you, and thank you to the Jerusalem Brigades who took care of me and preserved my life.
Now I will tell you the truth:
Netanyahu and the security level are lying to you. They told you that they are working to restore us through military pressure, but in practice they are looking for us to kill us.
They don’t want to pay the price to come back alive. They want us to return as corpses. This is a cheap and preferred price for them.
So, I turn to you, protesters. Please demonstrate. Get angry, keep the pressure on.
I don’t want to be the next number to get killed. You know exactly how many prisoners were killed in Gaza by air force bombing and by the army.
Please, until it is my turn, help me to return safe and alive to my mother, father, friend, and grandmother. Please help all the prisoners.
A government and leadership that does not value the freedom of its citizens does not deserve to continue. I ask citizens and demonstrators to do everything for the establishment of a new government that works to release us above all else.
The only way and the best solution to bring us back alive is to agree to exchanges and ceasefires.
I ask the demonstrators to follow Tel Aviv Tribune, even though Netanyahu has banned its broadcast in the country, because it conveys the voice of us, the prisoners, to you.
I ask you to spread my message throughout the country, in front of the government offices, the Ministry of Defense and the Knesset. Tell them what needs to be said. Tell them about our situation. They continued to pressure them to agree to a prisoner exchange deal.
I want to go back to my home. To my mom, dad and girlfriend. I want to get back to my life again.
I did nothing to live this situation as a prisoner, and have my life taken away from me. All I did was that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Netanyahu takes responsibility! And bring me back to my family!
I ask the protesters not to allow this failed government to take my life, and to continue the pressure to return us safely.
To my mom and dad: I’m fine. They care about me and treat me well and kindly.
Despite these uncertain circumstances and whatever happens, be peaceful and optimistic and continue with life.”