Apr 9 2015 / 4:10 pm
Nureed Amro and his son Mohammed in front of their destroyed home. (Bill Dienst, Palestine Chronicle)
By Dr. Bill Dienst
Wadi Joz neighbourhood (immediately Northeast of the Old City of Jerusalem) - Nureddin Amro and his brother Sharif Amro are humble men. Both were born with retinitis pigmentosa, a congenital (genetic) condition, which has left them blind since birth. They are both married, Nureddin has three young children, Sharif has four; all of the children are under 14. They all live with their 79 year old grandmother in a home just south of the main road which connects Hebrew University on Mount Scopus (Palestinian land which was confiscated by Israel in 1967) with West Jerusalem. This road is bisected diagonally by another road which connects the center of Wadi Joz to the upper Kidron Valley. For millennia, this has been the main road connecting the community of Wadi Joz, the Mount of Olives and other communities to the Northeast with the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Christian sites in the Old City and the Garden of Gesthamine. The Amro brothers live in the first house immediately on the southeast corner of this intersection. At 5:30 am on March 31, 2015, their home became ground zero in the latest efforts to Judaize the land.
The Amros have received threats before, though not recently. 25 years ago, soldiers came to their home and said, one day you will leave this place. They gave various explanations about what Israel would do with the land: a hotel, a park, a US consulate, etc. 5 years ago, this main road to the Old City in front of their house was divided and the 30 dunums of land across the road was put off limits for any further development by Palestinians. The Israeli authorities then built a fence through the middle of the road. This road, a major thoroughfare since the millennia, is now a bumpy backroad full of potholes.
Nurredin is the founder and principal of the Siraj al-Quds School for visually impaired children in Jerusalem. He is a Synergos Institute Social Innovator and was recognized by the British Council for his leadership working for positive change and social development for people with special needs. His school also partners with Israeli organizations caring for blind Israeli children. This collaboration is called Dialogue in the Dark.
They were planning to have a picnic together with their Israeli visually impaired colleagues in Tel Aviv on March 31. Nurredins children went to bed the night before dreaming of this picnic. The following morning they were startled by an extremely rude awakening.
At 5:30 am, about 100 Israeli soldiers surrounded the house. There were 6 policemen on mounted horses, 6 attack dogs, 4 armoured vehicles and about 20 SUVs. In this way, the 12 members of the Amro family were evacuated from their home under force, and then the bulldozers when to work. The upper and lower portions of the old part of the house were leveled as was their garden. Chickens, rabbits and the childrens pets were all killed. Now only 2 of their chickens remain. A 70 year old tree which shaded the home was uprooted. The bulldozers tried their best to bury all the evidence of their destruction under large piles of rubble, but the 70 year old tree was too large to hide, according to Nurredin.
When the destruction started, Nurredin quickly called and put out a massive appeal to internationals. About 50 internationals, mostly Germans, arrived. Video and photos were taken, and the Israeli soldiers then tried to confiscate the footage and destroy the evidence. Soon afterward, the Israeli authorities cut the phone lines, electricity and internet. The septic system to the house was also damaged. But because of this quick action, the new portion of the Amro house is still standing- for now. But when the soldiers left, they warned that they will be back to finish the home demolition. The Amro family now waits in fear. The children have had nightmares every night since. They fear that the army will return immediately after the Passover holiday to finish they destruction of their home.
There was no demolition order given in advance before the destruction of the Amro household. A neighbor, Obada Abdeen, also had his horse stable completely destroyed. He estimates that it will cost $40,000 to repair. A third neighbor has since received a demolition order on his home.
Link:
Standing Firm amid the Ruins: Blind Brothers Fight for Justice in Jeruslaem
- Amarantus Announces Positive Orphan Data for MANF in Retinitis Pigmentosa - August 14th, 2013 [August 14th, 2013]
- Amarantus BioScience - “Ophthalmology: MANF’s Orphan Strategy Coming into Focus in Retinitis Pigmentosa” - August 14th, 2013 [August 14th, 2013]
- RiverDogs Donate $20,000 to MUSC Storm Eye Institute - August 14th, 2013 [August 14th, 2013]
- Casino mogul Steve Wynn donates $25 million to find cure for eye disease he has - August 14th, 2013 [August 14th, 2013]
- Explaining Retinitis Pigmentosa, RP - Video - August 14th, 2013 [August 14th, 2013]
- FIRATLI CLINIC ISTANBUL Retinitis Pigmentosa HeilungTunnelBlick) - Video - August 18th, 2013 [August 18th, 2013]
- Treatment for retinitis pigmentosa - Video - August 18th, 2013 [August 18th, 2013]
- FIRATLI CLINIC ISTANBUL Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment DUTCH) - Video - August 20th, 2013 [August 20th, 2013]
- FIRATLI CLINIC AvtarEngland) A MUST WATCH FOR Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment (+Visionfieldtest) - Video - August 20th, 2013 [August 20th, 2013]
- Argus® II Retinal Prosthesis System Gets Government Funding in Both USA and Europe - August 21st, 2013 [August 21st, 2013]
- Second Sight Medical Named 2014 Technology Pioneer - September 1st, 2013 [September 1st, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa treated with acupuncture - Video - September 1st, 2013 [September 1st, 2013]
- Man Copes with Retinitis Pigmentosa - September 8th, 2013 [September 8th, 2013]
- Dompé Announces the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Has Granted Orphan Drug Designation to its rhNGF-based ... - September 11th, 2013 [September 11th, 2013]
- September is healthy aging month—keep your mind active with free talking books - September 12th, 2013 [September 12th, 2013]
- Visually-impaired educator helps guide New Caney students - September 13th, 2013 [September 13th, 2013]
- Bionic eye shines light on darkness - September 15th, 2013 [September 15th, 2013]
- Football fan’s quest helps him to savor his fading sight - September 15th, 2013 [September 15th, 2013]
- Whole DNA sequencing reveals mutations, new gene for blinding disease - September 16th, 2013 [September 16th, 2013]
- This Week in PNAS - September 17th, 2013 [September 17th, 2013]
- First Self-Powered Artificial Retina Could Allow Normal Visual Acuity and Restoration of Color Vision - September 17th, 2013 [September 17th, 2013]
- Bionic eye offers gift of sight - September 24th, 2013 [September 24th, 2013]
- Lesa Kretschmer, CEO of Florida Reading & Vision Technology Inc., Named Honorary Chair of the 2013 South Florida ... - September 26th, 2013 [September 26th, 2013]
- Blind Yuba City man: ‘I walk every day, rain or shine’ - September 30th, 2013 [September 30th, 2013]
- Sun Pharma ties up with US company to offer new treatment of ocular diseases - October 1st, 2013 [October 1st, 2013]
- Sun Pharma and Intrexon Form Joint Venture to Develop New Class of Therapeutics for Ocular Diseases - October 1st, 2013 [October 1st, 2013]
- Sun Pharma inks joint venture with Intrexon - October 2nd, 2013 [October 2nd, 2013]
- NIH Scientists Pursue New Therapies To Improve Rare Disease Drug Development - October 2nd, 2013 [October 2nd, 2013]
- New bionic eye may help restore some vision in blind - October 8th, 2013 [October 8th, 2013]
- Trio heading to B.C. to join finish of Craig Gives Back tour - October 8th, 2013 [October 8th, 2013]
- Simple urine test could help diagnose eye disease - October 9th, 2013 [October 9th, 2013]
- The Low Vision Exam: Low Vision Specialists of Maryland and Virginia #3: - Video - October 10th, 2013 [October 10th, 2013]
- Blind cyclist nearing Penticton - October 10th, 2013 [October 10th, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa: Almost normal vision after 12 months treatment - Video - October 10th, 2013 [October 10th, 2013]
- Kelly: Steve Lonegan's passion fueled by challenges - October 13th, 2013 [October 13th, 2013]
- Glasses for Macular Degeneration: Low Vision Specialists of Maryland and Virginia #5 - Video - October 13th, 2013 [October 13th, 2013]
- Simple blood or urine test to identify blinding disease - October 16th, 2013 [October 16th, 2013]
- Blind Florida running back reaches the end zone during game - October 18th, 2013 [October 18th, 2013]
- Retinal Prosthesis System: 2014 Medical Innovation No. 1 - Video - October 20th, 2013 [October 20th, 2013]
- RetroSense Therapeutics Selected by Windhover as a “Top Project to Watch: Most Licensable Product” - October 28th, 2013 [October 28th, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment - October 31st, 2013 [October 31st, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa - Genetics Home Reference - October 31st, 2013 [October 31st, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa Symptoms, Signs, Treatment, Causes, Research ... - October 31st, 2013 [October 31st, 2013]
- Foundation Fighting Blindness - What is Retinitis Pigmentosa? - October 31st, 2013 [October 31st, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa - RNIB - RNIB - supporting blind and ... - October 31st, 2013 [October 31st, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia - November 9th, 2013 [November 9th, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa - National Library of Medicine - PubMed Health - November 11th, 2013 [November 11th, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa 11-06-2013 - Video - November 13th, 2013 [November 13th, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa treatment - acunova eye acupuncture after John Boel - Video - November 14th, 2013 [November 14th, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - November 21st, 2013 [November 21st, 2013]
- Retinitis pigmentosa | University of Maryland Medical Center - November 21st, 2013 [November 21st, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa - Low Vision - November 23rd, 2013 [November 23rd, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa or RP - AllAboutVision.com - November 26th, 2013 [November 26th, 2013]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa - Video - December 9th, 2013 [December 9th, 2013]
- RP International Spreads Holiday Cheer with The Eyes of Christmas™ - December 12th, 2013 [December 12th, 2013]
- UT Dallas Materials Scientist Research Contributes to Invention Recognized by Time Magazine - December 19th, 2013 [December 19th, 2013]
- Time is short, and sight is precious, for Sydney family living under shadow of mystery disease - December 19th, 2013 [December 19th, 2013]
- Me Driving (Prt 2) - Video - December 23rd, 2013 [December 23rd, 2013]
- Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa: normal vision after 9 months - Video - December 28th, 2013 [December 28th, 2013]
- Seeing Tomorrow - Video - January 1st, 2014 [January 1st, 2014]
- Edible batteries to power pacemakers + more - January 2nd, 2014 [January 2nd, 2014]
- How to cure blindness, concussions and baldness - January 2nd, 2014 [January 2nd, 2014]
- Matthew unlocks the iPad for blind and partially-sighted - January 4th, 2014 [January 4th, 2014]
- How poor eyesight led to a great vision - January 5th, 2014 [January 5th, 2014]
- Tea Thyme in Texas fundraiser set to be held at The Overlook - January 10th, 2014 [January 10th, 2014]
- Ballard author has hope that heals - January 11th, 2014 [January 11th, 2014]
- Distance runner knows the joy of competition - January 14th, 2014 [January 14th, 2014]
- Gene Therapy Tested as a Way to Stop Blindness - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- Treatment may save thousands from blindness - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- Gene therapy gives sight back to patients due to go blind - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- Gene Therapy May Restore Sight in People With Rare Blinding Disease - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- Blind Civil Rights Attorney, Athlete To Speak At Chabad House - January 17th, 2014 [January 17th, 2014]
- Visual Field Test results 4- Medical Evidence of Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment- FIRATLI CLINIC - Video - January 20th, 2014 [January 20th, 2014]
- Gesichtsfeldtests 2- Retinitis Pigmentosa Behandlung (Retinopathia Pigmentosa) - FIRATLI KLINIK - Video - January 20th, 2014 [January 20th, 2014]
- Visual Field Test results 3-Medical Evidence of Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment- FIRATLI CLINIC - Video - January 21st, 2014 [January 21st, 2014]
- Visual Field Test Results 2- Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment- FIRATLI CLINIC - Video - January 21st, 2014 [January 21st, 2014]
- Visual field test results 1-Medical Evidence of Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment- FIRATLI CLINIC - Video - January 21st, 2014 [January 21st, 2014]
- Mass. Eye and Ear physician awarded RPB Career Development Award - January 23rd, 2014 [January 23rd, 2014]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment / Behandlung- FIRATLI CLINIC Proof( Visual Field Test) Eng subtitle! - Video - January 23rd, 2014 [January 23rd, 2014]
- Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment / Behandlung- FIRATLI CLINIC German with Eng.Subtitles - Video - January 23rd, 2014 [January 23rd, 2014]