Separating Families and Friends as a Punitive Tool The separation of Palestinian families is also used by Israel as a condition for release of Palestinian political prisoners from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem if they “agree” to relocate to the Gaza Strip. In 2011, of the 1,027 Palestinian prisoners released in a prisoner exchange agreement, Israel deported 40 prisoners to other countries and 163 were only released on the condition that they relocate to the Gaza Strip, away from their family and friends.310 Punishing Families311 Salwa’s son Ahmad was 21 years old when Israel invaded Bethlehem in 2002. Ahmad escaped into the Church of Nativity, along with another 500 people from the city. The Church was under siege by the Israeli military for more than 40 days. At the conclusion of the siege, Ahmad, along with another 28 people, was exiled to the Gaza Strip, unable to see his family or friends in the West Bank. His mother was trying to visit her son for many years and explains: “After many failed attempts to get a permit from Israel to Gaza, we were told to go through Egypt. The way to Gaza should only take 45 minutes by car, but instead, I had to cross the bridge to Jordan and then to coordinate with the Egyptians to fly from Jordan to “Al-Arish” airport in Egypt. Then, the Egyptian security forces took us to the Rafah checkpoint in order to make sure that we don't go to Sinai or somewhere else. In total I left my house in Bethlehem for 40 days, but I only spent 7 days with my son Ahmad. I spent the rest of the time traveling or waiting for the Rafah checkpoint to open.” When I went back to my house in Bethlehem, I got sick for a month because of this trip. I swore to God that I would never go to Gaza again. But, a year later, I missed my son so much and wanted to see him again. We tried to apply to get a visit permit, but I never received one again.” 310 Jillian Kestler-D’Amours, “West Bank and Gaza divided 2 0 years later”, Al Jazeera, 12 September 2013. Available at: www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/09/2013911104915200109.html 311 BADIL’s interview with Salwa Ramzi, mother of a former Palestinian prisoner forced to relocate to the Gaza Strip, “Punishing Families”, Bethlehem, August 2015 80