Compassionate and loving: Nabulsi through his family’s eyes
“Ibrahim used to buy my kids candy. He loves 'Rambo' potato chips, he used to buy them for himself, and sometimes we would buy them for him. His favorite meal is my mother’s Mansaf.”
Jerusalem24 – “Abu Fathi… he’s my heart and soul,” says Shahd, Ibrahim Nabulsi’s sister, to 24FM.
Abu Fathi is the nickname Palestinian fighter Ibrahim Nabulsi, who was assassinated by Israeli special forces in Nablus last Tuesday, chose for himself when he was a kid, in honor of the leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the founder of the Knights of the Night in the West Bank, Naif Abu Sharkh (Abu Fathi).
Abu Sharkh was assassinated by Israeli forces in 2004 while besieged in a house in the old city of Nablus along with his comrades from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Al-Quds Brigade, and Al-Qassam Brigade.
Nabulsi was killed in similar circumstances last Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, even as Israeli occupation forces withdrew from Nablus, the spokesman for the Israeli army announced that an Israeli special force had managed to assassinate Nabulsi.
Israeli media shared the claims, before retracting them when reports emerged in Palestinian media that Nabulsi was alive and injured. Footage distributed on social media showed Nabulsi being revived by medical staff in Rafidia hospital in Nablus, with a large crowd gathered around.
“I felt so happy when I heard that he wasn’t dead,” says Shahd.
Conflicting news reports kept Palestinians on their toes for more than an hour on Tuesday morning, as everyone was waiting to know whether Ibrahim Nabulsi was alive or dead.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health officially announced the death of Nabulsi, Palestinian fighter Islam Sbbouh, as well as 16-year-old Hussein Jamal Taha, at 10:48 AM.
The last time Shahd saw her brother was almost a month before he was assassinated. They talked, and took pictures together.
Shahd is five years older than Ibrahim. When asked about her family members, she said, “We’re three boys, one girl… Now we’re two boys and a girl.”
On the day of the assassination, Israeli occupation forces invaded the city of Nablus twice, Shahd says. “I didn’t sleep that night, I kept following up on the news.”
“The first time, they invaded the city then withdrew. The second time they did it was dawn and I was still up. Ibrahim called me 10 minutes before he was assassinated, and said ‘I love you.’ I told him that the soldiers are calling his name through speakers, and he should turn himself in. He refused and said, ‘I’m a martyr.'”
Shahd says all of this stubbornness and steadfastness was counterbalanced by a very good and compassionate man who loves kids and spending time with them.
“He used to spoil my kids too much.”
“Ibrahim used to buy my kids candy. He loves ‘Rambo’ potato chips, he used to buy them for himself, and sometimes we would buy them for him. His favorite meal is my mother’s Mansaf.”
Ibrahim’s father, Alaa, said of his son during an interview with Palestine TV:W”I had wounds in my legs… when he was a kid he asked where I got them from, I told him that I was shot by the Israeli forces… He used to kiss my wounds. Ibrahim was a compassionate young man, who kids loved.”
Ibrahim Alaa Izaat Nabulsi was born in Nablus city on 13 October 2003. Nabulsi survived at least two known assassination attempts, the latest on 24 July.
18-year-old Nabulsi was assassinated on 9 August after Israeli forces invaded the city of Nablus, and surrounded the house Nabulsi fortified himself inside with Islam Sbbouh.
Shahd says, “My beloved, God be with you, when I said goodbye, his hat smelled like musk.”
