She stood firm defending her home, and, like an Olive tree, died standing
Mariam died on Saturday evening after a lengthy argument with Israeli soldiers and border policemen who invaded Abu Dis. The argument ended with the soldiers beating her and throwing her to the ground, killing her.
Her daughter, Hiba, 21, was standing next to her when she died. She could not express her feelings in words and with her eyes filled with tears she said, “Yesterday my mother became a martyr, as she died at the hands of the occupiers. And it wasn’t enough for them to kill her in cold blood! They also barred the ambulance from reaching our home!”
“Dozens of soldiers came yesterday evening to our apartment building, supposedly in order to kidnap students of the Al Quds University who live in the same residential building we live in”, Hiba stated. “When the soldiers got to the floor where my brother lives with his wife and children, my mother told them that her daughter in law is alone at home with her kids. “Please, for God’s sake do not go in there, leave them alone, the kids will be terrified”, the mother told them.
Hiba added that the soldiers did not care to what her mother said, and one of them pushed her to the ground. Another soldier checked her vitals and said that she is still alive. At that moment, I tried to rush to the street to ask the neighbors to call for an ambulance, and they did. But while the army blocked the ambulance from arriving, the soldier told me that she was dead.”
“I was shocked, really shocked, I could not believe this is happening. Everything happened so fast, but now she is dead and there’s no bringing her back.”, the daughter added, “My mother died strong, as a martyr, but if the soldiers did not obstruct the ambulance, she would be alive now, we would have been able to save her life”.
In deep sorrow she added, “my sister Fida’, who lives in Jordan, could not say farewell to her, my mother was buried at 1 in the morning, because we did not let the soldiers take her body to Israel”.
Thousands of residents of Abu Dis, Al Sawahra and al Ezariyya (Bethany) participated in her funeral.
“We are currently in the holy month of Ramadan, so my mother spent her last days fasting and praying”, Hiba stated, saying she is glad for that fact and sure her mother is in heaven. But she added, in sorrow, “How will my days, and my life be without her?!”
She also said that the soldiers broke into their apartment building several times in recent months, conducting raids of the apartments in an attempt to kidnap Al Quds University students who live there.
Mousa Daoud, , head of the Al Makkased Charitable Society Clinic in Abu Dis, said that the body of Mariam Ayyad was brought to the hospital in a Red Crescent Society ambulance, and that the autopsy revealed that she suffered a fracture in her lower skull which also lead to brain hemorrhage.
“She was already dead by the time she got here, there was nothing that we could do to save her life”, Daoud stated, “Her skull was fractured when her head hit the ground”.
Fateh legislator, Jihad Abu Zeid, slammed the Israeli crime and said that the Israeli occupation is ongoing with its violations and crimes in direct violation of international laws and the basic principles of human rights.
“They committed this crime in Ramadan, this holy Muslim month. This latest crime has revealed the real face of the occupation and its plans to avoid achieving peace and stability in the region – this is what they are doing on the ground at the same time that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are attempting to reach a peace deal”, Abu Zeid added.
She also stated that the occupation is actively acting against any opportunity for peace in spite of the international efforts to achieve a peace deal.
She voiced an appeal to the international community and human rights groups to intervene and expose the Israeli crimes and oblige Israel to respect human rights and be committed to the international treaties and principles.
“They should oblige Israel to respect human rights, they should force Israel to stop its illegal assaults against our people”, Abu Zeid said.
Desertpeace 
Zimbabalouie said,
September 29, 2008 at 01:06
I appolgize to the Family of Maiam Ayyad and ask forgiveness as an American who pays taxes. Unfortunately there is no way I can seperate myself from the Zionist occupiers in Palestine. As long as my government funds the Zionist occupiers and I wish to remain relatively free there is little to seperate me from the Zionist occupation army that kills indiscrimately in paletine.
Neil said,
September 29, 2008 at 01:13
This is what happens when the Peacemakers get fat and lazy.
Master Technician said,
September 29, 2008 at 02:47
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The psycho responsible should be dangling from the hangman’s noose. Sad commentary. This soldier does take after Uncle Peres, the man who has more blood on his hands than any living Israeli politician. I am sure Ariel blinked his approval. Nice to see him close to the dirt nap. Fine upstanding citizens of the world.
Just read this: Forum on 1967 Israeli attack called anti-Semitic
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809280368
SUFFERN – Many Rockland residents walked out of a forum yesterday on the mistaken bombing of a U.S. spy ship more than 40 years ago, accusing the group holding the talk of fomenting anti-Semitism in a largely Jewish community just days before the start of the Jewish new year. The forum was ostensibly a discussion of the attack on the USS Liberty, which was in waters off the coast of Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. But many attending the forum said it was a thinly veiled attack on American Jews and the state of Israel. I love how they use Jews when they are cornered. Not Israeli.
An attack to cover-up war crimes committed during this war. The US host is withering on the vine and the parasitic state will soon fade away. Just like South African Apartheid.
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suraci said,
September 29, 2008 at 06:52
I saw a documentary last night with Chief UK Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. He said that Judaism is all about the family and that children are it’s primary concern. It was all very lovely and warm, filmed in an affluent leafy suburb of London on a beautiful sunny day. He interviewed Esther Rantzen and we saw a Jewish wedding with all the happy guests laughing and smiling.
Presumably Jonathan only meant Jewish families though, as clearly in places like occupied Palestine families don’t count for quite as much.
habz said,
September 29, 2008 at 13:53
suraci—im sure they dont
they keep on saying that the little boys chucking stones at them are terrorists.
Just read this story and you’ll know who th real terrorists are. sometimes i feel like hamas should be supported by normal people who are against the illegal pirate state of israel. Because i’m 110% sure, if i was in their position, i would do exactly the same.
and i’d like to add about the christian palestinian arabs, before zionists occupied, they were 20% of the population. Now they are only 2%. In fact, there are more christian palestinian arabs in sydney, that occupied palestine/illegal state of israel itself. Furthermore, the first intifada suicide bomber was christian.
^^^i found that out somewhere recently and was well surprised, because in other words, american and british tax payers, not only killed muslim palestinians, but they’r own brethren, and if not killed, left them without homes and forced them to emigrate.
continued…
habz said,
September 29, 2008 at 13:54
Even if you go onto one of those holy pilgirmages to bethleham and elsewhere , the visa laws are very strict. when the muslims ruled, jews and christians alike were allowed to go to their holy places freely.