Down syndrome Palestinian to be treated in Turkey

ANKARA

A young Palestinian with Down syndrome, who was detained for an hour by Israeli troops in Hebron on Dec. 10, would receive medical treatment in Turkey, the Turkish health minister said on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Mohamed al-Tawil was brought to Istanbul last Sunday with his parents with the help of the International Down Syndrome Federation (UDF), an NGO based in Turkey.

According to Turkish Health Minister Ahmet Demircan, Tawil would receive social and psychological support to overcome trauma.

"We will contact the family. Our health team will evaluate Tawil, who definitely needs support," Demircan told Anadolu Agency.

The minister said Tawil faced complex trauma, which could affect him for decades. "We have always given support [to needy Palestinians] and we will continue to do so," Demircan added.

Last Thursday, Tawil told Anadolu Agency that an Israeli soldier had handcuffed and taken him to Al-Debwaya police station despite the [Israeli] army's awareness of his condition.

"They beat me there and then left me,” Tawil said.

Photos of Tawil’s brief arrest were widely shared on Arab social media and drew widespread condemnation.

Eight hundred Israeli settlers currently live in the Old City district of Hebron, 20 percent of which is under Israeli control while the other 80 percent is controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

The incident occurred amid mounting tension across the Palestinian territories following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision last week to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent state of Palestine.

Reporting by Yesim Sert Karaaslan & Duygu Yener:Writing by Burcu Arik