Mohammed was an honor list business student at Bethlehem University. "He was calm, kind and caring," his sister said. "He never wanted to see anyone unhappy." He was known to have a rare balance in his life, between his study, social activities, and family duties.

Mohammed's father died when he was just a kid. His elder brother was killed mysteriously two years ago. At that time another of his elder brothers was arrested by the Israelis and remained in jail. Mohammed was forced to quit studying for a year to help his family with money. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, Mohammed was a strong believer in God and regularly prayed.

When Mohammed was young, his family lived in 'Aida refugee camp, where he was popular with the camp's old women for his willingness to help them carry wood, and with the cooking and cleaning.

Above: Mohammed, his mother, and a brother.

"He loved to cook," his sister-in-law said. "He used to come into the kitchen, kick us all out and make delicious dinners. The problem was he made a big mess and did not clean it up."

Mohammed's other hobby was carving olive wood and making decorations for the house.

He began his studies at Birzeit University and was active in the Environmental Committee of the Student Council. When he transfered to Bethlehem, after he worked for the year to help his family, he founded a similar comittee there. The day he died was supposed to be the day he would officially announce the foundation of this committee and its first event.

Mohammed was very helpful and responsible. Once, his mother and sister were in Jordan and when they came back they found him baking bread for his brothers. They offered to help but would not accept their help, saying that they were tired and should rest.

He loved to work in the land, pick olives, and plant fruits including a strawberry patch which he tended in the back yard of the house.

Above: Mohammed and one of his neices
in the family's olive grove.

His friends still visit his mother and eat meals with the family. He was his mother's favourite and now she considers all his friends to be "her sons."

Above: Mohammed (right), one of
his brothers, and his mother.

Mohammed's favourite member of his extended family was a niece with whom he loved to play.

On 26 September 1996, Mohammed's life was ended by an Israeli bullet in his head. He was 26 years old.

Mohammed had donated blood in the week before his death. "These days," he had said at the time, "we have nothing to give except our blood".