“In 1991, I was under administrative detention in the Nakab detention center. From the inception of the center till that time, prisoners were denied their visitation rights. And under the continuous protests, the detention center administration was willing to allow visits. The administration informed prisoner representatives that the general director of the detention center, a high-ranking officer called Shalte’el, wanted to meet them.

 
 Prior to the meeting, I heard some prisoners talking in awe of Shalte’el and warning against angering him. I felt that some of them were in awe of the man. I didn’t like that; but I didn’t comment.

 The next day, the bus came to take us to Shalte’el’s meeting. During the trip, I kept thinking of his effect on the prisoners. I wanted to remove the awe from their hearts. I was determined to do something; but didn’t know what it was. I was determined to confront his should he act in any unacceptable manner.

 
 We reached the place. There was a podium about 30 cm higher than the floor with a few chairs. Two meter way from the podium there were rows of chairs for us. The heads of the detention center sections came. They were all officers in the occupation army. In addition, Shalte’el’s deputy was with the officers.

 
 The prisoner representatives sat opposite the prison officers. And I sat in the first row near the entrance of the meeting place. A few minutes later, Shalte’el entered. He was a tall man with a large frame. He gave and military salute towards the podium and motioned to the officers to get up; and they stood. He did like wise towards us. The prisoner representatives go up and I stayed seated.

 
 
 It was my first meeting with him. He came near me and asked why I didn’t stand up.

 
 I told him that I stand only to Allah and that he is not a creator. I told him that I didn’t stand for fellow human beings. Shalte’el’s deputy told me that there is a protocol that should be respected. I replied to the deputy that my religion is more worthy of respect and that I do not stand in awe of any human being. The deputy asked me, ‘what is the solution?’ and I told him that either I stay seated or I go back to the tent.

 
 Shalte’el said, ‘go back to your tent.’ And two Hamas representatives got up and left with me.

 
 
 There were 3 months left of my one-year administrative detention sentence. The punished me and the two representatives from Hamas with solitary confinement for 3 months.