Although many Al Jazeera journos have been busy mourning Mohammed Deif, I'd like to focus on just one: Yosra Aklouk.
See, her husband was both a Hamas member AND a US citizen, and his story ties directly into current debates in America on the 14th Amendment and student visas 🧵
See, her husband was both a Hamas member AND a US citizen, and his story ties directly into current debates in America on the 14th Amendment and student visas 🧵
First, here's how she eulogized Mohammed Deif:
She calls him a "victorious master" who "lives on in every idea, every revolution, every projectile, every rocket, every bullet, every soldier, every cell, every plan, every foundation, every hidden act of charity, and in the flood"
She calls him a "victorious master" who "lives on in every idea, every revolution, every projectile, every rocket, every bullet, every soldier, every cell, every plan, every foundation, every hidden act of charity, and in the flood"
Now, onto her family. This guy right here is her late husband, Osama al-Zebda.
Osama gained U.S. citizenship at birth while his father, Jamal al-Zebda—a senior Hamas member—was in the U.S. on a student visa at Virginia Tech. Yes, you read that right.
He apparently became a citizen solely due to the 14th Amendment, as his parents weren’t U.S. citizens.
He apparently became a citizen solely due to the 14th Amendment, as his parents weren’t U.S. citizens.
Here's Yosra looking on at a mural of the father-son Hamas duo
Throwing this in for good measure: Yosra is of course a big fan of Yahya Sinwar as well.
I just think it’s fascinating how Yosra and her husband’s story directly connects to ongoing U.S. policy debates—both on birthright citizenship and on granting student visas to individuals who oftentimes support terrorism (and, in some cases, are terrorists themselves).
H/T to @JoeTruzman for breaking Osama's story years ago and @theisraelfiles for alerting me about Yosra
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