This Sunday marks Mother’s Day in Britain and accordingly the following story in this week’s Electronic Intifada struck a profound chord.

Handoma Wishah, also known as Umm Jaber, not only raised her own six children, but progressed to adopt approximately 40 adult men of varying Arab nationalities.

Peculiar? Perhaps.

But what if you discovered that these men were all held in an Israeli jail, often not seeing their families for years, even decades, on end?

Amidst the multitude of prisoners adopted was Samir al-Kuntar, whose release last year stoked a sizable nest of controversy.

For Umm Jaber however, all controversy disappeared when she saw him urging a female guest not to visit due to prison visitation conditions.

In her eyes, he was just another lonely, lost prisoner caught up in the endless warren that is the Israeli justice system.

The woman is quite simply remarkable and her story even more so; to choose one excerpt would be impossible, and so I shall leave you with a heartily recommended link that will guarantee a flush of utmost adoration for this true Palestinian mother.

[Original report and image by Eman Mohammed for Live from Palestine, 17 March 2009.]