Over the next few days, I pieced together Mhammad’s story from a conversation among Sitti Wasfiyeh, Mama, and the neighbors. Mhammad came from a well-known family with vast land holdings, though most of it had already been confiscated by the Zionist entity—that’s how people referred to Israel, like it’ll go away if we don’t say the name. They had captured and tortured him for eight days before he finally signed a confession, typed up in Hebrew, which he couldn’t read, stating that he had been one of three men who attacked three soldiers, killing two of them. The surviving soldier hadn’t seen him during the attack, but there were other witnesses who, also under torture, confessed to seeing him near the site of the assault. He was tried in a military court and sentenced to life in prison. They said he could get a reduced sentence if he gave up his younger brother, Bilal, who had escaped to Jordan. But he maintained that his brother had nothing to do with the killings; that Bilal’s departure had been mere coincidence. In the end, he had confessed to the murder of two Israeli soldiers, blowing up a military supply warehouse a month earlier, and plotting to carry out attacks on civilians. Seven years later, they released him in a strange prisoner swap brokered by Israel’s recent darling, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. That’s when he turned up in Kuwait.

No one believed Bilal had nothing to do with that fateful day. He had been imprisoned already at fifteen for protesting a Jewish-only settlement and was gaining a reputation as a natural leader. In exile, while attending university, Bilal agitated for resistance. Israel wanted him badly. They tried and failed to assassinate or capture him. Ultimately, it was Bilal himself who offered a deal for his surrender—Mhammad’s freedom in exchange for his. To everyone’s surprise, Israel agreed. It became clear that Bilal was a bigger prize to them than most had realized. I suppose Israel knew what I would learn years later—that nothing in Mhammad’s confession was actually true.

To ensure that Israel would not rearrest his brother, Bilal demanded that Mhammad be released to the Red Cross and transferred to Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Tunisia, or any Arab nation that would have him, except Egypt, because Egypt might hand him back to Israel.

Mhammad went through several countries before landing at his aunt’s home in Kuwait. We didn’t know why. Some said it was the best place not to be rearrested after Israel got Bilal, because Kuwait was a real haven for Palestinians. Some claimed the deal meant he could never return to Palestine, and no other place would have him. Others said he was in Kuwait for a job offer. Sabah was sure he came to find a wife. “I heard his mama in Palestine is anxious to see him married,” she said.

But I know now that going from place to place is just something exiles have to do. Whatever the reason, the earth is never steady beneath our feet.