"Sperm was smuggled out of prison": Wife of prisoner involved in the murder of Minister Rehavam Ze'evi gives birth to twins
Four years after their marriage, the wife of Basel al-Asmar, who has been imprisoned since 2002 for his role in the murder of former Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi, has given birth to twins. The family claims the sperm was smuggled out of prison two years ago and frozen for IVF. The photographer who documented the birth reported that the mother felt she had "defeated the prison."
Sanabel al-Ra'i, the wife of Palestinian prisoner Basel al-Asmar — who has been in custody since 2002 for his involvement in the murder of former Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi — gave birth on Saturday to twins in Qalqilya, western Samaria. According to the family, al-Ra'i became pregnant through IVF using her husband's sperm, which had been smuggled out of prison and frozen. Family members stated that the process spanned over two years and involved multiple IVF attempts before resulting in a successful pregnancy.
The birth was documented by Palestinian photographer Mohammed Nazzal. He noted that al-Ra'i, a former nurse, experienced the birth with a mix of joy for her children and sorrow that their father could not be present. According to Nazzal, she stated after the birth that she felt strong and had managed to "defeat the prison."
The couple met while al-Ra'i was visiting her brother, Shaher al-Ra'i, who had been incarcerated in Israeli prisons multiple times. They married in 2022 via power of attorney, with al-Asmar's brother signing the documents on his behalf. Al-Asmar is currently serving a life sentence plus an additional 20 years.
He was convicted for his role in the assassination of former Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi at the Hyatt Hotel in Jerusalem on October 17, 2001. According to case details, al-Asmar was a secondary member of the hit squad, tasked with securing the scene and engaging Ze'evi's security guards if necessary. The assassination was carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in retaliation for Israel's elimination of their leader, Abu Ali Mustafa.
This incident is part of a broader trend where Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences reportedly smuggle sperm out of prison to father children.
