Zuhdi

Dark‑skinned young man with a moustache who comments on lentils and workplace exploitation Zuhdi tells a humorous story about Woman’s Hour and a bomb in a paper factory. Zuhdi shares an extensive monologue about exile, various jobs, exploitation, and desire to leave the country Zuhdi loudly demands a concrete answer about war, threatens to leave the country, and vents frustration over daily denigration of Arabs. Zuhdi participates in the cafe dialogue, shows contempt toward Adil and Shahada, and later follows Adil in the streets. Zuhdi is imprisoned, isolated, and interrogated about his work in Israel and the killing of Shlomo; he reacts violently to perceived indifference. Zuhdi suffers severe constipation, receives lettuce advice, threatens friends with iron fists, watches exercises, feels head pressure, discards Midaq Alley, worries about Saadiyya, children, Hamada, and reflects on gold bracelets as prison savings, clashes with Adil's leadership Zuhdi grapples with his promise to give cigarettes to Abu Nidal, briefly resists but steals a cigarette from Israeli guards, encounters a five‑year‑old boy who claims he is his father, and joins the courtyard chant for Palestine. Zuhdi is described as having become an intellectual who now wants serious books. Zuhdi is released from prison and returns to Nablus, where he is warmly welcomed by his wife Saadiyya, children Ammar and Hamada, and neighborhood vendors. He expresses joy, plans to seek work in the west, and reflects on his desire to forget past suffering while describing the lavish reception he receives. Wounded in the shoulder, kills a soldier with a screwdriver, declares himself a "shawka" and later seizes a machine‑gun to fire Zuhdi was involved in a bus accident that resulted in the vehicle overturning in a ditch.