Abu Izneid also suffered injuries to her face, neck, scalp, and chest from the projectile, which her flatmate has said exploded near Abu Izneid after hitting the top corner of their shared room.
Ranem Abu-Izneid sustained serious injuries to her face, neck, scalp, chest and her right eye. Credit: Supplied
“When we took a look out the window, at that moment, I felt huge, huge pressure hit my face and there was blood everywhere,” Abu Izneid said.
“I was hoping that maybe, maybe in Australia they would have been able to do something else.”
“Whenever my left eye moves, my right prosthetic eye piece moves with it, so it causes me much pain,” she said.
‘I want to know who did this’
“I was at home minding my own business on the fourth floor — it doesn’t make sense for any of this to happen.”
Last month, the Israeli Border Police told the ABC that security forces entered Abu Dis on 15 November to “rescue a citizen who was attacked there” — later clarifying its statement to say the man had left by the time they arrived.
The projectile went through the frame of Ranem Abu Izneid’s dormitory window. Source: Supplied
“Rioters at the place threw rocks and marble slates on the forces from the roofs of homes and, in that way, endangered their lives,” the Israeli Border Police statement said.
Dr Amireh Fakhouri, from the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association, said it was important for the Australian government to investigate.
Dr Amireh Fakhouri is a board member of the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association, which is facilitating Abu Izneid’s care. Credit: SBS News
“Because I do not want this happening to any other Australian citizen, or any other individual that is going about their ordinary life and has been become a victim of such incident,” she said.
‘I don’t want this to break me’
The loss of her right eye has also made her future studying dentistry more uncertain.
Ranem Abu Izneid (left) and her mother Rana (right) want the Australian government to investigate how the incident that led to Ranem’s injury happened in a non-combat zone. Credit: Tys Occhiuzzi
The 20-year-old says she still wants to finish her studies and qualify to become a dentist, but efforts to apply for universities in Australia haven’t yielded any successful outcomes as yet.
“I want to at least know that I can continue the life that I have drawn for myself and the life that I ask for.”
“I do hope that she will be able to have a future in dentistry, whether it may be an academic field as teaching dental students, or whether it’s clinical dental work.”
Ranem Abu Izneid sits in her hospital bed in Melbourne. Credit: Supplied
“I do really hope that she does get the opportunity, to assist … her career that she’s worked really hard for.”
“I came here with shrapnel lodged in my face, my chest and my neck and today after extracting my eye, I walk out of here with shrapnel still lodged in my face and my neck and my chest.”