The Palestinian boy, whose photo of being dragged away blindfolded by dozens of Israeli soldiers has gone viral, arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday.
Fawzi al-Juneidi became the symbol of the Palestinian protests against U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after he was arrested Dec. 7 in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Accompanied by his father, Juneidi arrived in Istanbul's Ataürk Airport where he was greeted by Esenler Municipality officials, who invited the 16-year-old for a three-day event.
Speaking to official Anadolu Agency (AA) upon his arrival, Juneidi said he learned about his "fame" only after he was released from prison.
"We did not see anything in jail. They have banned all electronic devices, telephones and TVs. I did not see anything while I was there. There was only one television and there were only certain channels. We could not follow anything from those channels. Israel did it on purpose. I was only able to see my famous photo after I got out of prison," Juneidi said.
The Palestinian teen also thanked the Turkish nation and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — who is expected to receive him during the visit — for the solidarity they demonstrated.
Juneidi also said he is expected to undergo several surgeries due to the injuries he suffered from Israeli soldiers' beating.
"Hopefully, I'll get well soon. My arm and shoulder still hurt," he said.
Juneidi was released on bail by Israeli military Dec. 27 after 20 days of detention.
