Category Archives: World News

The irony in Jerusalem; Trying to catch up on the journeys that were left unfinished, stories that were left half told. We cannot breath the same air without understanding those who breathed it just before us.

Posted on by
Reply

Walking on the face of the earth. Starting our own journey yet continuing the journey of many before us. Trying to catch up on the journeys that were left unfinished, stories that were left half told. We cannot breathe the same air without understanding those who breathed it just before us. It looks like a cycle with people walking around it, only with different haircuts and uniforms. We try to ask for details but they give us what they remember and continue with their own journey, we walk upon the streets over the footprints of those who walked before us as we wonder about the stomps of their feet, we look into the old houses, trying to study the architecture, the choice of art and geometry used, hoping they can tell us a little bit more about the taste of their time, and the style of their hearts. Just like a puzzle, and we are part of this puzzle, we either try to fit the right pieces together or we just become a new piece piled up on top of all the other pieces.

So don’t wonder, when you see us walking with wide eyes questioning the earth that our ancestors walked over. Building upon the patterns that were left yet before them forming a culture filled with art and literature. Memories make stories; stories make tales, those tales that are told to us to help create our future. We cannot be who we truly are without understanding where we come from. Our creativity yearns towards the art that was once created before us and about us. Parents dream about their children and they work to create a life filled with security and love for their protection. This work of art is what makes a difference in our lives. Appreciating the past and looking forward to the future.

Palestinians today are victims, limited from their freedom of walking upon the earth that their ancestors walked over and built. Limited to learn about their stories and history, limited from walking their own homes and gardens, limited from reading their old books and writings. How can we stop fighting? We fight to learn about our own selves and about our past. How can you not wonder about yours? You came from somewhere other than here. Your ancestors came from somewhere other than here; they are what make you yourself. Have you no wonders? Have you no interest in self-search and self-discovery? Have you no interest in what makes your creativity a unique one? We have our interest of our own history and culture. We cannot be limited from our own curiosity and freedom of being human. So let us all dance wherever we want to dance, let you and I all live the life we look forward to living.

So here I am in Jerusalem, as I search and discover, as I walk between the old streets and houses, wishing everyone else gets the chance to do the very same. I walked between old city of Jerusalem, head towards my mosque, my temple to pray for the freedom of peace for humanity, I walked to read history on the tiles of the ground, I walked to see stories on the walls. I walked from the east side to the west side, and back to the east side. From the east side I walked towards Mamilla Avenue, outside through the streets towards the YMCA, I walked inside to watch its stunning architecture then headed towards the King David Hotel, I read signs and looked at photographs hang on the walls, then headed towards the traces of the first train station in Jerusalem, it is located between the east side of the Old City and the west side of the German Colony “they once were like one”, walked over the old track of the train, into what used to be the ticket station and what today is a small restaurant, walked the Bethlehem road, and walked the Hebron road, I walked the German Colony ,towards the Baka neighborhood, where you will see the most ancient and authentic houses that tell all the tales from just staring at the windows, I walked back towards Yafa street, and visited homes to discover the oldest maps of Palestine and Jerusalem, I walked back towards the old city again into the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, cried my eyes out of injustice, and went straight to Al Buraq Wall or what is known as the Western Wall.

If only we are all free to move back and forth from the west side of Jerusalem to the East side, how beautiful life would be if I felt safe around my own neighbor, how beautiful life would be if we stop teaching our sons to hate and instead teach them to love. Jerusalem is an adventure, an experience of irony, an experience of life, an experience of faith. Jerusalem can be our hope, if the people decide to really open their eyes and see.

Jerusalem cut in half
Ironic Jerusalem

Which side of Jerusalem do you know ? Part 1

Posted on by
Reply

From my visit in the summer, around May 16 2015,

I titled this post as “Which side of Jerusalem do you know?” because Jerusalem has been split into 2 sides, unfortunately. If you ask why? Then I will answer you to ask the Israelis, ask the Jews in Jerusalem. Ask them: Why is Jerusalem split into half?

But then I will advice you, to ask the Palestinians right after. Ask the Palestinians why is Jerusalem divided into half? Ask them how do they feel about it? Ask them how much do they have freedom living in the city of Jerusalem? Ask them how safe is it to move around from the East side of Jerusalem into the West side of Jerusalem?

It sounds crazy. When I first learned about this whole city split into two, the Jews on one side and the Palestinians “Arabs” on the other, I went crazy. I said people are crazy, power is evil, money is complete devil. This can not be real. But, it is.

The east side of Jerusalem; is where the Palestinians live. It is where the old city is, where the Arabs live, the Arabs of Jerusalem, although those Arabs are Palestinians, but of course we have to follow what the state of Israel like to refer them to. You might think the Palestinians are living in complete freedom, peace, and serenity, but of course not. They must be threatened every day. The State of Israel wants all of Jerusalem. So imagine what sort of life the Palestinians are living. Feeling safe only in half side of the city, being watched by Israeli armed men, being chased by Jewish boys, and being chanted at “prayers of death” into their faces.

And so what is in West of Jerusalem? Why do they still want the East side of Jerusalem? Isn’t the most beautiful authentic, houses in the west side? Didn’t the richest of Jerusalem live in the west? What happened to the West side of Jerusalem? It was taken by force like the rest of Palestine. Palestinians who lived in the West side before the 1948, lost their homes, their right of return, and their freedom to even visit where they were once born, where their ancestors lived. I will be sharing photos from the west side of Jerusalem in my next post.

But today, and here, I have shared photos from the border. You will notice the wall, and at the end of the album, you will notice a sign that is between Ramallah and Jerusalem, stating that if you enter the West Bank area, where the Palestinians live, then you are in danger. Sounds ridiculous, but hilarious to the Palestinians. Dangerous? Why? What are Palestinians? Last I checked, I am one. Why am I dangerous? Am not sure again. Politics create terror, they create racism, they create hate, they create violence, and then we follow them and call ourselves Israelis! Proud to be a racist? or Proud to be a creator of terror?

I have also shared a lot of the architecture in Jerusalem. Arabian. Authentic, Historic. Arabesque. Ottoman. Jerusalem is Arabic. You can never change culture. You can never change history. Jerusalem is Arabian. I shared photos of architecture and dates that date back to way before the 1948. Streets names that are all in Arabic. And the architecture, the architecture speaks it all. It speaks the truth, reality. How can the bricks lie to us? Until when will the Jewish immigrants live in lies? When the Palestinians are only asking you to live in Peace?

I then shared photos from the Wind Mill Street. It is a very wealthy Jewish quarter as well. Jewish Israelis living in Arabian houses. Authentic beautiful Arabian houses. If they say they have been living there from before the 1948, then they must be Jewish Palestinian, and if not, then those houses must belong to Palestinians who were evacuated by force somewhere else. Do they never wonder? Or question? Dream? Or think for a moment or two? I am sure they do, just for a moment and then they would wash that thought away. How can they live with the ugly truth. But I keep my slight thread of hope. I keep it and I share it with the Jews and the Palestinians I know, and I pray that one day, humanity will be back into all our hearts, and we find away to fight the terrorist state and bring peace to the people of the land.

My last day in Haifa… آخر يوم الي في حيفا

Posted on by
2

May 12, 2015

My trip is about to end, I have a week left and I feel like I still haven’t seen anything. I decided to spend few more days in Haifa to really get my eyes enough of it. I must admit that Haifa is one of my very favorite cities in Palestine.

This side of the world feels like a dream. People refer to it differently now a days… Palestine, the occupied areas, the 1948 areas, Israel. Palestinians who live here are living the real occupation. It feels like living on a land that is literally raped. All the architecture and the houses are so Arabic, Oriental , Arabesque, it screams the Arabian culture, with Arabic calligraphy, and design that dates back to the 1800’s, yet you see Israeli flags decorated around the entrance, and Europeans coming out of the door. Europeans and Americans who refer to themselves as Jewish Israelis and when they see the Palestinians, they are only known as the Arabs.

I find it hilarious how inside the occupied areas you are either a Jew or an Arab. When all the Jews are from all over the world, and all the Arabs are Palestinian. I also find it hilarious how the Jews go by their religion for being Jewish, and the Arabs can be of any religion except Jewish. For all Jewish Arabs are no longer Arabs but are only refereed to as Jews. And what is wrong with being a Jewish Arab? or A Palestinian Jew? Too much of a privilege to the Jews or to the Arabs?

Since when is freedom jailed. Freedom to express who you truly are? Since when are all the Palestinians only Arabs? Since when is being Jewish a nationality? I last checked it was a religion. Since when have the Palestinians lost their identity and freedom to express that they are Palestinians? It is like telling a little boy, “don’t tell them your real name, or they will find out what we did to you, and then we will have to kick you out of your home again like we have kicked your parents”.

And how much do you know about the Palestinians? They are Arabs from the Middle East living in a land that has been chopped up into many little scattered Israeli settlements. Practicing any religion, with the churches and the mosques lined one next to the other, even the synagogue were once lined next to them before their own people decided to isolate them and conquer. The Palestinians, both Christian popes and Muslim sheikhs walk side by side as they go to pray. The Palestinians, who make hummus for breakfast and mjadara for lunch and shakshuka for dinner. They listen to the sound of Arabian oud, and they smoke shesha during their free time. They are known to have great farmers, love everything organic and self-made, from olive trees, to cactus, fig and roses. Small carriages of ka’ek and zaatar, turkish coffee and tea with mint and lots of sugar. They love to play chess and bargees, welcoming every stranger and guest as they pass them by, friendly is within their nature. Warmth and security is what they like to transmit from their energy. And this is all just a glimpse of the Palestinians.

But today, what have the Israelis done to our Palestine? And what are they continuing to do? And how long will the world allow them to? When will it end?

Visiting Haifa
I am Palestinian

My visit to unfamiliar parts and life of the occupied territories of Palestine “Northern Israel” | زيارتي إلى مناطق الشمال من فلسطين المحتلة وتعرفي على ما نجهله عن فلسطينية ١٩٤٨

Posted on by
2

May 8th 2015,

This is a visit that changed my whole perspective upon persistence, hope and the Palestinians in the 1948 occupied territories.

Have you ever heard of a village in Al Jallil “Galilee” region called Iqret or Iqreth? Well let me tell you a little bit more on Iqret. Iqret is a one of the villages that was occupied by Israel along with many more in 1948. It was a Christian village, at the very northern part of Palestine, close to Akka “Acre” border of Lebanon, and all the villagers were forced to leave out like most Palestinians experienced during the occupation by Israel. Most of whom left to Lebanon and other villages in Palestine. In 1951, the villagers of Iqret went to the Israeli supreme court to plead their return back to their village. They won the case. But of-course, the Israeli military government was not happy about it and found a new way to prevent the villagers from returning. On Christmas day in 1951, the IDF “Israeli Defense Forces” entered the village and blew up one house after the other. The worst part is, the Israeli forces have asked the villagers of Iqret who were scattered around, sleeping over neighboring villages, to attend the act of terror and destroying of their village from a far away hill that overlooked Iqret as a christmas gift for them.

Believe it or not there is a beautiful side to the story, the side that made me look at life differently, now of course the Israelis as usual, built settlements around Iqret. Today, if you visit Iqret you will find the only building standing “a catholic church”. You will also find 5 heroic guys who have decided 4 years ago to take their belongings and reside in Iqret. In a place where there is nothing other than a church and a view that over looks both Palestine and Lebanon. Those men have left their jobs to find work near by. They take turns to supervise the empty village to avoid Israeli army from sneaking in and taking all their belongings, which has previously happened. And what are their belongings? Their necessities. Bed sheets, clothing, food, heaters, they built their own showers and toilette. They plant their own trees and plants. This place is a must visit, and these Palestinian men who decided to just move there without anything, must be supported, and taken as an example and idols. They have inspired me, and moved me, and I believe that one day, with more people like them, Palestine will be free again.

Coincidentally, I received a message yesterday from a friend who informed me that Iqret was attacked yesterday by the IDF Israeli forces to collect all their belongings to help evacuate them back out. They ruined and removed their plants and trees, they broke their accessories, kitchen plates and glasses, they took away mattresses and chairs from both their rooms and church. Feel free to visit their facebook page to show them support, read more on this, visit them or join them and support their rights and the rights of all the Palestinian to return.

In my album below, you will find photos not only of Iqret, but of our visit to Al-Basa, which today in hebrew is known as Betzet. And this is yet another village that has witnessed the evil doing of Israeli forces. Villagers were killed inside churches and on the streets to help evacuate all the villagers back in 1948. Look up Operation Ben-Ami. The village was also completely destroyed with only few buildings left to see today. A church, a mosque and the mokhtars house.

We then ended our life changing trip in Az-Zeeb, which is by the sea and is very poetic. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to tour around inside, but this village today is known as Sa’ar and Gasher HaZiv. The only standing buildings again are a Mosque that has been restored for tourism, and the Mukhtars house, turned into a museum.

And this is how you get to see Israel from the Palestinians. Hope you all visit and you all find people who can tell you the real stories behind all the ruins and remains. It will change your whole perspective upon life. Thanks to my friends ” Adam & Tarek” whom helped me around. You can check out Tarek Bakri’s Facebook page for more on the history behind Palestine/Israel.

Also visit Haifa, Jaffa, Nablus, Jerusalem.

في قرية بفلسطين باسم إقرث. وهي القرية بس إتعرفت عليها وعلى قصتها غيرتلي كل حياتي. هي وحدة من القرى اللي طبعاً تهجرت زي الباقي، موقعها على حدود لبنان شمال فلسطين في ضواحي الجليل، هجّروا أهلها بسنة ١٩٤٨. بس اللي بميزها هو إنو أهل القرية أخدوا القضية للمحكمة الإسرائيلية بسنة ١٩٥١ و ربحوا أهل القرية القضية للعودة الى بيوتهم في إقرث، لكن الحكومة العسكرية الإسرائيلية ما عجبها، فراحت أخدت قرار بيوم عيد الميلاد المجيد سنة ١٩٥١ إنهم يفوتوا و يفجروا بيوت إقرث واحد ورا الثاني. و كانوا باعتين لأهالي القرية إنهم يحضروا التدمير من التلة اللي بتطل عليها، هدية عيد الميلاد.

شباب إقرث اليوم مثال أعلى لكل شخص فلسطيني. فيهم أكم من شاب و شابة أخذوا القرار إنهم يرجعوا على أرض إقرث عام ٢٠١٢. اللي بس ضل فيها كنيسة على أرضها. و زي ما بيقولوا: “نكبة ولا مش نكبة، قرار تقسيم ولا مش قرار تقسيم، مع موافقة إسرائيل أو بدونها… إحنا رجعنا” و فعلاً هم رجعوا “مجموعة من الشبيبة، أبناء وبنات قرية إقرث المهجرة، إتخذنا قرار… قرارنا عودتنا، قرارنا حياتنا، وتحقيقها وتطبيقها- أرضاً وواقع. وبالفعل، أبناء وبنات قرية إقرث متواجدين على أرض الأجداد إبتداءً  من 5.8.2012 وحتى هذه اللحظة يحرسون، يصونون، يرممون، يزرعون، ويعيشون على أرض إقرث كي يهيئوا عودة كاملة بكافة تراب الوطن، لتصبح إقرث أول قرية فلسطينة تحقق قرار العوده إن شاء من شاء وإن أبى من أبى”

وللصدفة وأنا عم بكتب هالمقال، وصلني الخبر التالي: “موظفو دائرة أراضي إسرائيل برفقة قوة من الشرطة صباح اليوم الإثنين في قرية إقرث المهجرة، قامت القوات بتخريب واقتلاع الأشجار وتحطيم الأواني المنزلية ومصادرة بعض الممتلكات مثل الكراسي والفرشات ومقاعد الكنيسة”. هدول شباب مناضلين، فلسطنية بعلمونا الإصرار وبنموا الحب و الإنتماء لفلسطين. كان نفسي أترك حياتي وأنضم إلهم، وإن شاء الله أقدر أساهم بنصف اللي عم يعملوا. تواصلوا معهم عبر الفيسبوك، شجعوهم، وساهموا معهم أو بس زوروهم. حب فلسطين حب غير عادي.

أما باقي صوري، فهي تكملة رحلتي إلى قريةالبصة، اللي كمان قصتها بتجرح القلب، لإنها لا تصدق. وأهلها كلهم مهجرين. و العصابات الصهيونية الإسرائيلية قامت بقتل أهل البلد في الكنيسة و الشوارع العامة عام ١٩٤٨. اليوم يوجد كنيسة، مسجد و بيت المختار كآثار.

أما آخر محطة كانت في قرية الزيب المهجرة أيضاً. فجمالها على البحر، لكن جرحها في المسجد المرمم ليكون معلم سياحي محتل. أما بيت المختار فهو متحف. للأسف، ما استطعنا إنو نشوفها مزبوط، لكن إن شاء الله رح أرجع و كلنا رح نرجع لأراضينا، الأراضي الفلسطينية العربية.

شكرا لاصدقاءي الي عرفوني على هل مناطق من فلسطين “آدم و طارق” و فيكم تزوروا صفحت طارق عبر الفيسبوك لتتعرفوا اكثر عن المعالم الجميلة لفلسطين.

زوروا ايضا حيفا، يافا، نابلس، القدس.

“صامدون هنا .. قرب هذا الدمار العظيم”
– محمود درويش

Morning Diary: Visiting Hebron | اليوم الثالث عشر: زيارتي إلى الخليل

Posted on by
1

May 4th 2015,

Politics: Do you really want to know what is going on in Palestine? Then head to Hebron. As soon as you can, go, visit, and see with your own eyes. A city that screams constraint. It is located in the West Bank supposedly under the umbrella of the State of Palestine which no one recognizes yet, and is surrounded and is under complete supervision by the Israeli army. Yes, this city is supposed to be free from the Israelis, but every corner I walked in, every street I visited, there he was, an armed Israeli man standing closing one area or another, and if there was no Israeli armed person then just look above your head and there it is, a moving video camera that covers the whole city.

Imagine. Imagine yourself living under complete control of a state that denies your recognition even. Hebron is aching. Hebron is locked up and is wrapped in iron wires. The old streets of Hebron is filled with elderly men who wake up every morning to go to work. Most of them have a very upset frown look that is hard to break. They are living in their own little supervised jail. Every move they make is watched, every word they say is heard, and every breath they take is counted.

Israeli Jewish families are settling there. They burn houses, and literally kick people out of their homes, to live there in between all the Palestinians. And you can not say a word. If you speak, complain, or try to go back to your house, you are taken to jail. It is horrific.

Culture: Besides the Politics, Hebron is a gem. It is filled with culture. You find hope in between all the agony. You find a way to bring the frowns into a little bit of laughter. You see the Palestinian flag everywhere, along with few Israeli flags here and there. Like a flag fight. This piece is mine and this piece is yours. Ridiculous. You will find everything that has to do with the Arabian culture and Art, from the food, to embroidery, wardrobe, carpet, coffee shops, pottery, turkish delight, ceramics, glass art, Islamic art and much more.

People are very friendly, you feel protected, even though you feel watched everywhere you go, but you still feel protected by the people who are living every day as it comes. They live today, they have no expectations or even a thrill to know about what tomorrow will bring. The thrill is gone, because the chances are what is coming is another tragic story of a new house being occupied, or a new street being closed, or a new Palestinian child being killed.

Yes. If only, we can free Hebron from the Israeli army. If only we can free Palestine from the Israeli army. What a wonderful world it will be. To each his own life, his own freedom, and his drive to live for tomorrow.

Visit: When you head to Hebron, visit the Ibrahim Mosque or what is also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs. It is split into two. The Muslims can enter the Muslim side, and the Jewish can enter the Jewish side. It is a mosque for God’s sake, a mosque which is a temple made for Muslims to go and pray in. But because some of the Prophets were buried under the mosque, and some of the prophets were Jewish, the Israel State thinks they have the right to split it in half and deny entry to any Muslim into the Jewish side of the mosque. The Muslims cherish all prophets, Muslims or non. To the Muslims, Jewish prophets are as holly as any other prophet. And I have no idea why the Jews feel the need to occupy any area that has a Jew buried in. Do they know how many Muslims & Christians are buried all throughout Palestine, both occupied areas by Israel or the West Bank. Or is this not so important?

Also ask about the glass company in Hebron, where they make glass and pottery and decorate them to sell all across Palestine. A beautiful experience to go watch and learn and maybe try to make your own. You can also ask for a customized one made just for you.

I tried to be positive as much as I can in this post, but it is just very hard not to share what the eyes see and what the heart feels. And in such situations, words are never enough. It is hard to find the right words to express. So since I am sharing this post during the Holly month of Ramadan, then let us dedicate some of our prayers today and everyday to the people living in Hebron, to the people living in Palestine, to all the people around the world who are still living under occupation, racism, and are limited from freedom. Let us pray that the good in this world outcomes the bad, that the good is much stronger than the evil, for the good to grow in big numbers and help free this world from the power of selfishness.

زيارتي إلى الخليل كانت من أصعب الرحلات في فلسطين. فالخليل تحت الاحتلال مع إنها تعتبر تحت حمية السلطة الفلسطنية. وللأسف في زيارتي شفت الاحتلال في الخليل واضح بكل مكان. ففي كل زقاق و كل شارع يوجد جندي عسكري إسرائيلي يمنعك من الدخول إلى مناطق أو شوارع معينة. وإذا ما في جندي، ففي كاميرا تصوير فوق راسك بتذكرك بالاحتلال.

وهادا إشي مؤسف لإنو الخليل بتجنن، جمالها رائع وأصوله عربية فبتلاقي التراث العربي واضح فيها. البلد القديمة جميلة جداً. الناس اللي من الخليل قلبهم صافي ومتعاونين. اليأس و الغضب واضح على وجوههم، بس اذا بتحاول تمزح معهم بتفاعلوا معك وبعبروا عن سعادتهم. الحياة فعلاً صعبة بالخليل، و الناس معنوياتها تعبانة و همه بحاجة لوجودنا ودعمنا واهتمامنا.

زيارة الخليل ما بتكمل من غير زيارة المسجد الإبراهيمي، اللي اليوم مقسوم إلى قسمين، قسم لليهود و قسم للمسلمين. العنصرية ضد الإسلام واضحة جداً، فأول سؤال بيسأله الجندي “إنت مسلم؟” قبل أي شي و في أي مكان بتلتقي فيهم. و بس تجاوب إنك مسلم بمنعوك تمر أو تفوت المناطق اللي مسكرينها عن المسلمين لأنو عايشين فيها يهود فطبعاً هم تحت الحماية المسلحة. إذا كنت مسيحي، فتاني سؤال بكون “من وين؟” و إذا كنت عربي فبتصير زيك زي المسلم.

غريبة الحياة مرات لما الواحد بمر بمواقف ما عمره فكر إنها ممكن تصير. و الأغرب من هيك، إنك تتخيل الناس اللي عايشة هيك، تحت الذل و الاحتلال و العنصرية. و اللي كتير مؤلم، هو إنك تعرف صلتك في للشخص اللي بمر بالمعاناة، إن كان قريب إلك أو من نفس الديانة أو الدولة أو الجنسية أو المجتمع. أو إذا كنت إنت شخص إنساني، فبكل إنسان بتلاقي صلة الإنسانية اللي بتربطه فيك. فليش خلفيته أو ديانته بتفرق معك؟

بس تيجوا عالخليل لازم تمرقوا على مصنع الزجاج، و الفخار. فالخليل معروفة بشهرتها بالفن والشغل اليدوي اللي فيها. و ممكن تشكلوا فخار او زجاج خاص فيكم. زيارة الخليل مؤلمة لكن جمالها بخليك تحس بمدى الألم اللي فلسطين بتمر فيه.

أنا حاولت ما أكون كتير سلبية، بس صعب ما أكتب اللي شفتو واللي شعرت في. إحنا هلأ بأيام فضيلة من أيام رمضان المبارك فخلينا نتذكر أهل الخليل في صلاتنا، وأهل فلسطين، و نتذكر كل الناس اللي لسه لليوم بعانوا من العنصرية و عدم الحرية في أي مكان بالعالم. و ندعي انو الله يقوي الناس اللي بدهم الخير، وتزيد أعداد أهل الخير عن الناس اللي بدها الشر، ونطلب إنو الله يساعدنا و يساعد الناس إنها تميز بين الغلط و الصح والخير والشر.

Visiting Hebron


Ask about me. إسأل عني

Posted on by
1

Your morning is my morning only if you ask about me or express a loving expression. Here we are in the lands of Palestine being mistreated by occupiers who claim that this is their land. We have no power, no army, & without an established leadership. We don’t mind them living with us but they mind us living in the lands of our ancestors. They came yesterday, we were always here.

Ask about me. Even if you are so very far away from me… You give me positive energy, you remind me of hope, love and unity. Ask about me… If you are a Palestinian inside Palestine, in the occupied territories or in the semi occupied “known as the West Bank” surrounded by settlers from all angles… Ask about me if you’re in Jordan, Lebanon or Syria … ask about me if your anywhere far around the World … If you are a Palestinian or not… Just ask about me… We are the people of the land but today we have no land & we are being discriminated, living a tough life.

Am a oldman, about 90 years old living in Hebron & I am being mistreated for being a Palestinian Arab, am not welcomed to walk by our Mediterranean sea, RedSea or DeadSea, nor am I allowed to go pray in AlAqsa nor in the Holly Sepulcher that is just right about half an hour drive from here to Jerusalem – so I ask you to please just ask about me. The Palestinian old man or woman who have witnessed the life before the 1948, when the Jews were migrating & we were more than welcoming, when the Jews fought the British & we had no idea that all they wanted to do was to create a Jewish State of Israel in the lands of Palestine; were we all used to live together in peace, practicing all kinds of Religion.

Ask about me who witnessed half or more of our population get evacuated from the massacres & the terror they have brought to our lives & they kicked out the people in Yafa & Haifa without a choice of surviving the one-sided war they brought into us. Ask about me, who held on to the land & is now suffering unjustly. Racism is all over we are being treated like savages, and you will never know until you ask about me.

For a Free Palestine a Self Portrait taken in Hebron.

إسأل عني اليوم الصبح او بكرة. إسأل عن الزلمة او المرآه الي لساتهم على وجه الاراضي الفلسطنية المحتلة. عم بعملونا بأسوة و حرمان و نحنا لساتنا متمسكين بأراضينا. الي هيه ارضي و ارضك من غير قيادة او جيش لتحميها و ما في حادا عارف كيف يحريرها. إسأل عني الي عشيت مع كل الاجناس و الديانات و كنا عايشين، انا ما كان عندي مشكلة بوجود اليهود بس هومة كان عندهم مشكلة بوجودنا الي هوه وجود اجداد اجدادي و هومة ما صرلهم يومين هون و بسموها اراضيهم و مانعين عنا الحرية في اراضينا.

إسأل عني، وين ما كنت. بأراضي فليسطين المحتلة او شبه محتله، ما يتاسما في الشامل، المثلث او الضفة بس إسأل عني. ازا كنت بل أردن، ب لبنان، او سوريا، إسأل عني. ازا كنت فلسطيني او لأ اي مكان بل عالم حاتا، فإسأل عني. حسسني بوجودك، بأني بخطر على بالك، بس إسأل عني. رجعلي شعور الأمل، الحب و الوطنية. نحنا أهل هل أرض بس عايشن بلا أرض و العنصرية علينا على أرضنا نحنا و ما حادا داري بمشاعرنا و معاناتنا.

انا زلمة ختيار بيجي عمري شي ٩٠سنة، من الخليل و بتعزب لأني فلسطيني و عربي. لا بأدر ازور بحرنا المتوسط ولا الأحمر، و لا البحر الميت ولا بأدر اروح اصلي بل أقصى ولا بكنيسة القبامة الي ما بيجو ابو نص ساعا سواقة من الخليل للقدس.

إسأل عني… انا الختيار او هل ختيارة الي عشنا قبل ١٩٤٨ و شفنا اليهود و هما بهاجروا عبلادنا، و الله انو استقبلناهم و اهلنا فيهم و رحبنا، ما كان عنا ادنا فكرة انو رح يهاجموا البريطان و يهاجموا اهل هل بلد الفلسطنية، من مجازر، لا تفجيرات، طرادوا اهل يافا و حيفا من بيوتهم بل غصب. لو قرارهم كان يتمسكوا لو حاتا بل موت، طارادوهم خصبن عنهم. و اليوم ازا بتسأل اليهود ف بقلولك همه هربوا هريبة، بس هيني انا بل خليل و حياتي جحيم. العنصرية كتيرة و الحياة ابدن مش سهلة و انت ما عمرك رح تفهم او تعرف الا ازا بتلحأني ابل ما اموت و بتسأل عني.

لأرض بلا شعب، و شعب بلا أرض… لفلسطين حرة، صورت ختيار في الخليل.

What is behind the beautiful designs of Cecilie Copenhagen and the Palestinian Keffiyeh? شماغ فلسطين في الدينمارك

Posted on by
1

Cecilie Copenhagen Shmakh Hatta كوفية حَطّة شماغAs I stumbled upon Cecilie Copenhagen on instagram, I immediately fell in lover with her designs. I also then started wondering, if there is a message behind her collection? But I didn’t find any messages. The only message I concluded that the designer behind this collection just fell in love with the fabric, that to most of the Arabs is very political.

And since am an Arab, I must admit my attached relationship to this fabric, that we refer to as “kufiya الكوفة, shemagh شماغ, or Hattah حَطّة”. This fabric means so much more than just a scarf, it is a statement. To me, it is a remembrance of my love and belonging to a home that I am not allowed to refer to freely, as my home. It also gives me a sense of unity, to every and to each person that carries or wears this scarf around themselves. This fabric is a connection, it is the dream for unity, human nation equality, for eternal world-wide peace and love.

(Photos belong to Cecilie Copenhagen.)

To Arabs, this is a fabric used as a scarf for protection against sunburn, cold wind, dust and sand. It comes in different colors, but mainly black & white or red & white. To Palestinians, the black & white scarf grew to become a symbol, a national fabric, a political message worn to most protests and events. It is a statement of Palestinians rights to return home, Palestinians right to full human rights, and the recognition of Palestine, the land that has been occupied and terrorized since 1948.

(Photos are from google and are not related to Cecilie Copenhagen Collection.)

This fabric has been recently used by many designers, Arabs and non Arabs, who tried to create a trend, a fashionable statement in combination with its political symbol. But I must admit, that the designs of Cecilie Jorgensen who is behind Cecilie Copenhagen that claims to have nothing to do with politics and yet has everything to do with fashion; are just beautiful.

(Photos belong to Cecilie Copenhagen.)

I personally can’t wait to see what is next and I can’t wait to order from her website Cecilie Copenhagen or from Browns Fashion. You can read more on Cecilie Copenhagen from the following blog posts: Rich Girls, Rosy Cheeks, Sage and Clare, and Cover.

Cecilie Copenhagen

In the name of Muath… We should not give in to ISIS.

Posted on by
2

I don’t like to believe the media, or how it puts the news and try to deliver it. I don’t like to show the world that we can easily be followers, I don’t like to mix facts with what is difficult to prove. I believe no one in this world has the right to torture or take away the life of someone else. I believe ISIS are calling out for our attention, want us to share the video that was video tapped and shared by them, want us to circulate the horrific images between each other in their name to attract more attention and popularity for them. They want us to stop what we are doing, what ever it is, and give them our full attention, awareness, time and energy. They want us to sit and talk about them, what they are doing with a frown in our face and an energy below zero.

But then what? How will ISIS win? By us doing absolutely nothing? By hiding? Or by waiting for what is going to happen next? We can’t just sit and watch, applause or react without even knowing the basics of their own existence. We all feel sorry and upset for the death of Muath, Charlie, Kenji, we feel sorry and upset for all the Palestinians dying every day since 1948, the Iraqis, the Syrians, the Nigerians, the Americans, the Europeans, for anyone and everyone that is being murdered or killed. Most of us, most of human beings who do not care about power and money to the extent of killing one another for it, do not agree with what is happening to the world today and everyday since the beginning of humanity. The same people who agree to be against the violence in the world of today all agree to want to live in peace with their neighbors and all around. So who are we fighting?

Are they even reading or listening to what we have to say? We must work on ourselves, by ourselves, together unite, and fight this corruption with our own education and moving forward in life and spreading awareness and focus on the solution that must include being positive, spreading love and learning about peace. Let us together create the peace we wish to see between us, this is how we should fight, we should fight by going on, by growing stronger, not in violence and weapons, but grow in more peace, and love, learning better and newer ways to spread the right words, the right positive ways of living and create a safer and a more educated environment for the upcoming generations.

Don’t give in, is the strategy. Be aware of their existence but don’t assume you understand who they are, and don’t give them the power of your own energy and time. May all our victims who are dead rest in peace, and all the victims who are alive to be aware and work together for peace.

Wadi Rum WadiRum Jordan VisitJordan Camels Sand Bedouin Tea Camp Hike Mountain Blog TravelBlogFor Wadi Rum Click Here. 

What about Human Rights? A post on the real world behind one of the Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan.

Posted on by
2

Gaza-Refugee-Camp-Portrair-Green-Eyes-1
It was a Saturday, one freezing Saturday, rained half of the day, I was in a car with 3 people, followed by another car and a small truck. We drove into a rustic area, filled with mud, and it looked so squishy and pale. A place that screams out poverty, as sadness walks into our hearts. We parked our cars and started walking towards a blue door, a United Nations school, as we walked into the school, I saw simple drawings on the walls but the drawings felt lifeless. I tried my best to keep my thoughts inside my head and be patient to see and learn more about this place. We were welcomed by a very sweet lady that had the hijab on and worked for the PCRF, she warmly welcomed us and seated us, and another 2 men walked into the meeting room as they all started to tell us about the camp and the unjust and unfair living situation. With every word that came out of their lips, they managed to yet keep a positive energy around them, words of hope and wisdom. They sarcastically spoke about the basic human rights that they are unfortunate to, they are so hopeless yet have accepted their conditions and living standards and continue to “silently” demand the respect of simply being human. They spoke about the discrimination towards them and what they encounter in their daily lives as refugees living in refugee camps “of-course not by choice” and are not entitled to any nationality and have no rights to own a passport “also not by choice”. As they were speaking, I drifted in terrified wonder, I suddenly realized that I can no longer feel my nose for it felt frozen, and so I started gazing with my eyes wide open at the people who came with me if any of them seemed to be experiencing the same cold. I then noticed the smoke coming out of their mouth while they spoke. It was freezing in there.

I then started to hear voices of children, running around, and playing, sounds of laughter, and answers to questions, I started to think about what could the reasons be to have a United Nations school function in the cold with no heat. I started to question myself about who would be responsible for this school? Is it just an architecture with no supervision? Are schools supposed to be mandatory warm when it is cold outside? Or did I just happen to misunderstand the full concept of life and human rights?

It was last weekend, when I joined a beautiful group of people who took part of the project To Rebuild Gaza that aimed and succeeded in collecting and fundraising blankets, winter clothing’s and gas heaters for the Gaza Refugee Camp in Jordan.

It was my first time to go and visit the Gaza Refugee Camp or what is also known as “the Jarash Refugee Camp“. At first I thought most people were from Gaza, “a city in Palestine” and so are called the Gaza Refugee Camp, but to my surprise I learned that those are refugees of the occupied territories in Palestine “Unfortunately what is known today as Israel” who were forced like many other families to leave their homes and cities, and so those Palestinians ended up refugees in Gaza during the 1948 nightmare of the Israeli occupation. In the 1967 conflict those families had to leave Gaza to Jarash, and this, is how the Gaza refugee camp was formed in Jordan.

“What about Human rights?”

Palestinian refugee kid

While the group I was with started organizing the items and calling in families to give them what they needed for winter, I decided to stay and play with the kids. The kids were incredible, so much energy, and laughter, they were all in slippers and with no jackets, and did not seem to feel cold or complain at all. They seemed to be so happy to meet new people running around from one person to another. There were already few foreign volunteers there playing with the kids. I had my camera with me, and the kids started to play with it and pose for me to photograph them.

Those kids are adorable, not only adorable, they are beautiful, they want to have fun, they want to color, and draw, they want to communicate, they want to challenge one another, they want to be part of life. They are Human. Why is it that things are not the same for them? Why is it that they have no rights to feel belonging? Why is it okay for the people who were responsible for them being refuges to never ask about them?

Palestinian Refugee camp

I understand that the universal deceleration to Human Rights was created by the United Nations back in 1948 exactly when Palestine went through “Al Nakba” where over 700 thousand Palestinians were forced to leave their homes during the Israeli war of independence. I understand that the United Nations was established in October of 1945 during the time the British were helping thousands of Jewish immigrants enter Palestine from the World War II without taking into consideration the results of all the refugee Palestinians. I understand that the United Nations was established with a goal to prevent another conflict to happen like the World War II while they were the ones behind the resolution 181 that ended in allowing Palestine that was fully inhabitant by Palestinians “Muslim, Christian and Jewish” to become a Jewish state and the state of Israel. I understand that the above is the result of 2,097,338 registered Palestinian refugees in 10 refugee camps in Jordan, 449,957 registered Palestinian refugees in 12 refugee camps in Lebanon, 526,744 registered Palestinian refugees in 11 refugee camps in Syria, 762,288 registered Palestinian refugees in 19 refugee camps in the West Bank, and 1,258,559 registered Palestinian refugees in 8 refugee camps in Gaza that were all setup and are all running by the United Nations. What I don’t understand is how the United Nations have failed to find a solution for all the refugees they have set up, and how the Palestinians until today do not have the basic rights to return to their homes, and how the United Nations is one of the factors for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war that defeats its own purpose.

What about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights created by the United Nations in 1948 exactly when all those refugee camps were also setup? What about all those refugees who are not entitled to any of the following:

  1. All human beings are free and equal.
  2. No discrimination.
  3. Right to life.
  4. No slavery allowed.
  5. No torture.
  6. Everyone around the world has the right to recognition as a person before the law.
  7. Everyone is protected by the law.
  8. Everyone is entitled of fair treatment by fair courts.
  9. No unfair detainment.
  10. The right to trial to everyone.
  11. Innocent until proven guilty.
  12. The right to privacy.
  13. Freedom to move and travel.
  14. Freedom to immigrate or move to another country.
  15. The right to nationality.
  16. The right to marry and have a family.
  17. The right to own property.
  18. Freedom of thought.
  19. Freedom of speech, opinion and expression..
  20. Freedom to meet and assemble.
  21. The right to Democracy.
  22. The right to social security.
  23. The right to work.
  24. The right to play.
  25. The right to basic needs: Bed, clothing, food, housing, medical care, new born care..
  26. The right for education.
  27. Culture and copyrights.
  28. To live in a free world with fairness.
  29. Everyone is entitled to duties towards the laws and must be responsible for when they exercise the contrary.
  30. No one can take these rights and freedom from anyone.

For original link and full articles of the above Human Rights Click Here. And I repeat…..What about the people in refugee camps? What about the kids who were born in refugee camps? or are they not part humankind?

Gaza-Refugee-Camp-UN-School-Group-Photo-Portrait-Yellow-Girl

Believe it or not, but speaking from what I know of the Palestinians living in refugee camps, they are not entitled to 80% of the above human rights declared by the United Nations and yet all the refugee camps are set up by the United Nations…

So is there an exit plan to your business plan? Do you have a solution? Or maybe a solution to the problem you created? Or are those who create the rules are really permitted to break them?

Gaza-Refugee-Camp-UN-School-Group-Photo-Portrait-Kid-boy

For more information on To Rebuild Gaza who are fundraising towards building a pediatric cancer department in Gaza with the PCRF “The Palestinian Children Relief Fund” and also are creating a great awareness campaign towards the last attack on Gaza that killed over 2000 Palestinians from Gaza, visit their website or facebook page. To read more facts and information about the Gaza Refugee Camp click on this link SamarTravels.

Gaza-Refugee-Camp-Portrait-Kid-1

A blog post on Charlie Hebdo #JeSuisCharlie, from a Muslim Woman living in the heart of the MiddleEast #JeSuisMuslim

Posted on by
3

On Wednesday the 7th of january 2015, I received a WhatsApp message from my friend in Canada asking me if I have heard of what has happened in Paris and that it is all over the news…. Well, I don’t usually follow the news much because I don’t believe in any of it, but I went on twitter and started to read all about #JeSuisCharlie … At first I felt terrified, disturbed, frustrated and sick to my stomach. As I continued to read, questions and thoughts started to come right through me: Is this ever going to stop? “this whole terrifying act of violence in the name of Islam” Where are they trying to go with this? “Who ever is plotting these ridiculous acts of terror to create more racism, violence and hate” Why would anyone kill for any reason what so ever? “We all grow up learning the same basics around the world, killing is not justified” Why would anyone kill in the name of religion, culture and race? “Seriously, why would millions of people be tagged along an act of one or more disturbed human being” Why is it always an international story against Islam as a religion when it is a Muslim behind an act of violence? “As if there are no violence, murder and rape stories happening everyday in Europe, the United Stated, China or Russia? by people, gangsters, Mafias or any other…” Why would a religious person get something as sacred as God and religion into an act of murder? “If you are very religious, you are in a temple, in a mosque, in a church, in a synagogue, God is so sacred to be mixed with blood and violence. Therefore those people who are acting like animals are no way part of any religion in any way possible.” Didn’t the world go through enough already? “Enough of hate, racism, segregation, and stereotype?”  Quran on IslamAnd then right before I went to sleep last night, I read this article that truly disturbed me in every way possible. “In the wake of Charlie Hebdo, Free Speech Does Not Mean Freedom From Criticism” by Jacob Canfield. What disturbed me about his article, is how well written it is, how ugly the truth is and I couldn’t agree any better with him. I have never seen the cartoons published by Charlie Hebdo before, I heard about them, but I never really searched for them. And while I looked at them, all I was thinking is why would anyone be so racist? why would anyone be so anti-Islamic? and why would anyone offend any religion so publicly and in such humor? Where is the line of respect? Why is it even legal? I still believe that the act of murder is never to be justified, and I will always be against any type of violence. But why are those cartoons so cool, and why were they okay to be distributed and published? I repeat what Jacob Canfield wrote in his article: “The statement, “JE SUIS CHARLIE” works to erase and ignore the magazine’s history of xenophobia, racism, and homophobia. For us to truly honor the victims of a terrorist attack on free speech, we must not spread hateful racism blithely, and we should not take pride in extreme attacks on oppressed and marginalized peoples.” Speakgood words or remain silent

This is part of the propaganda, It is always a Muslim who is acting like a terrorist, it is always an Arab, and it always turns into a soap opera. We must all fight together “including Muslims” for the rights of all victims, there is terror happening every day in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and many other cities besides Paris. But for some reason, it is terror and an international story only when the media decides to make it go big. Every victim is a human being, and every human being deserves the freedom to live in peace. This fight should be against the act of violence, against creating racist generations, and against creating more segregation in the world of today. Rumi Kindness

I am an Arab, a woman, a Muslim and a very spiritual person. I meditate everyday, I do yoga every morning, I read at least 2 pages of Quran everyday, I read books for Oscar Wilde, Einstein, Rumi, Robert Green, Paulo Coelho, Jack Canfield and many more. I have Christian friends, Jewish, Atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, and people I have no idea what they practice or believe in. I don’t care, I don’t even ask what they believe in, religion is personal and when it is a topic, it is sometimes an interesting topic to discuss and explore, and if I have noticed any similarities they all call for Peace, Love, Acceptance, Sharing, Life, Kindness, Giving, Charity, Light, Meditating, Praying… And they all forbid the act of Violence in all manners what so ever. Umar

Here is a little bit of something about my peaceful religion Islam for those of you who are anti-Islamic: 

And the people who believe in the Most Merciful “referring to God/Allah” are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace. (Quran Verse 25:63)

Say, [O believers], “We have believed in God/Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims believers of God.” (Quran Verse 2:136)

Say, “Do you argue with us about God/Allah while He is our Lord and your Lord? For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. And we are sincere [in deed and intention] to Him.” (Quran Verse 2:139)

Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished. (Prophet Mohammad PBUH)

The best among you is the one who doesn’t harm others with his words and hands. (Prophet Mohammad PBUH)

I still believe that Love wins at the end. You can always read more about Islam by visiting Omar Suleiman, Rumi, My Post Patience Umar