More from Elias Khouri's "Bab al-Shams."
"Gaza was struck by the great catastrophe (النكبة الكبرى) after the War of 1948 when it was transformed into a city of refugees. The city was filled by tens of thousands of the displaced who had been expelled from their regions by the Israeli Army. There were no Gazans left in Gaza. Gaza melted in a sea of refugees and became the first truly Palestinian place. There, the Palestinians realized that they weren't simply groups belonging to different regions and villages, but one people, born of tragedy. And, thus, Gaza became the most important font of politics in modern Palestinian history. The Communist movement was strong there. The Muslim Brotherhood grew there as well. From the camps and neighborhoods of Gaza sprung the first cells of the Fatah movement. And in the Seventies, the Popular Front, led by a legendary man called "Guevara of Gaza," ruled the city at night and beset the city with ambushes and fighters. And it was there that Hamas and Islamic Jihad were established. And so it goes..."
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Who Holds the Key?
This quote is from Elias Khouri's "Bab al-Shams."
"This is their problem and not ours," said Nahela, meaning that it was the Israelis' problem and not the Palestinians'. "They don't want us to forget our language and our religion because they don't want us to become like them."
Younis didn't understand what she meant and began talking about the need for children to be linked to their history and traditions and how this link could only be perpetuated through language. He spoke many words, mixing among them literature, religion, everything.
"Listen, man, and try to understand. You don't know anything. Try to listen to things as I say them, not as you imagine them in your head. I said to you that this is their problem… the Jews' problem. We can't abandon our language because they don't want that. They want us to stay Arab, not to assimilate. Don't fear. They are a closed sectarian society. Even if we wanted to assimilate, they would never allow it."
"When you told me of Nahela's theory about the language, my father, I thought of Issa who wanted to collect the keys of all the homes in Andalusia. I wanted to say then that we don't understad the fundamental difference between our situation and theirs. The Castillians did not persecute the Arab Muslims and the Jews simply by chasing them out of the land. For, although their campaign of expulsion was wide and effective, it is impossible to drive everyone out. The Castillians imposed their religion and their language on the Andalusians. Thus, their victory was final. Andalusia became a part of Spain and the matter was closed. As for us, our keys aren't the keys of the stolen homes. Our key is the Arabic language. Israel does not want us to assimilate and become Israelis. They don't want to impose their religion and their language upon us. The expulsion came in 1948, but it was not complete. They hold our keys. We do not."
"This is their problem and not ours," said Nahela, meaning that it was the Israelis' problem and not the Palestinians'. "They don't want us to forget our language and our religion because they don't want us to become like them."
Younis didn't understand what she meant and began talking about the need for children to be linked to their history and traditions and how this link could only be perpetuated through language. He spoke many words, mixing among them literature, religion, everything.
"Listen, man, and try to understand. You don't know anything. Try to listen to things as I say them, not as you imagine them in your head. I said to you that this is their problem… the Jews' problem. We can't abandon our language because they don't want that. They want us to stay Arab, not to assimilate. Don't fear. They are a closed sectarian society. Even if we wanted to assimilate, they would never allow it."
"When you told me of Nahela's theory about the language, my father, I thought of Issa who wanted to collect the keys of all the homes in Andalusia. I wanted to say then that we don't understad the fundamental difference between our situation and theirs. The Castillians did not persecute the Arab Muslims and the Jews simply by chasing them out of the land. For, although their campaign of expulsion was wide and effective, it is impossible to drive everyone out. The Castillians imposed their religion and their language on the Andalusians. Thus, their victory was final. Andalusia became a part of Spain and the matter was closed. As for us, our keys aren't the keys of the stolen homes. Our key is the Arabic language. Israel does not want us to assimilate and become Israelis. They don't want to impose their religion and their language upon us. The expulsion came in 1948, but it was not complete. They hold our keys. We do not."
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Sixtieth Anniversary of the Nakba
Al-Watan published an editorial on the sixtieth anniversary of the Nakba today. The Nakba is the catastrophe of the Palestinians who left and were ejected from their lands as the Israeli state was established in 1948. Interestingly, the editorial strikes an uncompromising tone saying that "the Palestinians have a deep understanding that they will inevitably return [to their lands] carrying the keys of their houses of old." A recent Brookings Institution/Zogby poll found that 73 percent of Arabs polled are ready for a "just and comprehensive peace with Israel if Israel is willing to return all the territories occupied in the 1967 war including East Jerusalem," although 52 percent do not believe this will ever happen. The poll did not address the right of return, but 19 percent of those polled said that Arabs should continue the fight even if Israel returns the lands occupied in '67. So, with the sixtieth anniversary upon us, it seems there is little consensus, even rhetorically, as to what is expected and what is desired to end the conflict. Do people truly believe that the Palestinians will inevitably return to their homes of old? Is this possible?
On another note, I read Leo Africanus by Amin Maalouf recently on a trip through Andalusia and Morocco. One passage struck me. Leo's uncle, an Andalusian notable, speaking of his unwillingness to tell Andalusian exiles in Fes that they will never return to their homes, says, “Perhaps one day it may be necessary for someone to dare to teach them to look unflinchingly at their defeat, to explain to them that in order to get to one’s feet again one must first admit that one is down on the ground. Perhaps someone will have to tell them the truth one day. But I myself do not have the courage to do so.”
On another note, I read Leo Africanus by Amin Maalouf recently on a trip through Andalusia and Morocco. One passage struck me. Leo's uncle, an Andalusian notable, speaking of his unwillingness to tell Andalusian exiles in Fes that they will never return to their homes, says, “Perhaps one day it may be necessary for someone to dare to teach them to look unflinchingly at their defeat, to explain to them that in order to get to one’s feet again one must first admit that one is down on the ground. Perhaps someone will have to tell them the truth one day. But I myself do not have the courage to do so.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
