Palestine was part of my life for many years. It is still on my mind, though I don’t write about it much these days, and I don’t travel there (or anywhere) anymore.
Palestine I miss you. I miss your food, the warmth of your people, the smell of your shops, enjoying a cigarette on a rooftop at night listening to your sounds.
I feel like I have failed you. I still watch and stay informed as to what you’re subjected to: the humiliation, the destruction, the death, the imprisonment and torture.
I. F. Stone once said that the Palestinians are the Jews of the Middle East. Spot on.
Many Americans don’t even know where you are. They are taught to love Israel and despise Arabs/Muslims. Americans have a long, rich history of doing what they’re told.
Sadly, this ignorance allows the “conflict” to grind on. If Americans actually knew you and saw what is happening—and what has been happening for decades—they would not stand for it.
Those who do know but have said nothing are not dissimilar to those Germans who said nothing while their government was carrying out atrocities.
No, I’m not comparing the two. (I guess I have to say that.)
But what do we call using hungry children as target practice? Sexually assaulting and torturing prisoners? Calculating caloric minimums and creating—by design—food insecurity for millions?
I love you. I have such good memories of being there. I’m always more comfortable in Arab countries. I do not care if I ever see Europe again; I will always return to the Middle East—and specifically Palestine.
You will always live in my heart, regardless of what the future holds.
Photo 1: Me in a private home in Gaza after a long day.
Photo 2: Me and journalist/friend Vikram on the Gaza-Egypt border joining foreign nationals to form a human wall while locals in Rafah repair a sewage pump. The people of Rafah would get shot at if they tried to do so without the human wall. We eventually got shot at, too. Consulates and embassies were called, and the shooting stopped. The Israeli press (Haaretz) covered this story.
