My first day in Italy was May 15, a painful day for all Palestinians when about 800 thousands Palestinians- estimated now to be more than 5 millions- were expelled by Zionist gangs from nearly 513 villages to make a room more an only Jewish state to come into existence. My first book presentation started soon after I learned of the murder of 22-year-old Muhammad Al-Thahir and 17-year-old Nadim Nuwarah. It was aching inside as I was speaking but I tried to make that ache reflect powerfully on the speech. The presentation, despite this emotional atmosphere that was dominating, was successful, especially because it reached people with simple knowledge about the Palestinian cause. The murder of these two Palestinians who were shot dead in a demonstration near Ofer Israeli Prison to commemorate the 66th anniversary and support the ongoing hunger strike of our administrative detainees for the 22nd day came as a reminder for all of us that Nakba is not just one event, but it is continuing in many different and brutal forms. It comes as reminder for us that all that we are enduring from oppression and injustice as a Palestinian people are not but a consequence of the creation of zionist Israel. It also tells everyone who refer the Palestinian cause to 1967, that our cause goes back to 1948. A genuine supporter of the justice for the Palestinian people should never take the cause back to 1967 because in this way, they are legitimizing the creation of Israel on the ruins of our villages and the blood of our martyrs.. they are ignoring the source of problem and they are ignoring the legitimate right of return to two-third of the Palestinian people who are scattered as refugees within Palestine and diaspora. Whenever another Palestinian is killed by Israeli occupation forces, I remind myself of #GassanKanafanis quotation which says, The dead peoples cause isnt that of who died, but it is the cause of those who are still alive. You should all keep this in your mind. For all people of conscience, it is your cause to stand with the oppressed! إن قضية الموت ليست على الإطلاق قضية الميت..إنها قضية الباقين غسان كنفاني.. رحيل الشهداء نديم ومحمد وكل شهيد دفع روحه من أجل حريتنا يضع على أكتافنا المزيد من المسئولية تجاهم.. فهي قضيتنا نحن الباقون ومسئوليتنا أن نكمل ما دفعوا حياتهم ثمنا لأجله.. المجد للشهداء. #Nakba66
Posted on: Fri, 16 May 2014 00:24:52 +0000