Falastin Magazine Volume 6-Issue 2 by paccusa

Volume 6 - Issue 2

June 2022

Falastin, a Palestinian American Community Center Publication

Falastin Staff Editor in Chief, Reem Farhat Fiction Editor, Marah Siyam News Editor, Aseel Washah Arabic Editor, Hiba B’irat Copy Editor, Abire Sabbagh Layout Editor, Fadia Alagha Advisor, Rania Mustafa We’d like to extend a special thank you to Amjad Al-Siyab for his beautiful artwork on the cover! Amjad Al-Siyabi is an Omani self-taught artist. He graduated from City of Glasgow College in 2017 with a degree in Marine Engineering. He is very passionate about Oman’s diverse nature, culture and heritage most of his artworks aim to inspire and explore the beauty of Oman trying to make his mark in the field of art. He loves to create awareness through arts and share knowledge about Palestine, Amjad’s true joy is to see his artworks featured to the world. You can follow his work on Instagram @amjedalsiyabi. We’d also like to congratulate our very own Fiction Editor, Marah Siyam, on the release of her debut novel “Some People Don’t Deserve Names.” To learn more about her work, visit marahsiyam.com. We are always looking for new content and contributions! Submit your work to falastin@paccusa.org 973-253-6145 388 Lakeview Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

paccusa.org info@paccusa.org

Table of Contents

06. 07. 08. 10. 12. 13. 14. 17. 19. 20. 22.

Through the Eyes of my Father and my Siti

Marah Siyam

The Journey That Ended

Razaan Halak

To My Lifelong and Dearest Friend Shireen

Aline Hanna

The Multifaceted Significance of the Naksa

Abire Sabbagh

She Lived Another One

Basman Derawi

‫النكبة‬

‫يوسف القطب‬

55 Years in Exile: Diaspora Palestinians on the Naksa Reem Farhat 1967: The Beginning of our End

Jamal Mustafa

‫صناعة النحاس‬ #Palestine Speaks

‫رجاء غزاونة‬

Stories

Hannah Hamdan

Awni Abuhadba

Letter from the Editor I am honored to present the second issue in the sixth volume of Falastin. This issue, our theme was the Naksa. We asked our contributors to share and reflect on their family’s Naksa stories and to commemorate their personal narratives and histories. It is important to understand our histories for their continual effects today. In her piece “The Multifaceted Significance of the Naksa,” Abire Sabbagh ties the Naksa to current events in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Poet Basman Derawi contextualizes the Naksa as a part of the ongoing Nakba, or catastrophe, in his piece “She Lived Another One.” These stories are a form of reclaiming the Palestinian narrative and affirming our histories. The work in this issue is a result of the beautiful artistry and creativity in our community. We are incredibly grateful to all of our contributors for their work! We are also thankful sponsors and the PACC Board for supporting this magazine each issue. Lastly, thank you, reader, for supporting Falastin each and every issue. We hope these pieces inspire you to join in our resistance through art by sharing your stories with Falastin and invite you to share this magazine with your coworkers and classmates. We at Falastin are mourning the murder of the beloved journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Our team dedicates this issue to her and her legacy. We hope to continue sharing stories of Palestinians all over the world in her honor. Reem Farhat Editor in Chief of Falastin

Letter From Executivce Director I would like to start off by honoring the memory of our hero, the journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh who was assassinated in cold blood by Israel. Shireen dedicated her life to amplifying the voices of Palestinians and the Palestinian struggle. Israel killed her in an attempt to cut off the world form Palestinian stories and we vow to continue her legacy and amplify the voices of Palestinians in all the work that we do. Please take a moment out of your day and do some research on Shireen and the impactful work she has done. On May 15 PACC a street festival in honor of the City of Paterson’s renaming and unveiling ceremony of the Palestine Way sign. It was a day filled with hope after a week filled with sadness and a symbolic way of commemorating the 74th anniversary of the Nakba. This street festival represented more than just the renaming of the area to ‘Palestine Way’, but also paid honor and respect to the Palestinian diaspora, who have remained present, loud, and resilient in the face of decades of displacement, refugeehood, and erasure. We are also getting ready to launch our summer porgrams. For more information, please visit www.paccusa.org/summer Thank you to our Falastin staff for all their hard work! Thank you to our sponsors for making this magazine possible. Thank you to our Board of Directors for their support! Thank you for reading and supporting Falastin! Rania Mustafa PACC Executive Director

Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi IG: @amjedalsiyabi

Through the Eyes of my Father and my Siti Marah Siyam My Siti was 57, living in Mukhmas, while my Dad, 28, taught agriculture in Algeria.

day so they prepared their meal and hospitality to greet them despite what was going on around them. The rest of Mukhmas hid in caves and the olive trees for days while the white men shopped around for houses. They settled on the hilltops around us, abandoning the smaller hills of Mukhmas. Should I thank them for seeing Mukhmas the same way my Dad saw the NYU campus? The jokes we make are ours to cope with, the same way those hilltops they found “empty” were not empty, they were ours.

Siti lived through World War I and II, watching the chess pieces inch closer and closer. 1948 the Nakba, 1967 the Naksa, those chess pieces arrived right at her door. My Dad left the house at 23 to work in Jordan, years later working in Algeria. Watching his home through his mothers eyes, he would not be able to return to Palestine. They took land, lives, and the privilege of my Dad’s eyes meeting his mothers in daylight. He moved to America shortly after for college. His ethnicity simply became Arab. NYU wanted my Dad to take more English classes but he replied his English was good enough, and the campus that was advertised as beautiful was nothing compared to Palestine. The comparison of his homeland to a college campus was a joke that always made him laugh.

It’s apparent those hilltops were not empty, they were occupied by the intense heat and sun that shines right above Siti’s house. But Siti’s house was lower in the mountain allowing the wind and shade to cover her. If they knew our land so much as they claim, they would have taken those empty homes and I would have never been allowed to sleep on the floor of my Sitis house. And if my Dad knew more English he would have gone to NYU instead of Fairleigh Dickinson.

Sede went down to meet what he thought were Iraqis coming in, but their blue eyes and white skin denied that thought quickly.

Just like an Earthquake, the ripple effects always seem worse as we are not a people meant for war and destruction- but apparently some are. And I’m grateful to be the oppressed and never the oppressor.

Sede and Siti had guests from Al Ram coming in that

Artwork by Zachariah Hussein IG: @zachhusseinvisuals

The journey that ended Razaan Halak Trigger warning: mentions of sexual violence.

The journey that ended Has just begun What was once my land Has now been gone He went to get food But got shot with a gun The journey that ended Has just begun Not knowing where we were headed. We had to run The bomb had just landed. The last time she saw her son The journey that ended Has just begun They killed and raped and thought it was fun Goodbye, my land. The time has come. I ‘ll be back and make sure you see the sun. The journey that ended Has just begun I’ll show them what we’re made of All Arabs are one Hand in hand They’ll announce we won The journey that ended Has just begun

Artwork by CreativeUkht IG: @CreativeUkht

To my lifelong and dearest friend Shireen Aline Hanna To my lifelong and dearest friend Shireen, It has almost been a month since you were violently taken from this world. How do I begin writing a eulogy when every moment since that fateful day has been a living nightmare of your absence from this life?

that so shortly after that conversation, my entire life would be upended and thrown into disarray, never to be the same again. I didn’t expect that I would return to Jerusalem so soon again, to say a final goodbye to you and walk amidst tens of thousands of people who carried your venerable body and honored your incredible life. I also never imagined that I would end up wearing black to my daughter’s graduation. I will never forget that painful day when the throngs of people bearing your coffin and valiantly protecting it, walked you through our holy city for the last time. Walking through the streets of Jerusalem will never be the same again without reliving that day’s agony, but also feeling incredibly proud because of the countless people who came to honor you for who you were and what you meant to them.

How do I write a eulogy when I still cannot fathom the thought of our precious flag wrapped over your lifeless body and a kuffiyeh bandaging your wounded head? How can I write a eulogy for the person who was my dearest friend and soulmate for as long as I can remember? You were the person who always supported me, both during good times and bad. You were the first person to visit me in the hospital to celebrate the birth of my first child. You were also the first person to console me when my mother departed from this world.

Shireen, you have been known as the icon of Arab media, but on May 13, 2022, you became the icon of all of Palestine. Palestinian flags were defiantly raised in Jerusalem for the first time in many years. Your death has left a gaping wound, but also a lasting legacy. Memorials have been erected in your honor, baby girls have been named after you and you have become an even stronger role model for aspiring young girls in the Arab world.

Your untimely death has left an irreparable hole in my heart and I don’t know how to console myself. So many memories flood my mind, and even more words gnaw at my heart. I recall the secrets we shared while sipping our favorite drink, mint tea. I keep looking at videos and photos of you and reminisce about all the good times we shared and sadly knowing that those good times have abruptly and tragically come to an end. Your peaceful face and gentle smile on my wedding day is the same smile in the last photo we took together with our beloved friend Rula when we were in Jerusalem in April. Our lifelong friendship and bond never wavered even though our paths took different routes and I lived far away from you in the United States. It was not difficult to maintain our special friendship since you were the essence of loyalty and devotion itself.

I pray to God that justice is served, and I am certain that all of Palestine will always remember you. How do we forget you when you were the legend who documented the history of our heroes? You have now become a hero yourself, and will be remembered for generations to come. I love you and miss you so much, Shireen. Aline Hanna

I keep searching through my phone, reading and rereading our text messages, and listening to your voice messages time and time again. I’ll always remember the last time when we spoke on the phone on the Sunday before your horrific assassination. As usual, you were interested in the details of my life, and you asked me if I had bought a dress for my daughter’s upcoming graduation. I never expected

‫إلى صديقة عمري ورفيقة دربي شيرين‬

‫ألين َح ّنا‬

‫‪،‬إلى صديقة عمري ورفيقة دربي شيرين‬

‫أبحث في هاتفي وأستم ُع إلى رسائلك الصوتية المر َة تلو األخرى‪ ،‬أذكر أننا‬ ‫تحدثنا بالهاتف يوم األحد الذي سبق حادث اغتيالك المروّ ع‪ ،‬وكعادتك اهتممت‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫اشتريت فستانا لمناسبة تخرج ابنتي من‬ ‫ت قد سألتني إذا‬ ‫بتفاصيل حياتي وكن ِ‬ ‫الجامعة‪ ،‬والذي كان مقررا بعد أسبوعين‪ .‬لم أتوقع قط أن حياتنا كانت ستنقلب‬ ‫رأسا على عقب في هذه الفترة الوجيزة وأنني سأرجع إلى القدس ألشارك في‬ ‫تشييع جثمانك النقي‪ ،‬وأنني سألبس األسود في تخرج ابنتي‪ .‬لن أنسى ذلك‬ ‫اليوم األليم‪ ،‬يوم جاب فيك حراس التابوت مدينتنا المقدسة‪ ،‬كيف لنا من اآلن‬ ‫فصاعداً أن نسير في شوارع القدس العتيقة دون أن نسترجع ذلك اليوم‬ ‫‪.‬السريالي األغبر‬

‫ٌ‬ ‫كابوس أخذني على عجل‬ ‫غارقة في‬ ‫‪.‬كيف لي أن أرثيك وأنا‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وكوفية ضمدت‬ ‫كيف لي أن أرثيك وأنا ال أصدق أن علما ً لفّ جسدك الطاهر‬ ‫ُرح رأسِ ك المغدور‬ ‫‪.‬ج َ‬ ‫خير‬ ‫كيف لي أن أرثيك وأن ِ‬ ‫ت توأ ُم روحي منذ سنين طويلة‪ ،‬كنت فيها َ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫كن‬ ‫لقد‬ ‫سواء‪.‬‬ ‫حد‬ ‫على‬ ‫والضراء‬ ‫السراء‬ ‫في‬ ‫والسند‬ ‫الصديقة واألخت الوفية‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫أول من زارني في المستشفى عندما وضعت مولودتي البكر وكنت أول من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫‪.‬عزاني وآزرني عندما رحلت أمي عن هذه الدنيا‬

‫كانوا قد لقبوك يا شيرين بأيقونة اإلعالم‪ ،‬وفي ‪13‬‏‪5/‬‏‪ 2022/‬أصبحت أيقونة‬ ‫بفخر وعزة‬ ‫‪.‬األعالم‪ ،‬أعالم فلسطيننا التي رفرفت في السماء‬ ‫ٍ‬

‫ٌ‬ ‫ذكريات كثيره تجول في خاطري‪ ،‬وكلمات أكثر تنخر فؤادي‪ .‬أسترج ُع‬ ‫أسراراً سردناها ونحن نحتسي شرابنا المفضل‪ ،‬الشاي بالنعناع‪ .‬كم سأفتقدك‬ ‫‪.‬يا شيرين‬

‫أتذرع إلى هللا أن يأخذ بحقك‪ ،‬وأنا على يقين أن كل فلسطين واعدةٌ إياك بأن‬ ‫ال ننساكِ ‪ .‬كيف ننساك وأنت األسطورة التي طالما دَ وّ َنت تاريخ األبطال‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بطلة ألجيال وأجيال‬ ‫ت‬ ‫‪.‬فصر ِ‬

‫ال أدري كيف أعزي نفسي… أبحث في الصور المبعثرة في بيتي‪ ،‬وها أنت‬ ‫في العديد منها‪ .‬وجهك الهادئ وابتسامتك النقية يوم فرحي تماما كابتسامتك‬ ‫ً‬ ‫سوية مع صديقتنا الحبيبة روال في زيارتي األخيرة‬ ‫في آخر صورة التقطناها‬ ‫إلى القدس في أبريل الماضي‪ .‬حرصنا على أن تبقى صداقتنا متالحمة‬ ‫وأرواحنا مترابطة بالرغم من سنيّ الغربة الطويلة‪ ،‬كيف ال وأنت عنوانٌ‬ ‫‪.‬للوفاء ومثا ٌل للنزاهة‬

‫‪،‬صديقتك إلى األبد‬ ‫ألين َح ّنا‬

‫‪Photo taken by: Aline Hanna‬‬

‫‪9‬‬

The Multifaceted Significance of the Naksa Abire Sabbagh I argue that we need an equal focus on the Naksa, the defeat of 1967, for its significance in relation to contemporary borders, Zionism as a politics, and solidarity networks.

For many people, their initial exposure to Palestinian history is often focused on the catastrophe of 1948, the Nakba, which displaced 80% of the indigenous Palestinian population in historic Palestine, now known as “Israel”. We can see commemorations of the Nakba in most Palestinian advocacy, from t-shirts worn by activists that say ‘1948’ on them, to webinars focused on the historical and on-going consequences of the Nakba, to large annual protests and demonstrations on the day of the Nakba. Most recently, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduced legislation to officially recognize the Nakba in the United States. While the Nakba is extremely important and deserves all the recognition possible,

The Naksa is often referred to as the Six Day War because the Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, and Jordan) who joined forces to support Palestinians in their fight against Israel’s takeover of their land were defeated by Israel in a six day time period, which subsequently allowed Israel to officially seize the territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. This made Israel’s rule and power over Palestinian land more

Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi IG: @amjedalsiyabi

official, beginning what we can understand as today’s modern day occupation of the land. To put it into contemporary context, we can contextualize the most recent struggle against eviction and settlers in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan (both in East Jerusalem) as a direct result of the expansion of Israel’s borders in 1967. The Israeli assertion to settle in East Jerusalem comes from a self-righteousness brought on by their so-called “victory” in 1967.

for different people in the Black community. The traditional civil rights activists saw themselves as truly and purely American, even if they were treated as second class citizens, and their motivation to fight for their rights was because they saw themselves as rightfully part of the country. On the other hand, the new Black identity was becoming a more militant one, where they saw Black people as a colony in itself in America that needed to be liberated. We see similarities here to political differences amongst Palestinian scholars, leaders, and activists. Questions that communities still critically engage with today, such as reform versus revolution and one state versus two states (or no state?), emerged during this significant political time period. This is also a good reminder that communities are not homogenous and that there are many open-ended questions and conversations left to be had internally as we pave the way for our liberation.

Beyond self-righteousness, the Naksa and expansion of Israel’s borders allowed for Zionism to be legitimized politically. Of course, Zionism was very much present before 1967 but we see its emergence as a strong and prominent politics in the Arab region after the Naksa. Through Israel’s “win,” Zionism became recognized as a legitimate political ideology and Israel became a legitimate power in the world’s eyes. It is what has allowed Zionism to continue to be the violent, political project that we know today. Its “victory” forced itself in economic, social, and political terms amongst Arab countries, with Egypt being the first to normalize relations with Israel, a process that we are still seeing take place by various Arab countries today. The late 60s and early 70s are also when we start to see the United States pick up its support of Israel and begin meddling in Israeli-Arab affairs. This alliance was formed and is sustained because of colonially perceived bonds rooted in white supremacy and manifest destiny, thus leading to the global empowerment and legitimization of Israel by major world powers that continues today.

To go back to global, revolutionary solidarity of the time, the new revolutionary’s goal became to understand society and politics in terms of greater systems of colonization and oppression, not only identity. Zionism was now understood as a settler colonial project that fell under the larger western imperial project, making it an ideology to fight against. Palestinians also understood themselves as working with and alongside the Black and African community for liberation. Thinking beyond geography and borders became important here, where even if people were geographically separated, communities came together because of their shared politics and oppression. Politics and revolutionary struggle became just as important, if not more important, than geography and identity. With this ideology came a new understanding of how people were then categorized. Since it was no longer by identity, the new ways of defining oneself and relating to others came through an understanding of “racism, colonialism, and repression vs revolution, rebellion, and freedom”.

Global attention in the region was not all negative or only in support of Israel, however. The global support of Israel also brought a global focus on Palestine at a time when global revolutionary nationalism was growing. Revolutions were being waged by people of color around the world, and many were interconnected because they understood themselves as fighting similar systems of whiteness. In talking specifically about Palestine and historic Black activism, the Black Panther Party had at first focused on domestic issues but through the guidance and influence of Malcolm X expanded to internationalism, and framed it as a greater “understanding of connection between Black freedom struggle at home and anti-colonialist revolution abroad.” This internationalism and relation to whiteness and colonization was unique, creating varying goals

These are the important lessons and interventions of the Naksa that I hope we learn and grow from as we continue to fight for global justice, self-determination, the right of return, and freedom.

She lived another one Basman Derawi My mother wasn’t born At the time to live the Nakba Yet the occupier insisted She live another one He hates to see the doll In her hands To see her run and jump. Singing with the birds under Her grandmother’s olive tree. My mother wasn’t born At the time of Nakba But the occupier decided She live another one He killed her olive tree, The birds become homeless He shot the doll between her hands Left her legless Left her to run, Run from the sounds and memories. I wasn’t born at the time of Both the Nakba and Naksa My occupier didn’t get enough That the trauma sneaked to My DNA He forces me to witness four Assaults within the thirty years I have been on earth. My mother wasn’t born to Witness the Nakba And I wasn’t born to witness Both the Nakba and Naksa Yet my occupier makes sure That everyday is a Nakba day, A Naksa day But my mother still smiles to The sunrise in the morning. Still stand as strong as olive tree Against their wind. Still teaches me How to survive everyday Every memory and Naksa With a smile.

Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi IG: @amjedalsiyabi

‫النكبة‪ :‬حقائق وأرقام‬

‫يوسف القطب‬

‫شكلت النكبة أكبر عملية تطهير عرقي شهدها القرن العشرين‪ ،‬حيث شرد‬ ‫ما يربو عن ‪ ٨٠٠‬ألف فلسطيني قسراً من قراهم ومدنهم بقوة السالح والتهديد‬ ‫من قبل العصابات الصهيونية إلى الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة والدول العربية‬ ‫المجاورة‪ ،‬من أصل مليون و ‪٤٠٠‬ألف فلسطيني كانوا يقيمون في فلسطين‬ ‫التاريخية عام ‪ ،١٩٤٨‬وتم إحالل اليهود مكانهم‬ ‫سيطرت العصابات الصهيونية على أكثر من ‪ %٨٥‬من مساحة فلسطين‬ ‫التاريخية والبالغة حوالي ‪ 27‬ألف كم‪ 2‬بما فيها من موارد وما عليها من‬ ‫سكان‪ ،‬أي ما يزيد على ثالثة أرباع مساحة فلسطين التاريخية‬ ‫سيطرت العصابات الصهيونية خالل النكبة على ‪ ٧٧٤‬قرية ومدينة‬ ‫فلسطينية‪ ،‬وتم تدمير‪ ٥٣١‬منها بالكامل وطمس معالمها الحضارية‬ ‫والتاريخية‪ ،‬وما تبقى تم إخضاعه إلى كيان االحتالل وقوانينه‬ ‫إرتكبت العصابات الصهيونية أكثر من ‪ ٧٠‬مجزرة بحق الفلسطينيين‪ ،‬تمثل‬ ‫كل واحدة منها جريمة حرب وجريمة بحق األنسانية‪ ،‬وتصنف في إطار‬ ‫جرائم اإلبادة الجماعية‬ ‫شارك في معارك النكبة نحو ‪١٠،٠٠٠‬جندي مصري قيادة اللواء أحمد علي‬ ‫المواوي‪ ،‬و‪ ٤،٥٠٠‬جندي أردني القيادة العامة مع غلوب باشا‪،‬‬ ‫و‪٢،٥٠٠‬جندي عراقي بقيادة الضابط العميد محمد الزبيدي‪١،٨٧٦ ،‬جندي‬ ‫سوري بقيادة العقيد عبد الوهاب الحكيم ‪ ٤٥٠ ،‬جندي لبناني‪ ٣،٢٠٠ ،‬جندي‬ ‫سعودي بقيادة العقيد سعيد بيك الكردي‪ ،‬ووكيله القائد عبد هللا بن نامي‪،‬‬ ‫و‪ ٣،٠٠٠‬متطوع عربي من جميع البلدان العربية (وهو ما أصبح يعرف‬ ‫بجيش اإلنقاذ) بينهم ‪ ٥٠٠‬فلسطيني‬

‫بلغ عدد الفلسطينيين في نهاية عام ‪ ٢٠١٩‬حسب الجهاز المركزي لإلحصاء‬ ‫الفلسطيني حوالي ‪ ١٣‬مليون منهم نحو ‪ ٥‬مليون فلسطيني يعيشون فـي الضفة‬ ‫وقطاع غزة‪ ٤٣%( ،‬منهم الجئين حسب التعداد العام للسكان والمساكن‬ ‫والمنشآت ‪ ،)٢٠١٧‬وحوالي مليون و‪ ٥٩٧‬ألف فلسطيني يعيشون في‬ ‫األراضي المحتلة عام ‪ ،١٩٤٨‬فيما بلغ عدد الفلسطينيين في الدول العربية‬ ‫حوالي ‪ ٦‬مليون‪ ،‬وفي الدول األجنبية حوالي ‪ ٧٢٧‬أل ًفا‬ ‫لم تنته النكبة الفلسطينية عام ‪ ،١٩٤٨‬بل تبعها نكبات أخرى مرورً ا بنكسة‬ ‫عام ‪ ١٩٦٧‬التي شردت نحو ‪ ٢٠٠‬ألف فلسطيني معظمهم نحو األردن‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وصول إلى ما تنوي إسرائيل فعله بضم األغوار الفلسطينية بدعم من‬ ‫الواليات المتحدة األمريكية إلحالل نكبة جديدة بدأت فصولها بإعالن ما يسمى‬ ‫بصفقة القرن‪ ،‬التي تعمل على تصفية قضية الالجئين وتنكر عليهم حقهم في‬ ‫العودة وتقرير المصير الذي يستمد مشروعيته من حقهم التاريخي في وطنهم‪،‬‬ ‫وال يغيره أي حدث سياسي طارئ وال يسقطه أي تقادم أو صفقات‪ ،‬وتكفله‬ ‫مبادئ القانون الدولي واالتفاقيات والمعاهدات الدولية باإلضافة إلى قرارات‬ ‫هيئة األمم المتحدة ذات العالقة ومن أبرزها اإلعالن العالمي لحقوق اإلنسان‬ ‫سنة ‪ ١٩٤٨‬والذي جاء في المادة ‪ ١٣‬منه “أن لكل إنسان الحق في العودة إلى‬ ‫بالده”‪ ،‬كما أكدت على ذلك اتفاقية جنيف الرابعة وقرار الجمعية رقم‬ ‫‪ – ١٩٤‬د) الصادر بتاريخ ‪ ١٩٤٨/١٢/١١‬الفقرة رقم (‪ )١١‬والتي تنص‬ ‫على اآلتي‪“ :‬تقرر وجوب السماح بالعودة‪ ،‬في أقرب وقت ممكن لالجئين‬ ‫الراغبين في العودة إلى ديارهم والعيش بسالم مع جيرانهم‪ ،‬ووجوب دفع‬ ‫تعويضات عن ممتلكات الذين يقررون عدم العودة إلى ديارهم وعن كل مفقود‬ ‫أو مصاب بضرر‪ ،‬عندما يكون من الواجب‪ ،‬وف ًقا لمبادئ القانون الدولي‬ ‫واإلنصاف‪ ،‬أن يعوض عن ذلك الفقدان أو الضرر من قبل الحكومات أو‬ ‫”السلطات المسؤولة‬

‫بلغ عدد الشهداء الفلسطينيين في معارك النكبة حسب عدة مصادر تاريخية‬ ‫نحو ‪ ١٥‬ألف شهيد‪ ،‬بينما بلغ عدد الشهداء العرب من ‪ ٣،٥٠٠‬إلى ‪٧٠٠‬‬ ‫آالف شهيد‬ ‫بلغ عدد األسرى العرب في أعقاب النكبة حسب الصليب األحمر الدولي‬ ‫‪ ٥،٢٠٤‬أسيرً ا‪ ،‬منهم ‪ ٤،٧٠٢‬فلسطيني والباقون أردنيون ومصريون‬ ‫وسعوديون وعراقيون ولبنانيون ويمنيون‪...‬إلخ‪ ،‬وكانوا موزعين على‬ ‫معسكرات الجليل ‪ ٢،٢٢٩‬أسيرً ا منهم ‪ ١،٨٩٤‬فلسطيني‪ ،‬ومعسكر عتليت‬ ‫‪ ١،٢٥٦‬أسيرً ا منهم ‪ ١،١٣٦‬فلسطيني‪ ،‬ومعسكر صرفند ‪ ٨٧٣‬أسيرً ا منهم‬ ‫‪ ٧٩٤‬فلسطيني‪ ،‬تم إطالق سراحهم في عملية تبادل أسرى في أواسط أيار‬ ‫‪١،٩٤٩‬‬ ‫بقي نحو ‪ ١٥٠‬ألف فلسطيني فقط في المدن والقرى الفلسطينية التي قامت‬ ‫عليها “إسرائيل” بعد النكبة الفلسطينية‪ ،‬وصل عددهم في نهاية العام ‪٢٠١٩‬‬ ‫نحو مليون و ‪ ٥٩٧‬ألف نسمة‬ ‫حسب سجالت وكالة الغوث بلغ عدد مخيمات الالجئين الفلسطينيين ‪٥٨‬‬ ‫مخيمًا رسميًا تابعًا لوكالة الغوث الدولية تتوزع بواقع ‪ ١٠‬مخيمات في‬ ‫األردن‪ ،‬و‪ ٩‬مخيمات في سوريا‪ ،‬و‪ ١٢‬مخيمًا في لبنان‪ ،‬و‪ ١٩‬مخيما ً في‬ ‫الضفة الغربية‪ ،‬و‪ ٨‬مخيمات في قطاع غزة‬

‫‪Artwork by Ibaa Al Rawahi‬‬ ‫‪IG: @ibaa.ahmed‬‬

‫‪13‬‬

55 Years in Exile: Diaspora Palestinians on the Naksa Reem Farhat Originally Published in The New Arab Like hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, Eman Odeh, 23, can pinpoint the date of her family’s exile from Palestine to June of 1967. Both her grandfathers served in the Jordanian army at the time and fought to defend the West Bank village they were from, Faqua, which sits a few kilometers north of Jenin. On June 5, 1967, Israel launched a surprise attack on Egyptian air forces, setting forth what came to be known as the Six Day War between Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. In under a week, Israel defeated the Arab armies and seized Palestinian territories in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, along with the Golan Heights in Syria and the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. This event, forever engrained in the history of Palestinian families, came to be known as the Naksa, a term which means “setback” in Arabic. Following the defeat, Odeh’s parents, who were both children at the time, were forced to flee by foot. It took them two days to reach Jordan, where they stayed in a refugee camp before resettling in Jordan permanently. They had no idea they’d never be able to live in Palestine again. “My grandmother left all her fabric at home on purpose exactly where it was because she thought she’d come back and finish sewing,” said Odeh. Odeh’s family members were among the nearly 300,000 Palestinians displaced during the catastrophic defeat of the Six Day War which also marked the start of Israel’s illegal military occupation of historic Palestine. The effects of the Naksa were not limited to 1967, but have had vast ripple effects on much of Palestine and the diaspora today.

Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi IG: @amjedalsiyabi

The term “Naksa” was coined by Muhammad Hassanein Heikal, an Egyptian journalist and close associate of Egypt’s president at the time, Gamal Abdel Nasser.

father, who was a teenager at the time.

According to historian Sherene Seikaly, the word “Naksa” does not accurately reflect the magnitude of 1967.

“My father saw family members get murdered, he witnessed people defiantly protecting their homes until their last breath against Israeli tanks and bulldozers trying to destroy their homes,” said Koutteineh.

Her family is from Jerusalem’s Old City, which came under direct Israeli rule after 1967.

“When Hassanein Heikal came up with [the term], it was really about trying to both make a rhythmic analogy to the Nakba, but to make it seem like something that was just a minor diversion from a forward moving path, as opposed to what it actually was, which was a complete catastrophe,” said Seikaly.

The Naksa resulted in the displacement of a majority of Koutteineh’s family members from their ancestral homes in the Old City. Her family members describe the demolitions of homes near the Western Wall immediately following the Six Day War, some of which were demolished while people were still inside.

“[The term] was an attempt to recuperate the defeat and recuperate Nasser’s image in the wake of that defeat.”

“It is important to inform people about the Naksa because people don’t realize the mass murder and exodus of Palestinians came in two waves,” she said.

The Naksa was a continuation of the Nakba or “catastrophe” in 1948, which was the first mass exodus of Palestinians from their homes by Zionist militias in which over 700,000 Palestinians were displaced and thousands of others were massacred.

“The Naksa paved the way for theft of Palestinian homes from 1967 to current day through various colonial mechanisms, from the Allon Plan to the illegal annexation of Jerusalem. Annexation that essentially legalized theft.”

Stories from 1967 have been passed down to Palestinians living in the diaspora orally by family members. Odeh’s father tells her he remembers the Naksa even more clearly than his wedding day.

Today, most of her family lives in the diaspora, scattered across countries in the Middle East, North America and Europe.

Odeh and her family eventually moved to Qatar before recently resettling in the United States. Although she’s never been able to visit Palestine, she grew up hearing about her village from her parents and grandparents.

For Palestinian American activist Jude Husein, 24, educating people about Palestinian history is crucial. “Young people and older generations alike need to continue telling the stories,” said Husein.

“I just remember my dad having a map of Palestine in his bedroom and every morning when I went to say hi to him he would say, ‘Point to home, point to Faqua,’” said Odeh.

“I see the world understanding the Palestinian struggle as a struggle for freedom, just like every other struggle that mankind has seen and contextualized through freedom. We’re not just victims of oppression. We’re educators, we’re poets and artists, creative minds, musicians.”

“Even though I’ve never been to Palestine, I have such a strong connection to the land because of all the stories I heard growing up.” Farrah Koutteineh, 24, the head of public relations at the UK-based advocacy group, the Palestinian Return Center, also grew up hearing about 1967 from her

Husein’s family was also forced to leave their home in the West Bank village of Ein Yabrud during 1967.

Her father was a teenager at the time and remembers hearing warning shots and seeing smoke. It was clear to him that his family was in imminent danger.

After staying in Jordan for two months, Husein’s family was eventually able to return to their village. For Husein, the biggest takeaway from hearing these stories about her family growing up was learning about the strength and resilience of Palestinian women, which she said gives her hope for a free Palestine.

At the time, his sister had gone out to get water and was separated from the rest of the family. As they fled to Jordan on foot, they searched for her and eventually found her hiding among corpses of soldiers and other Palestinians in an abandoned home.

“If we can survive all of this time, then that shows that when there’s a will there’s a way and there’s always a light.”

Artwork by Safiya Kezzim IG: lallasafy

1967: The Beginning of our End. Jamal Mustafa WE were birthed in a common womb Of confounding chaos. One that Simultaneously Spawned 300,000 burning lives into Existence, Awoken through the fiery commotion of Indiscriminate Displacement. –”Ow, Stop it!” i scream, trying to feign selfimportance. Were WE Sparked by a Lighter In the Dim of Darkness or Burned By the Sun in the Plain of Light? 1967: The Beginning of our End. Statelessness has become our Permanent state. Lost in a murky sea Where no one looks like us. Thankfully, i’ve prospered to a Statistic in my Own Home, i am One in Four, And together WE are Thousands Apart. –The guard hits me, overwhelmed by indignation, i kick back. i am Stranded on an island completely “devoid of substance.” There are thousands of other islands similar to Mine in the distance In sight but out of reach. i swim hysterically to reach my No-longer Brothers and Sisters But the water pushes Me back with an indomitable Force that My self-will cannot surmount. i am Weak and Defeated. 1967: The Beginning of our End. i am back in the land of statistics. The ground trembles beneath me With a repressed exasperation. As i walk in the designated refugee camp For us “devoid of substance” i feel the earth quiver In stoical bitterness–a protest of nature. –”For the love of Allah” my Mother pleads as my identity is physically voided. i see Hebrew names scribbled over

Historical Monuments, Village Mosques vengefully torn down, Artifacts shattered in the cracked streets While the Olive trees shudder in Opposition. 1967: The Beginning of our End. The air of denationalization pollutes My lungs. As i breathe that beautiful air i feel the exhausting burden Of sharing that breath with thousands. –They stab her. She lives. Others scream. They die. i stay silent. i feel resentful? No. Guilty? Yes. i feel guilty. Guilty that i get to breathe the seductively Dirty air whereas hundreds of thousands of My no-longer Brothers and Sisters were Expelled to countries That have air uncontaminated by the Aroma Of Home. Guilty that my final connection To the diaspora is our disconnection. 1967: The Beginning of our End. i am not being born in a fiery commotion. i am not on a stranded island trying to swim to freedom. i am not walking through the old country. i am not focusing on the air. i am fifteen years old (the cutoff) i am watching guards pillage my community i am held at gunpoint along with hundreds of others i am terrified but i project composure i am a citizen of an erased country i am part of a system that chooses to forget. WE will not be Forgotten! I… I will not be Forgotten! 1967: The End of our Beginning.

Artwork by Zahraa jamal IG: @zahraa.jamal

‫صناعة النحاس‬

‫رجاء غزاونة‬

‫تروي القدس بحضارتها وأصالتها حكاية حاضرها وماضيها بتراثها الخالد‬ ‫لالجيال ‪ ،‬ليبقى عشقها في قلوب الماليين عربا كانو او مسلمين ‪ ،‬فصناعة‬ ‫النحاس “السمكرة” فيها اصبحت مهنة متوارثة ‪ ،‬لكنها تلفظ انفاسها في ظل‬ ‫استخدام المواطنين لألدوات الحديثة وااللكترونية‬ ‫فالسمكرة مهنة تقوم على اصالح ادوات االضاءة والتدفئة القديمة كالقنديل‬ ‫والسراج وصوبات الكاز‪ ،‬وصناعة “دلو الزينكو” و”سخانات الماء اليدوية”‬ ‫”و”البوابير‬ ‫وتعتبر صناعة النحاس واألعمال النحاسية من الحرف األقل انتشاراً في‬ ‫القدس بسبب اجراءات االحتالل على اصحاب الحرف النحاسيه وفرض‬ ‫ضرائب باهضه عليهم‬ ‫النحاس هو أكثر المعادن إستخداما‪ .‬و هناك أربع طرق تقنية لصنع األوعية‬ ‫النحاسية أال وهي ‪( :‬الطرق ‪ ،‬و الصب ‪ ،‬و السحب ‪ ،‬و الكبس) إن أكثر‬ ‫المعادن التي يتم تصنيعها في وقتنا الحالي هو النحاس حيث يخلط مع‬ ‫الصفيح و يستخدم بشكل كبير في صناعة األدوات المطبخية‬

‫وصناعة النحاس المزخرف من الصناعات العريقة التي كانت تميز بها مدينة‬ ‫القدس منذ القدم وقد انتشرت في العهد العثماني وأبدع سكان مدينة القدس في‬ ‫هذه الصناعة حيث قاموا بصناعة أروع األواني واألباريق والفازات‬ ‫واألطباق والمعلقات وقام بدق ورسم الرسوم الهندسية اإلسالمية الرائعة على‬ ‫هذه األواني واستخدم التطعيم عن طريق تطعيم النحاس بالفضة والذهب‬ ‫كما ابتدع أروع الوسائل والمهارة اليدوية في هذه الصناعة من حيث استخدام‬ ‫الطرق والحرق والنقش والتطعيم مما عكس المهارة واإلبداع للحرفه‬ ‫الفلسطينيه‬ ‫وتشتهر هذه الصناعة في سوق الخواجات من البلدة القديمة في مدينة القدس ‪،‬‬ ‫فمحالت بيع وتصنيع النحاس تفوح منها رائحة القدم والتاريخ العريق للمدينة‬ ‫‪ ،‬لكنها اليوم تعتبر هذه المحالت فقط للسياحة وشراء القليل منها نظرا‬ ‫للمستورد الذي غطى على كل هذه المهنة ‪ ،‬مهنة تحتاج الى التعلم والتدريب‬ ‫النها بحاجة الى الدقة والحرفية‬ ‫وللحفاظ عليها ال يزال عدد من المقدسيين يحافظون على هذه المهنة لعدم‬ ‫اغالق محالتهم لبيع النحاس حتى تعيش هذه المهنة خالدة لالجيال القادمة‬

‫‪Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi‬‬ ‫‪IG: @amjedalsiyabi‬‬

‫‪19‬‬

Palestine Speaks: Conversation with Awni Abuhadba PACC Staff At PACC, our mission is to strengthen and sustain ties to Palestinian heritage while empowering the well-being of the entire community. To continue doing so, we collaborate with collaborated with filmmaker, Ahmed Eid on a video series called #PalestiniansSpeak. For each issue throughout this volume, hear different members of our Palestinian community share their stories and and discuss what being Palestinian means to them. This issue, we are highlighting our valued community member Awni Abuhadba. Tell me about yourself. I was born in the village of Turmusayya, Ramallah in the West Bank. My family comes from a town called Dayr Aban, and they were driven out in 1948 as the whole town was evicted and run down by the Israeli army at that time. And they moved to the West Bank. How did you get involved in local politics? We had a funeral one day down the street here at Omar Mosque and a lot of people came. There was a lady across the street who owned a house, she called the mayor and she told him people were parked illegally. So the mayor called the car company and they towed all the cars. So I went to see the mayor, he lived across the street. I said to him, “Give us a half hour because this is a funeral. And we are leaving.” I remember he said to me, “This lady has five votes in her house. She could make me or break me. Your community has 400 people here and nobody votes.” After the funeral, we had a meeting with the community the next day. It was 1984 and we told them we should get involved in the political system in this country. And we have to register to vote and we have to show them that we are here. So the community decided that I should run. So I ran for a councilman in 1984. We registered 600 people in about four weeks. And we came very close on election day to win the election. I did not win the election, but I won the community. And I won their rights in Paterson. And we had the victory party that night with the mayor in Paterson.

Artwork by Amjed Al-Siyabi IG: @amjedalsiyabi

We can change things the way we want by voting. It’s not by arguing. If you vote for the right things for the right person, you get the right things. If we do not vote, there is nothing they can do for us.

been doing this since 1984 or 85. There’s now a test in Arabic at the Department of Motor Vehicles for people to take it and get a license done. What do you think about the quote, the old will die and the young will forget?

Can you give me an example of something that you changed positively for your community when you were an elected official?

When I walk into the center (PACC), I see maybe 100 kids, somebody going down, somebody going up, somebody learning to dance dabka, somebody learning how to write and read Arabic. These kids today know more about Palestine than the old generations sometimes, -they are educated about the Palestinian cause. The old died, yes but they taught us the traditions, the customs, the good things. The new generation is the one that is carrying the torch now. Take a look at the young kids fighting back home. They were just born 20, 15, or 10 years ago, they are carrying the flags and the stones and the will to get rid of the occupation and to get rid of the injustice in Palestine. The cause will not die, it doesn’t matter who lives or dies. We are Palestine.

When I ran for the councilor seat in 1984 Frank Graves, the mayor at the time, came to me and said, “What can I do for you?” In front of everybody I said, “I want nothing. I want something for my community. There’s an exam at the Department of Motor Vehicles. It’s in English and some people cannot read English and understand the test. So I need help there to translate this exam to Arabic.” He said, “You got it.” He was an elected senator and it didn’t take him 30 or 40 days. I got a letter from the Motor Vehicle, appointing me to give the test in Arabic at the Motor Vehicle. I replied, no, I want the test in Arabic, all over the state. He gave me the test. I took it to New York for translation. They translated the test and they sent it to the state and they have

Photo taken by: Ahmed Eid IG: @ahmedeidfilms

Stories Hannah Hamdan The poet, Hannah Hamdan, is eight years old. She is a student in PACC’s Holding Onto Palestinian Existence Jr. Program (HOPE JR.) and Tatreez class.

This piece of mesh tells stories I love this Palestinian way of art How they work so hard. The beauty of Tatreez is all I can see I know this way by heart How they put their time in it. One needle and one thread sew an X That’s all it takes Together, the X’s can build a beautiful picture. This piece of mesh tells stories Stories of happiness and joy This art can be worn on your body or hung up on your wall. This piece of mesh tells stories.

Photo taken by: Lialie Mustafa

Artwork by Zahraa jamal IG: @zahraa.jamal

PACC Thanks You Thank you for supporting us by picking up Falastin! If you have any suggestions and/or contributions, please reach us at falastin@paccusa.org We are always looking for new content and artwork! Would you like to see your advertisement next? Call us at the number listed below.

paccusa.org info@paccusa.org 973-253-6145 388 Lakeview Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011

Are You Registered To Vote?

Did you know there are important local elections this year?

‫ﻫﻞ ﺳﺠﻠﺖ إﺳﻤﻚ ﻟﻠﺘﺼﻮﻳﺖ؟‬ ‫ﻫﻞ ﺗﻌﻠﻢ أن ﻫﻨﺎك اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻠﻴﺔ ﻣﻬﻤﺔ ﻫﺬا اﻟﻌﺎم؟‬

PACC can help you either in person or online! ‫ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻨﺎ ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪﺗﻚ إﻣﺎ ﺷﺨﺼ ًﻴﺎ أو ﻋﺒﺮ اﻹﻧﺘﺮﻧﺖ‬ Visit or call us at (973) 253-6145 ‫زوروﻧﺎ او اﺗﺼﻠﻮا ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ‬ or use the online form

‫أو اﺳﺘﺨﺪام اﻟﻨﻤﻮذج ﻋﺒﺮ اﻹﻧﺘﺮﻧﺖ‬

EAGLE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, INC. QUALITY ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Income Taxes (Business, Personnel)

FINANCIAL & ACCOUNTING SERVICES PAYROLL SERVICES AUDIT (IRS & STATE) BUSINESS CONSULTANT

• BOOKKEEPING • SALES TAX • STARTING UP A BUSINESS • PAYROLL • CLOSING A BUSINESS • BUSINESS CONSULTANT • IRS COMPLICATIONS

1107 Main Street • Paterson, NJ 07503 Tel: (973) 925-4405 • info@eagletaxnj.com

Mohd Kasabra, EA Accountant

T: (973) 883 1009 F: (973) 860 2210 kasabra@krproaccountant.com

271 Route 46 West; Suite F206, Fairfield, NJ 07004 www.krproaccountant.com