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/foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa AQSA NEWS Ramadan 2016 1

ISSUE 61RAMADAN 2016

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THE MAGAZINE

/foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa2 AQSA NEWS Ramadan 2016

CONTENTSISSUE 61 | RAMADAN 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE

NEWS FROM INSIDE PALESTINE

GLOBAL NEWS

SPECIAL FEATURE

FOA UPDATES

FOA EXCLUSIVE

FUN & GAMES

BDS CAMPAIGNS

CULTURE

RAMADAN SPECIAL

3

4

5

6

10

11

12

14

16

21

Photo: iStock


EDITOR’S NOTE

New beginningsFOA is incredibly excited to be launching our first magazine this Ramadan. The aim of the magazine is to highlight the often-neglected narratives of Palestinians, as well as sharing positive experiences from those who have visited the Holy Land. These are the voices which are so often missing in the mainstream media.

Storytelling is a powerful tool to help create greater human connection and understanding of the struggles faced by people. That is why we have been working with Palestinians to ampli-fy their voices, stories and struggles to help ordinary people connect with Palestinians under occupation.

I would like to personally thank everyone who has been involved in this magazine including the writers, editors, volunteers and designers. This project would not have been possible without the willingness to participate and openness of the writers, who wanted to share their stories.

If you have any comments or suggestions for future editions, contact: [email protected].

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Photo: iStock


DNA evidence proves knife attack lieA 16-year-old Palestinian boy accused of attempted murder was exonerated by DNA evidence from the alleged weapon - a knife. In the exceptional case, Ahmad Azza, a human rights activist from Tel Rumeida in Hebron, was arrested by Israeli police and charged with possession of a knife in public while fleeing from soldiers. According to Azza, he was not in the area where the soldiers claimed he had been when the knife was allegedly found.

After a week in prison, Azza was released when DNA testing on the knife, revealed that the only DNA found belonged to an Israeli soldier.

Azza’s case highlights how easy it has become to falsely arrest young Palestinians without evidence. Many other Palestinians have been extrajudicially executed at the scene, including 19-year-old Fadi Alloun who was murdered by Israeli police in October 2015. Their families have received no justice.

Running for freedomDespite the on-going illegal occupation, the Palestine marathon took place for the fourth consecutive year in April, to highlight the struggles faced by Palestinians every day.

The marathon attracted a record number of international runners. 4,371 participants ran through the streets of Bethlehem in a race organised by the non-profit global running community ‘Right to Movement’, who are dedicated to “telling a different story of Palestine.”

The aim of the marathon is to highlight the restrictions on movement faced by Palestinians due to deliberate occupation policies, namely the use of checkpoints, roadblocks and the apartheid Wall. These occupa-tion policies make it extremely difficult for Palestinians to travel freely within their land, and getting from one city to the next is a laborious journey.

The participants represented an array of different races, ages and religious backgrounds, and they came together in a show of unity for a just cause.

New Report: Israeli Police Abusing Detained ChildrenA harrowing report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) documents interviews with Palestinian children who have been detained and abused while in custody of the Israeli army. Video footage and reports from lawyers reveal the use of extreme force during arrest and when detaining children. The abuse includes physical assaults and also extends to physical and emotional abuse.

14-year-old Suheib told HRW that he was subject to verbal and physical abuse for hours before he was questioned about his alleged

involvement in throwing stones at security forces. Threats were also made to his family and he was asked to sign papers in Hebrew, which he did, despite not knowing how to read Hebrew.

‘Palestinian children are treated in ways that would terrify and traumatize an adult. Screams, threats, and beatings are no way for the police to treat a child or to get accurate information from them,’ said Sari Bashi, HRW’s Israel and Palestine Country Director.

The HRW report reveals that Palestinian children are consistently interrogated without a parent present. As a result, the Israeli security forces continue to violate international and domestic Israeli laws at the expense of Palestinian lives.

NEWS FROM INSIDE PALESTINE

UNLAWFUL KILLINGS 2015/16

WEST BANK & EAST JERUSALEM

GAZA STRIP

ISRAEL

Each symbol represents 10 peopleStatistics: Amnesty.org

10

22

124


GLOBAL NEWS

Palestine Conference 2016: From Johannesburg to JerusalemThe Fosis Palestine Conference was held at the London School of Economics on March 5th, bringing together an array of speakers and activists from across the UK.

Panel speakers included academics, journalists and activists; each offering their own expertise on the issues being discussed, provid-ing specialised knowledge from history, politics and campaigning. Speakers included the newly elected NUS president Malia Bouattia, Ben White, and Max Blumenthal.

The conference highlighted the ongoing harrowing crimes beingperpetrated against Palestinians, while also running practical workshops to train participants on how to successfully campaign. Workshops provided training for those wanting to get involved in campaigns to end Israel’s occupation through a number of political actions from lobbying to BDS.

“The political lobbying workshop was excellent and well delivered. It made political lobbying an easy topic to learn about.” Abdul

The overall outcome was to remind participants about their privileged positions in helping end Israel’s illegal occupation, and to stand insolidarity with Palestinians by supporting BDS and political lobbying.

Sadiq Khan: From sanctions to opposing boycotts of IsraelSince the recent London Mayoral elections, Sadiq Khan has taken a number of steps to bring himself closer to Israel. His public meeting with Mark Regev, Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, prior to taking up his new position, in 2009 Khan repeatedly called on ministers to impose sanctions on Israel. Since then, Khan’s position has drastically shift-ed, and he has publicly defended his move away from lobbying for sanctions against Israel to supporting non-boycotts of Israel. In doing so, he has turned his back on the Palestinian struggle for freedom.

Khan was keener than ever to show his non-boycott stance in the run up to the London mayoral elections. In his opposition to the boycotts, he said, “the evidence clearly shows that boycott, sanctions and divestment against Israel do not help us achieve peace – we must not turn our face against Israel.” Khan doesn’t mention where he is deriving such flawed evidence from and also avoids acknowledging the success of boycotts during the South African apartheid, which is a clear example of how it does work.

Another argument he made was that, “the Boycotts of Sodastream international showed boycotts only hurt working people and do nothing to build a lasting peace in the region.” Khan fails to give full context to the situation. Palestinians themselves have called for a boycott of Israel, and therefore, undermining their call is not only patronising, but it also imposes further oppression against an already oppressed community.

Khan’s efforts to derail the boycott campaign, both economic and cultural, does not appear to have had any impact. The trend is a clear rise in support for the BDS campaign with an increase in companies and institutions boycotting and divesting from Israel.

Photo: Friends of Al-Aqsa


SPECIAL FEATURE

Since 2005, I have been documenting the weekly Friday demonstra-tions in Bil’in, which serves as a public show of unity and solidarity, and a peaceful means of resisting Israeli occupation.

A series of personal tragic life events led me to discover photography. During the first Intifada, at the age of 15 the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested me during a night raid. I had been throwing stones while at school because of the killing of our beloved village ice cream man by the IOF. I was jailed for 2 years despite being a minor and no one getting hurt.

I was released at the age of 17 and I attempted to do an electrician’s apprenticeship, but due to my family’s difficult financial situation I was unable to complete the training. Instead, I had to find work. I was blessed in my early twenties to marry Khawla and have two beautiful sons Karme and Mohammed.

However, things changed dramatically for the worse by my 27th birthday. My father died of cancer and my life turned upside down. With the continued deterioration of my son Karme’s health battling Leukemia, I made repeated desperate appeals to Israel for travel

visas to be with my son and wife whilst he was receiving treatment at Israeli hospitals, but I was denied this right. Our family was separat-ed for very long periods, and we sold our family possessions and valuables to cover medical bills. As I fell deeper into debt, I found myself in despair, hating myself and the world.

After my sons death, I picked up a camera and used it to protect my family and my villagers from the IOF. I recorded the frequent and often dangerous, unpredictable hostile encounters both day and night with the aggressive IOF soldiers. This was also a gift as I discovered I could teach my fellow villagers and youth how to use the camera for

their own protection. Photography then became a life-saving form of self-defense for me, and an acceptable peaceful, legal outlet to release my frustration, anger and helplessness.

My photos tell stories and represent news, relayed in simple, raw, honest images and video. I share my work daily on the Internet to ensure that the Palestinian struggle is not forgotten amidst wider world issues. I hope that through my work I can educate people on Palestinian culture, heritage, nature and life.

The power of the camera over violenceHaitham Khatib, freelance photographer, film maker & peace activists from Bil’in

“Photography became a life-saving form of self-defense and an acceptable peaceful, legal outlet to release my

frustration, anger and helplessness.”

Photo: iStock


SPECIAL FEATURE

I am one of millions of Palestinians who are living under Israeli occupation. I grew up hearing my mother saying, “tomorrow we will go and visit your dad at the Israeli prison.” When we would visit him, he always used to give me chocolate through the prison fence. I still remember when the Israeli forces would frequently come and attack my house to arrest my father. They would come at 2am and wake us up and would always leave the house in a mess. My father was an activist and used to attend many demonstrations and he was arrested several times. He spent 8 years in prison in administrative detention, without any charge.

I’m from Hebron and my city has been divided into two areas, H1 and H2. Settlers have come to live in Hebron and in the old city we don’t use the same roads. They have shut down Al-Shuhada Street, which was one of the famous commercial streets in the West Bank. Moreover, settlers treat Palestinians inhumanely by dropping their garbage on Palestinian houses and often swear at them using very rude and insulting words.

Living under occupation is not easy; it’s like being in a large prison. It means that you are surrounded by a suffocating wall, you can’t visit other cities easily, and you must go through humiliating checkpoints.

It also means that you live in an apartheid country where one group of people can travel freely, while Palestinians cannot. The Israeli government has the power to put their hands on your homeland whenever they want. You can suddenly lose everything from your land, house and family.

If you don’t live under occupation, you need to celebrate your life, your freedom, your safety and having access to basic human rights such as enough water and electricity. Please celebrate, and pray for a free Palestine.

Hebron the divided cityShahd Awawda, Lawyer from Hebron

“Settlers have come to live in Hebron and in the old city we don’t use the same roads.”

Photo: iStock

Photo: iStock


2008 was the year that changed everything. It is when I was in my last year of high school before going to college, and it was also the same year when Israel launched an aggressive war against the Gaza Strip, killing over a thousand and turning Gaza to rubble. I was only 17 and witnessed the suffering of my people.

I saw so many dead bodies including children arriving to Shifa hospital. Many died in hospital due to the shortage of medical supplies and equipment, and also because of the lack of well-quali-fied surgeons. I realised how Gaza needs highly qualified and skillful surgeons who can save lives and relieve suffering, so I took the decision which changed my life. I decided to become a doctor.

When the war ended in 2009, I got a really high GPA in high school and entered the Palestine faculty of medicine to take the first step towards my dream. During my 6 years studying in medical school, I experienced three wars.

As the popular saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” I kept fighting for my dreams and continued studying despite everything. In 2015, I made my dream come true when I completed my degree and became a doctor. I am now working on my next dream to become a surgeon to help the people of Gaza.

Working in the medical field in Gaza is extremely tiring and more complex than anywhere else in the world, especially when you work in hospitals that have suffered ten years of brutal siege and three consecutive wars. This has led to extreme shortage of medical supplies, electricity and even human resources. Most of the doctors working in Gaza’s hospitals receive no salaries due to the economical siege by Israel. This makes things more complicated forcing medical staff to leave the Gaza strip looking for better opportunities.

SPECIAL FEATURE

A perfect day in Gaza, ruined by electricity

It is 11:00pm and I am trying to sleep because tomorrow is going to be a long day. I have to wake up early at 6am to get to work on time. When I finish work I will blow-dry my hair before the electricity gets cut off then get dressed up to go to my friend’s party. Then I will finish any pending work and read the last chapter of my novel. This will be my perfectly planned to do list for tomorrow.

In the morning, I woke up late at 8:00am. My phone was out of charge so my alarm didn’t ring. I got up quickly to wash my face and brush my teeth. I wait for more than an hour for the electricity to come back on but I am forced to have a terribly cold shower.

I am late for work I arrived at 11:00am instead of at 9:00am. I took a deep breath and start working but the electricity gets cut off. My colleagues and I start asking each other “What shall we do?” “We will wait until the power is back again,” my colleague said.

I tried my best to finish my work early but unfortunately I am late. I arrived home and blow-dried my hair as it was still cold and wet from this morning but then the power goes off. Now my hair looks awful. I can’t go to the party with this hair. I was about to cry. Nothing was working the way I had planned. Electricity in Gaza has ruined my life.

I stayed home and decided not to go to the party. I have all the time to finish all my work, but there is no electricity. What shall I do? I took my novel and finished the last chapter. At least I did something from my to do list that day.

Sabeel Tayseer, editor and translator from Gaza

A day in the life of a doctor from GazaMohammed Ziara, Doctor from Gaza

Photo: Mohammed Ziara


SPECIAL FEATURE

I woke up early that day, feeling energetic as usual. I made a big mug of coffee, listened to my favourite music, revised my notes for the presentation I was about to give at hospital and dressed like a lady. It was 6:50am when I left my accommodation. While I was on the bus, I kept telling myself, “you’ll do great”. I opened the window and enjoyed the smell of jasmine flowers all along the road until the bus stopped. This is the first bus I have to take during my daily journey from home to work.

Many people were standing in a long queue, “not now,” I whispered to myself. It was a really cold and rainy morning. There were dozens of school children, crying babies, old people, two wheel chaired men and workers were standing and complaining, while they were forced to wait. No one could do anything but stand and wait in the horrible weather until the checkpoint door opened. This is a daily routine for Palestinians, wherever you go from one place to another you have to go through a checkpoint. You will then spend hours waiting for a soldier just to let you pass, and it all depends on the soldier’s mood each day. I kept saying to myself “Keep calm, Majd. They will let us all pass without a delay”.

One and a half hours passed and the door was still closed. People started complaining and a young school child beside me started to cry. I leaned forward and asked her why she was crying. She looked at me

with tears over her red-cherry cheeks and said innocently “I must have missed my math’s exam”. I could do nothing but hug her.

Ten minutes later, a very slim unpleasant female soldier came, yawning with one hand and holding an iPhone in the other. She shouted “one by one”, and then started to open the door, letting 3 people pass each time.

It was 10:45 am and no one was in the conference room. I met my supervisor and he was disappointed…and so was I. I went home feeling hopeless because as Palestinians we are deprived from the simplest rights on earth, to move freely.

I remember when I went to London last year, the only thing I truly enjoyed the most was the ease of travelling. I could walk freely in the streets without being afraid of being killed at any time for no reason. It has become an “Israeli fashion” nowadays to shoot to kill anyone they deem to be a suspect. So when you’re walking in the streets in Palestine as a Palestinian, you have to be very cautious.

The next morning, I woke up early as usual, made a big mug of coffee, listened to music and opened my Facebook account. Facebook: ”What’s on your mind?” I blindly wrote: ”We Palestinians teach life, Sir!”

Free movement? Not for PalestiniansMedical student from Abu Dis

“I went home feeling hopeless because as Palestinians we are deprived from the fundamental right to move freely.”

Photo: iStock


FOA UPDATES

A MessageThis May, hundreds of volunteers from all over the UK took part in FOA’s annual walk. Despite the unpredictable British weather, everyone came out to show their support and solidarity with Palestine. Our work at FOA would not be able to continue without the loyal support from members of the community. I would like to personally thank everyone who took part in the walk and those who sponsored others, helping them raise funds for a vital cause.

Ismail Patel

Follow on Twitter: @Ismailadampatel





FOA EXCLUSIVE

FOA interviews Yvonne Ridley, one of the first journalists to enter the Jenin refugee camp when the siege was lifted. Ridley describes her time in the camp after the massacre.

The Jenin refugee camp home to 15,000 Palestinian refugees living within one square kilometer of land. In 2002, from April 3rd-12th the Israeli Occupation Force launched a major military operation in the Jenin refugee camp. What resulted was a massacre.

The Jenin massacre conjures a lot of confusion because Israel delib-erately prevented reporters from entering the camp. Israel blocked the media during the assault and also blocked the UN Security Coun-cil-mandated investigation to take place. Israel used similar tactics during its attack on Gaza as a way of covering up its crimes from the rest of the world.

Ms Ridley’s account is important because of the lack of international reporters on the ground. Her interview serves as a testimony of the crimes against humanity that took place in Jenin.

“One of the first things I remember quite vividly was the smell. It was a smell that was so distinctive and I had encountered this once before when I covered the Lockerbie disaster. It was the smell of death and rotting corpses…I didn’t see any bodies but most of them were buried under the rubble. That’s when I saw several women and their hands were raw like meat because they had been tearing away at the rubble to get to the bodies.”

Eyewitnesses told Ms Ridley that they only had a few minutes to evacuate when bulldozers demolished their homes and everything in

the way. There was a disabled man in a wheel chair who didn’t have enough time to evacuate. The women who were tearing at the rubble were trying to find his body. They had no shovels.

After recalling several other stories Ms Ridley stated, “I couldn’t comprehend the hatred on the ground. It’s bad enough that generals plan this attack in a civilian area and demolished hundreds of homes. Every single house was scarred from some kind of armament. Even if they were in a war fighting an enemy what I couldn’t understand was the hatred from the soldiers who refused to let Palestinians take their loved ones to the hospital and refused to let ambulances enter Jenin.”

11 years later, the people of Jenin refugee camp have had no recourse to justice.

“Whenever anyone ever mentions Jenin to me it always brings tears to me, even now. That whole thing left a very deep mental scar with me. The little boy who had no hope, the Argentinian man who had so much hate, the father who watched his wife and son bleed to death. That was probably the worst 6 hours of my life. Nothing could have prepared me for that.”

Despite the repeated claims that there was no massacre, Ridley’s personal experience and eyewitness accounts speak volumes.

“Jenin was a war crime. It was a massacre.”

Jenin is an example of what happens when the world turns its back on the Palestinians.

The forgotten stories

behind the Jenin

Massacre

Photo: Analía Pérez Lévêque

“Jenin was a war crime,

it was a massacre.”


FUN & GAMES

RAMADANIt’s that time of the year again! It has come round quite fast hasn’t it? Yes! It’s Ramadan!

R N R D Y O D L A D B U D W E

D N O L A H T T P H A I D O T

A A A S I O E D S M R T Z O A

Q D M K A I F T A A R A E S F

L A R E V L D S S T M R N S A

U M E O H N A P A Z G S T E S

T A O A A T Q A A T E L C H T

A R G O I U Y M H C N O E E I

L S E H R I V I T T A E S H N

Y O T A S H E S C C W A N L G

A H A D A B I D S A A Y R C L

L N V H I N T E R C E T R T I

T H K E N M G A T O A B Y N R

O P N P A B T C A C N A U T D

R O S O R C F N I N A H F N O

1

2

5

10

9

11

6

8

4

7

3

ACROSS

2 Was commanded to slaughter his son3 Was born to one of the greatest women in Islam5 Split the sea in half7 Son of Zakariya8 Thrown in the well10 Had the ability to talk to ants11 Had 12 sons

DOWN

1 Had a child at a very old age3 Was a father of a prophet and the son of a prophet too5 Gifted with a beautiful voice7 Went to Jerusalem on the ‘night journey’8 Swallowed by the whale9 Helped his father build the Kaabah

Can you work out the name of each Prophet using the clues given below? All names of Prophets can only be used once!

Here is a word search with 12 words to find relating to Ramadan...

DATES SEHRIDHIKRTARAWEEHFASTINGZAMZAMIBADAHIFTAARLAYLATULQADRQURAANRAMADANSALAAH


FUN & GAMES

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 BONUS DAY

RAMADAN MUBARAK! WRITE DOWN ALL THE GOOD DEEDS YOU DO EACH DAY


BDS CAMPAIGNS

G4S pulls out of IsraelAfter years of effective campaigning, the multinational security services company G4S announced that it would be selling its entire Israeli business section. This huge victory for BDS has strengthened the movement, emboldening campaigners to take on other multinational companies such as Coca Cola. G4S’s decision is seen as a reminder that no matter how big or popular the company, it is possible to cut ties with Israel.

The BDS campaign against G4S focussed on its ‘complicity’ in Israel’s illegal occupation through the provision of equipment and services to Israeli prisons, checkpoints and the apartheid Wall. G4S was also involved in the transfer of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom were being held illegally, without trial and subjected to torture.

In an official statement, G4S confirmed that it intends on selling its entire Israeli business, which has a turnover of £100m with 8,000 employees. The company stated on their website, “Through our continuing portfolio management programme, we also expect to exit a number of other businesses with combined revenues of £400 million in the next 12 to 24 months including G4S Israel…”

The move by G4S to leave Israel highlights the potential impact of boycotts. Something Israel is deeply worried about.

Victory for Edinburgh University students who vote to back BDSThe Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement continues to be endorsed across universities, with Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) being the latest to vote in favour of a BDS campaign against Israel.

The BDS motion was passed at the Student Council by 249 votes to 153, with 22 abstentions. The move comes at a time when students from universities across the UK are becoming increasingly active against Israel’s occupation. Students, academics and institutions have all shown a reluctance to allow Israel’s crimes against Palestinians to go unnoticed.

The mandate requires EUSA “to adopt the main provisions of BDS and ally itself with the broader international campaign.”

During his speech, the president of the Edinburgh branch of Students for Justice in Palestine stressed his concerns regarding Israel’s occupa-tion, human rights violations and the need to secure the right of return for Palestinians. He told the audience, “It’s critical that we as citizens of the West do what we can to help Palestinians.”

The EUSA Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) liberation group and the Edinburgh Students for Justice in Palestine proposed the BDS motion.

Photo: iStock


BDS CAMPAIGNS

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CULTURE

Ingredients • 250 grams 100% lean beef/chicken minced and very cold• 350 grams fine bulgur, soaked and drained (also known as laapsi or

kahaar) • 1 small onion, finely chopped• 1/4 teaspoon allspice• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper• 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper• 1 teaspoon salt • 4 tablespoon butter

Stuffing ingredients • 1 tablespoon olive oil• 1 medium onion, finely chopped • 250 grams beef or lamb or chicken minced• 1 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper• 1/4 teaspoon allspice • 150 grams pistachio, slightly crushed (optional)• 1 egg

For the dough1. Place onions, bulgur, and dough spices in a food processor. Process

them all for two minutes until they become fine. Set the mixture aside.

2. Place the meat in the processor and process for two minutes. Add the meat to the mixture of onions and bulgur. Knead the whole mixture very well using your hands. Add some cold water while kneading in order to make a moist and well compact mixture. Keep

the dough cold until you need to use it. (It is preferable to keep the dough in refrigerator for couple of hours, it makes it easier to

handle)

For the stuffing 1. Heat olive oil in saucepan, add onions and stir over a medium heat

until they become slightly golden. Add meat and spices. Stir from time to time until well cooked. Place cooked meat and onions in a bowl. Add crushed pistachio and the egg, and mix very well.

Rolling process1. Divide kibbeh dough to three parts. Spread each part over a plastic sheet (add some water drops to the sheet). Put another

plastic sheet over the kibbeh dough. Using a rolling tool, make a thin layer of kibbeh dough. Remove top plastic sheet. Using a knife, make a rectangular shape of kibbeh (about 30 X 15). Add about 4 full tablespoon of stuffing and spread it across the kibbeh width. Using the lower plastic sheet, roll kibbeh forward toward stuffing while pressing in order to get a solid kibbeh roll.

2. Grease kibbeh roll with butter from all sides and place it into an oven-proof tray. Bake kibbeh rolls in a preheated 180°C oven for about 20 minutes or until they become brown-golden. Brush

kibbeh rolls with butter from time to time while baking (2 to 3 times).

3. Set them aside for about 15 minutes and then cut them into small rolls. This dish is typically it’s served hot with humus.

Enjoy!

By Shamila Motala

Recipe Kibbeh

Photo: iStock


CULTURE

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CULTURE

James Morris, Times & Remains of Palestine, 192 pages, Keher Verlag Heidelberg, £32.00

James Morris’s work focuses on history and topography, he began this project by using photography to document the remains in Israel and Palestine. His book offers a picture record of hundreds of Palestinian villages that have been ethnically cleansed and then deliberately demol-ished and rebuilt after 1948. The first part of the book investigates the Nakba (catastrophe) this is done by looking at historic Palestine and the remains of around 400 depopulated Palestinian villages. The second part reflects upon the contemporary landscape of a future Palestine amidst conflict and division. By pondering on the notion of Palestine, the book archives the history and landscape, but also echoes what has evolved from past to present. This book is ideal for those looking for images and supplementary text to explore the story that is often neglected in the headlines. It also offers awareness to the original villages destroyed by Israel and what has developed in these spaces as a consequence to Israel’s ethnic cleansing and occupation of Palestinian land.

Reviewed by Sara

Book Review

Times & Remains of Palestine

James Morris

Photo: James Morris


CULTURE

Photo: James Morris

Photo: James Morris


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RAMADHAN SPECIAL

Where do I start with Ramadan in Palestine? The place itself is full of countless blessings. Last year, I was blessed with the opportunity to vis-it Palestine during Ramadan, with a tour group led by Forgotten Lands. The experience was breathtaking.

I have been to Palestine before and I can truly say there is no place like it. During my last trip I was told by many Palestinians to come during Ramadan to experience a different feeling. So I decided to go back and observe my last 10 days of Ramadan in Masjid Al-Aqsa. I went for one sole purpose and that was to perform itikaaf (a period of spiritual respite) with my fellow Palestinians inside Masjid Al-Aqsa.

Our group arrived at the Tel Aviv airport and we waited around 3 hours before being given our visas to enter Palestine. We arrived at Hashimi Hotel where we checked in, prayed and ate. While the rest of the group was settling into the hotel I was getting ready to go into Masjid Al-Aqsa to begin itikaaf.

My first iftar (evening meal to break the fast) at Al-Aqsa was amazing, from little children offering you medjoul dates, which by the way are my favourite, to the elders offering you water and welcoming you to Al-Aqsa. They would greet you saying “Ahlan wa sahlan”, which comes from an old saying meaning ‘welcome you’ve come to stay with family’.

After opening our fast we prayed and went back out into the courtyard of Al-Aqsa to eat the rest of our meal. It’s hard to describe the feeling but sitting there eating with your bare hands and seeing so many children running around and playing, makes you smile.

Iftar and suhoor (morning meal to start the fast) in Al-Aqsa will always be an experience that will be in my heart forever. By the way,

for my suhoor I would always ask the brothers to get me some halal Palestinian sweets, trust me when I say this, these sweets are the best you will ever have.

Taraweeh and Qiyam ul Layl (night prayer) at Al-Aqsa left me wanting more from the beautiful voice of the Imam, the breeze in Al-Aqsa and the congregation of Muslims from all over Palestine. This was my favourite moment in Ramadan at Al-Aqsa. It would start with reading Taraweeh, then to head to Masjid Marwani (where non-Pales-tinians would sleep for itikaaf ) to eat some British snacks that I brought along with me to share with my fellow Muslim brothers. Then after about an hour I would get ready to pray Qiyam ul Layl. This prayer had a different feeling to it. Lights would be off, fewer brothers would be present but it felt like our Imaan (faith) was stronger. I would always smile after praying two rakats because I still could not believe that I was praying my Qiyam ul Layl at Al-Aqsa. This was my routine every evening.

Each day at Al-Aqsa I got to meet new people, Palestinians always give you their Salaams and welcome you to their country. One thing that no one can dispute is that there is no hospitality like Palestinian hospitality. Honestly, you have to go there to know the truth of this statement.

Overall, my Ramadan in Palestine left me wanting more, that’s for sure. One thing everyone learns in Palestine is that: Palestinians teach you life.

AnonA traveller with Forgotten Lands

Glorious night prayers

in Al-Aqsa

Photo: iStock


RAMADAN SPECIAL

All over the world, Muslims are waiting with joy and pleasure for the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan. In Jerusalem, Ramadan has a fragrance that spreads across the lanes and alleyways throughtout the city.

With its unique position, the Al-Aqsa Masjid is where everyone meets during Ramadan, from the young, old, men, women and children. They all meet at Al-Aqsa to perform their prayers and recite Qur’an.

Kids have their ways and styles different to adults, they pray then read Qur’an before gathering in the center courtyard full of joy. They sing nasheeds and tell stories to each other, they gather around and listen to stories, once the storytelling is finished, the kids voices are happy with laughter. If a child is able to narrate the story or explain the moral of the tale being told, he or she will be rewarded with sweets or a toy.

The communial iftars at Al-Aqsa are amazing, they fill me with joy and pleasure, as well as a feeling of being very close to Allah. It is a humble gathering with the old, young, rich and poor coming together as equals to break their fast and to worship their creator.

A wonderful part of Ramadan in Jerusalem is the traditional Ramadan food and drink close to the Damascus gate ‘Bab al-‘Amud’, drinks like tamarind and erk-sous are sold and you also see queues of people buying qatayef dough, a Palestinian dessert filled with nuts or cheese soaked in syrup. The gate is the main entrance leading to the narrow streets of Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, on this route there are many shops selling toys in preparation for Eid.

Towards the end of Ramadan children go to the shops to buy new clothes ready for Eid, the women of the family gather at night to make sweets for sharing and celebrating the arrival of Eid. Most of the family continue to worship for Laylat Al Qadr (the night of power). The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) narrates: “Whoever established the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven.” – Hadith, Bukhair vol 1, Book 2:34

G. Zoubi

Ramadan in Palestine

through the eyes of a

Palestinian


RAMADAN SPECIAL

It is hard to do justice to the feelings one experiences when spend-ing time in Palestine during Ramadan. The atmosphere in Jerusalem was something I’ve never experienced before, it was so busy with people visiting from all over the world and from different parts of Palestine. They all came to visit Al-Aqsa, where it was so peaceful and serene. One of my fondest memories was napping in the Al-Aqsa compound under the trees between Zhur and Asr when there was a pleasant breeze and I could hear all the children playing games, the men and women talking or reciting Qur’an until I’d fall asleep. I would wake up to the sound of the athan and look around as if I had been transported back in time. All of Al-Aqsa has an ancient feel to it with all of its original architecture. Being there genuinely felt like we were taking a journey through time, to a blessed place where every

Prophet sent by God prayed upon the land. The experience seemed so surreal.

The one thing that stands out for me the most is the people. They were all so happy to receive visitors from abroad. The Palestinians I met out there were so welcoming, kind and generous. My friends and I would break our fasts in the Al-Aqsa Masjid and someone would always provide water and food to break our fast with, despite our protests that we were carrying food. Every Palestinian we met was so happy to see us; they made us feel as if we were returning home after a long trip away.

Anon traveller

Ramadan Diary of a 12 year-oldI travelled to Jerusalem with my family for the last 10 days of Ramadan in July 2015. I have visited a number of countries, but this place was like no other, perhaps more so because my experience was in the month of Ramadan.

The first sight of the Dome of the Rock really amazed me. I didn’t imagine the compound to be so spacious, filled with rows and rows of people prostrating towards the Ka’bah. The beauty of it all was really captivating and spiritually uplifting.

Spending the last ten days of Ramadan in the third holiest city in Islam was a real blessing. Opening my fast besides both locals and visitors increased the feelings of unity and brotherhood in my heart.

Attending Taraweeh (night prayer) in Masjid Al-Aqsa was not at all as I had imagined, the gravity of the occasion was too much! I feel so blessed to have prayed in Masjid Al-Aqsa during the holy month of Ramadan. A place mentioned by Allah in His book:

“Glory to Allah who did take His Servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem) whose precincts We did bless.” (Al-Isra 17: 1)

Three days before we left for England, it was the day of Eid. Several roads were closed, and all the people of Jerusalem and other nearby cities flocked on to the streets, rushing to get a place in the Masjid. Luckily we came for the Fajr prayer and stayed until Eid prayer so we managed to get a good spot.

Although it was only a two-week trip I learned more about the beauty, history and culture of this land than I ever could from simply reading about it. I miss the narrow streets, the ancient buildings, the hustle and bustle of the markets and definitely Palestinian food!

I pray that every Muslim gets a chance to visit this blessed land and insha’Allah (God willing) I get to come again soon.

A. Akram

The ambiance in Jerusalem during Ramadan

Photo: iStock


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