The Long Walk to Palestine’s Freedom

If Palestinian freedom fighters are labeled as terrorists, it’s worth remembering that Nelson Mandela was also once called a terrorist. And we will keep fighting for our homeland like the South Africans did.

originally published in Mondoweiss 10/26/23

Even though I had prepared my official clothes for the interview, printed my CV and cover letter, checked my portfolio, and added any necessary documents, I didn’t make it to the HULT Prize Interview that was scheduled for the next day, which was a Saturday.

Unfortunately, none of the shortlisted candidates could make it either.

I still vividly remember that Saturday, October 7. I woke up in fear, my heart beating rapidly as the sounds of powerful rockets filled the air. I hurried into the corridor, where I found my family members gathered, their faces reflecting fear and confusion.

There was no electricity, so I couldn’t find out through the internet what was happening. Almost two hours later, the electricity came back on, and we learned that Hamas had launched numerous rockets into Israel and had breached a section of the Israeli fence around Gaza.

Initially, we were shocked and in disbelief. For the first time in 70 years, a significant number of Palestinian freedom fighters had managed to escape the occupied areas in Palestine. We wondered, could this be it? Are we going to liberate our homeland? Will we ever return to our original villages and cities?

I, for instance, am not originally from Gaza. I am from Qastina, a village on the coastal road between Gaza and Jerusalem. I understand that what Hamas did made many people angry. Nobody likes bloodshed. But did you know that the establishment of Israel was built on the suffering of Palestinians? Fortunately, my grandparents were not killed during the Nakba, but they were forcibly relocated to Gaza, where they gave birth to my father and his eight siblings. They witnessed the killing, terrorization, and massacres of other Palestinians.

Also, did you know that since the creation of Israel, the Nakba, the Palestinian Catastrophe, has been ongoing? The documentation of this by many journalists, and even the Israeli government, is extensive. Every year, Palestinians, including children and women, are imprisoned, injured, and killed, while far fewer Israelis are killed.

The context is different as well. Israelis are the conquerors ruling an apartheid state, while Palestinians are fighting for their land and their families. During the Nakba of 1947-8, nearly 800,000 Palestinians were displaced. Ethnic cleansing continues, especially in the West Bank, where Israel erected the apartheid wall that separates it from the rest of Palestine.

As for Gaza, even before the current conflict, our strip had been under Israeli lockdown since 2007. We were treated like subhumans on a daily basis, with limited access to travel outside of Gaza and severe shortages of medicine, fuel, and basic necessities. We had only a few hours of electricity each day, and our water and air were polluted. We endured five major aggressions with no shelters for safety, unlike Israelis. The use of internationally banned weapons and rockets caused immense loss of life, and no one seemed to care.

After 17 years of extreme and cruel suffering for Palestinians in Gaza, Hamas gave us hope for freedom. Quickly, that hope turned into deep sadness, disappointment, and agony. The U.S. condemned what Hamas did and supported Israel as if Israel were the victim. But Israel is a cunning and narcissistic entity that always plays the victim, threatening any country that supports the Palestinian resistance. The world needs to understand that this is a long-standing Palestinian struggle for liberation.

During the current aggression on Gaza, Israel has violated all our rights. There’s no electricity, water, or internet, and only limited access to food. They’ve killed 7,028 Palestinians, including 2,913 children. They’ve killed 20 journalists. They’ve displaced 1.3 million people, completely destroying over 38,420 housing units, and partially damaging 1,211,000 units. Ambulances, health workers, schools, clinics, and more have been targeted, as reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

We draw inspiration from the fall of apartheid in South Africa. If the brave Palestinian freedom fighters are labeled as terrorists, it’s worth remembering that Nelson Mandela was also once called a terrorist. I despise war and cherish peace, just like any Palestinian, but if someone were to break into my house with a gun, claiming, “You must leave! God told me this house belongs to me because I’m the Chosen One,” I would fight for my home to the death, even with my bare hands.

Even though we may be weak, Palestinians will always continue fighting for their homeland.

We implore the world to understand and support our struggle for liberation. The lack of progress and biased responses from powerful nations, such as the United States, only deepens our frustration. It is time for the international community to stand up for justice and acknowledge our right to self-determination.

We Palestinians want our refugees from around the world to be free to return to their homeland in accordance with UN Resolution 194. We seek freedom, peace, and justice for our cause. We want Israel to face sanctions for their numerous crimes against us.

Is it too much to ask for our basic rights?