When ihath hears voices in her head.
Archives for Palestine
Waltz with Bashir: a Movie Review
When I read the movie description in the International Film Festival Guide, I expected a fluffy movie about a soldier’s qualms about what he had done while serving in the army and finding ways to reconcile with his past. For example: I killed people while serving in the army, but now I sponsor a hungry [...]
Leaflet
Here is a leaflet produced by CanPalNet. It is thought provoking and I wanted to share it with my readers. CanPalNet will distribute this leaflet at different events in Vancouver in the coming weeks.
Musings on activism
When you set out to become an activist, you set out to change the world, because you believe that you have something to offer that can possibly make the world a better place. A very egotistical notion. Don’t you think? Standing with banners in the cold, rainy weather as people pass you by. Standing on [...]
Terrorist in a Desert.
My friend Simon said come with me to the Negev desert where I need to check on some scientific equipment I left there for my research, you can come for the ride, enjoy the scenery and keep me company. I thought it was a great idea, plus I never spent much time in the Negev [...]
Vin Diesel and Muqtada Al Sadr Switcheroo
Few weeks ago I was browsing pictures on Aljazeera website of people in Gaza celebrating the Hamas win in Palestinian elections. And low behold, what did I find? What is Vin Diesel doing in Gaza celebrating the Hamas win? Ok, Now that the American super hero is in Gaza, I feel optimistic. I am sure [...]
If this is free speech then give me restraint silence
There was no confusion. No hesitation, no discussion. When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the Holocaust was a myth, we in the west didn’t call it free speech. It was very clear to us that such talk is hate and a form of inhumanity worthy of condemnation. There was no confusion, no hesitation. We [...]
The women of Munich the Movie
Towards the end of the movie, Avner goes to see his mother. He is troubled and torment is apparant on his face. “Do you want to know what I did for the mossad?” Avner asks his mother. She reponds with a no, and proceeds to tell him about her own agony, having survived the holocaust, [...]
Saeed refuses to smile
I am reminded of the game my husband and I play when I am mad at him. I will put on my longest most serious face, and he will frequently do everything in his power to make me smile. Funny faces, jokes, tickles, he knows that once I smile I won’t be able to pretend [...]
Wedding in Galilee
About 14 years ago, as part of attempts to broaden awareness on Palestine we would organize Palestinian movie showings here in Vancouver. Whenever the issue of arab-48 was brought up, there was a single movie whose name would come up. Wedding in Galilee. At the time, there seemed to be no other movie by and [...]
Yasser – The Man of the hour
“Engineer Yasser Arafat” the name tag announced. That is what my dad remembers from working in the same building with the man. The year was 1963 and my dad was working in the interior ministry of Kuwait as an Engineer. He was working in the housing construction department, Engineer Yasser was in the road construction [...]
Condolences Letter to my Democrat Friend
Dear Friend, A few days ago Sheik Zayed El Nehyan passed away. He was the president of United Arab Emirates. Many people in that country are genuinely mourning his passing. He was a leader who cared about his people and attempted successfully to create a comfortable and privileged living for his fellow country men. I [...]
Intervention
I felt violated. As if he was able to read my innermost thoughts. The ones I didn’t tell anybody about. Private thoughts that I didn’t disclose to anybody not even those closest to me. My secret was out in the open for everybody to see. To be exposed in such a public way. How did [...]
Vancouver
“Next year in Jerusalem” said our host. I was at my friends house attending a Passover dinner in Jerusalem. Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates when Jewish people passed from Egypt to Palestine through the red sea, therefore escaping slavery and hardship. It is usually celebrated by an elaborate dinner at which everybody reads [...]
Operation Enduring Purchase
It is time for plan B. I am going to buy Israel. Yes! you heard that right. That is my plan. I will buy the whole country and convert it into a state where each person has a single vote and each person is equal. It will resolve the conflict and everybody will be happy. [...]
Losing Credibility
I have a credibility problem. People don’t believe the things that I tell them. There must be something about me that makes people not believe me. It all started from a young age. I was a teen, maybe 13 and I was spending my summer holiday in the Czech republic with my family as we [...]
Optimism – The Gaza Stories
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak said in a televised interview that; had he been born in Gaza he would have joined Hamas. Several days later he apologized for making that statement following controversy over it. Given his military career and the fact that he never shied away from a good fight, I suspect that [...]
Everybody Says Peace.
Can you imagine arriving in a foreign country, where a foreign language is spoken? You don’t understand a single word, except for the swear words. You walk around in happy tourist oblivion only to be jolted once in a while with some foul curse being yelled. Well I don’t have to imagine such a scenario, [...]
Dead Man
Have you ever met a dead man with a sense of humor?…. I have. We were at West Bank town of Gafna in the occupied territories, eating at a restaurant that is famous for its mesakhaan (a fabulous Palestinian dish). This town’s inhabitants are mostly Palestinian Christians. After pigging out, I decided to go out [...]
But, What?
How many times have you heard somebody say “ I am not a racist but,…..”. Fill in the blanks with some mildly racist comment. Examples would be “Those people expect too much” or “They are simply too sensitive”. Frequently I wish I could revise that statement to “I am a racist and ….”. At least [...]
infidel terrorist
Bin Laden says death to infidels God is on my side Convert to Islam and you will be spared Cover up woman, your skin is bare How fragile is my faith Dared to question a message of hate Deliver me from a sinner’s path Won’t want to be caught in this wrath Allahu akbar Allahu [...]
Writing letters
I used to feel frustrated with the way mass media covers the middle east. I would read our daily newspapers and feel just so mad with superficial reporting, Here is a sample of letters I have written to The Globe and Mail, Canada’s leading newspaper. This is only a sample, I have written so many [...]
My Mother In-law
My husband has the weirdest looking nose in the world. It is round the way baby potatoes are and slightly raised up, the ridge of his nose is fairly short. His nose is not his only unique characteristic. He is a mild mannered, patient, good-natured and very compassionate; He constantly gives money to every single [...]
My small thin multi-national wedding
The story of three generations of women in my family (grandmother, mother and myself). How each one of us chose to marry a foreigner and traveled all around the world with him.
Smile
I lived four years in Israel, so that makes me an expert on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Right! I am afraid the matter is much more complicated than that. In order to understand the situation you would need to understand the 2000 years of Arab and Islamic history, 4000 years of Jewish history. You would need [...]
How I lost my religion in the holy lands
My husband told me a funny story that happened to his friend the hydrologist; lets call him Jim (not his real name). Jim and another person were doing research on a certain river in BC. The river runs parallel to a highway. They used a small boat to sail through the river, until they reached [...]
Liberation Stories
When Nelson Mandela Smiles, my whole being smiles with him. In all the film footage I have seen of the man, he has a warm passionate smile. I frequently ponder what keeps him going. I zip back to my grandmother, a tormented and broken spirit. My grandmother is Russian who was forced to work as [...]
Losing a Friend
My friend is upset at me. Why do you criticize Israel? My friend asks. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. Israel has the right to exist. Israel has the right to defend itself. Don’t you know about the holocaust. Why don’t you criticize Arab regimes, Why don’t you criticize Saddam Hussein. Why [...]
email
flamenco
ihathTube
twitter