If I must die… Refaat Alareer If I must die you must live to tell my story to sell my things to buy a piece of cloth and some strings (make it white with a long tail) so that a child, somewhere in Gaza while looking heaven in the eye awaiting his dad who left in a...
Gaza’s Ramadan this year is like a pale, sick man. Gaza’s Ramadan this year erases my father’s compliment that I’m his serene, sane child. I just might go insane, I struggle to survive. When left with nothing, you struggle to strive. This Ramadan has different tastes,...
Covered by blood and ashes, we come back from under the rubble to fight the battle of life where tranquility and peace are our only purpose. However, the world persists in denying us the least bit of rest. Do you ever felt nostalgic for your good old days, Islam? Like...
In a noble stride they walk, heroes bold, for education’s sake, a story to be told. With hearts determined, and steps so true, they march for knowledge, a path they pursue. Upon the path of dreams they tread, in footsteps bold where hopes are spread. Champions of...
Yesterday in the sunset hours before iftar, I looked at the sky to see how it anticipated the darkness and gloom, with daylight’s rebellious colors still blazing. And I knew that even though the sun was setting, its yellow disk will begin to reappear on the morning of...
The faces shine, everyone feels fine, our hearts are full of Iman; we are all ears to hear the Athan and our hands pray to let us live the Holy Month of Ramadan. The crescent of Ramadan appears. Mesaharati beats the drums and says, “Oh… you who are asleep, wake up and...
When I first heard your heartbeat, you were under my sheets. You have changed my life into everything sweet. As I held your tiny sweet body the most, I knew we would forever and always be close. As you crawled and crawled till you could finally walk, there were a...
The earth is still shaking. I am still breathing in the dust of the demolished buildings. Tears stream down my face at my family as I am losing them now. I am still screaming under the rubble. All is the same, the same feeling I just felt when they told me about the...
We patiently watched as the skies passed us by, enjoyed the smell of fresh olive day, and gazed upon the fields of glowing green, a sure sign that winter was on its way. This is one of Palestinians’ special days, like an adventure, diving deep into nature and giving...