In a struggle for freedom like Palestinians are in, like Samer Issawi is in, there is a higher level of Life to live. I only can see into that place briefly and with the most clarity in the times when I get the most involved in speaking about the Injustices of the Occupation. I read Martin Luther King Jrs Strength To Love and see he is speaking about the Occupation in every word he speaks about the Injustices he stood against. And I read words written by Palestinians, like the words below written by a young woman in Nabi Saleh and I see that higher life to live. Perhaps, it is enduring unmerited suffering and remaining steadfast in the face of it, living one's entire life under Occupation, that gives this new meaning to life and new beauty to those in that struggle. What I can say, without a doubt, is that my life is enriched by my involvement with what is happening in Palestine. And I owe these beautiful people in Palestine struggling for freedom so much for showing me how precious Life is and how beautiful people can become who commit to remaining steadfast in the face of Injustice, in the face of Occupation. Hunger for justice propels people forward and no words can express the beautiful places that can take us! I look at photos of men imprisoned who grow old before their time, but the words they write break my heart and the beauty and goodness all of these sorrows create in human beings amazes me and I can only credit God and God's goodness with all of it!
This was written by a a young Palestinian woman from Occupoied Palestine, from Occupied Nabi Saleh, named Manal Tamimii:
"When I was a little girl, I didnt understand anything in the world except for laughter, and playing games. I used to adore my small village that was of one family, united in its happiness and sorrows. I used to adore every inch of that land. I used to adore the season for the olive harvest and waking up early to prepare food for the entire day, since we were to spend our day picking. I adored getting up at 6 in the morning to go with our neighbor and his children to pick grapes and figs from his vineyard, for there is nothing in life which compares to the taste of grapes and figs in the early morning, coated with water from morning dew. I adored going to the spring in the valley to pick wild mint during the winter to make mint pastries. There are no other pastries that even compare in taste to that of a mint pastry. As I grew up, so grew my love for this land and the large passion for its soil, its trees, and its stones. I grew and so grew my worries as the settlers reached the heights of the mountain that stands before my house. It is the place that contains all my worries. I used to go there to scream, cry, laugh, and then sit under a carob tree and I would look at the valley with its water and wonderful green color. I would gaze at the hills on the opposite side covered in olive, grape and fig trees. Just looking and staring at that mountainous landscape, I would forget my worries and sorrows. It would gladden my chest as though it had been washed with soap and water, restoring me back to life and making me active again.
Today everything has changed. Our land had already been stolen and colonial Zionist settlements have been built upon it. I am no longer able to reach the vineyards and fig trees. They have now been taken by the settlements and we are prevented from going there
but even more than that, they have uprooted and taken down the grape vines and fig trees to keep them from us. They stole our olive orchards and have uprooted the olive trees, which have existed since Roman times (thousands of years). I believe they are trying to kill/destroy our roots from our lands and break our glory. The worst part is that they have planted new olive trees they claim began growing on their land, which they inherited from their forefathers. When I sit on the mountain and look out in front of me, I no longer see anything but hills which have been deformed, robbed of their beauty by the hideous white houses with red roofs. I look into the valley to see the color has turned from vibrant green to pale yellow as if the earth has also felt the disaster that affected us and killed it, so that these thieves can take full advantage of it. When I look at the water, which was once clear and brought back life, I see it has now turned to green as if it too was hit and turned into toxic water that kills anyone who drinks it
as if it now knows we can no longer reach it."
Manal Tamimi: My Feelings About the Settlement of Halamish | nabi saleh solidarity
After speaking about all the changes the settler occupiers have made to her land, Manal Tamimi ends her article expressing her resolve in the face of her grief and humiliation, a resolve to stay loyal to her land, and hold to the land "just as the olive tree spreads its roots deep into the ground", and the resolve of the people to raise their voices to raise their issues/concerns/worries high and loud and scream with their loudest voices, so that the world can hear them.
"We are here and here we will stay. For this is our land and no one will remove us from it."
