I try to remain open to the beauty of Palestinian life in Gaza. It’s hard, when most encounters vocally or visibly tell of suffering, suffocation, dreams lost. The other day, stopping in a shop to buy phone card refill, the shop owner told me dogs have more rights and live better than Palestinians.
So when I come across the joys of life celebrated, I grasp and share, try to convey that amazing unextinguishable Palestinian spirit of life, defiance, resistance, love…
*sunset from the bottom floor balcony of the Commodore hotel, where we’d gone for a meeting with the latest Codepink delegation. As I appreciated the sunset, the music from the hotel next door’s wedding party overcame me. I only realized my attempts at dabke when a waiter from the hotel called down ‘bravo’.
*flowers from a friend.
*clearly, the decor is more important than visibility.
*[in a taxi]it’s the little things, the little touches of humour, that surprise and amaze.
*crafted by one of the Gaza city fishermen!
*Abu Mohammed, a volunteer for around 10 years at Gaza city’s fishing syndicate, says goodbye after a meeting, saying as we go, “I wish we had a large, air-conditioned building to host your group in,” our comfort apparently more important than his own.
*so do I.
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