we are not numbers
emerging writers from Palestine tell their stories and advocate for their human rights
From Rana: “It’s true I took my first breath of life in Cairo, Egypt, but I’m a true Palestinian. My passion since childhood has been writing in safely locked diaries. It was only during the summer of 2016 that I shared my writing, when I published my first book: “In Gaza I Dare to Dream.”
“I went to school part of my teenage life in the United States, when my father was pursuing his advanced studies. Although it’s been a long time since I returned to Palestine, I still hold onto the beautiful memories I shared with my friends in America.
“Experiencing Israeli aggression, power cuts and restrictions on movement can certainly kill one’s dreams and extinguish the sparkle of life. But, the fact remains that we must stand up to those challenges and refuse to be beaten.
“With writing, I also discovered my passion for reading. My nightstand has a pile of books along with my Kindle reader. I’m a stationery hoarder, especially of bookmarks, and I never say no to a good cup of coffee.”
When Razan stood up to the Israeli snipers, my passion for writing seemed so insignificant to me.
On International Women’s Day, I want to acknowledge two beautiful men in my life.
If it weren’t for Nariman’s bravery and clear-headed thinking, Ahed’s story would not have reverberated with the lightning speed it did.
Love and marriage in Palestine are unique in some respects, but what’s most important is the same everywhere.
I used to think I could touch the stars, reach for the moon, and slide down the rainbow.
I see Gaza as a place where people of other nations should long to visit or tread its soil. Those who turn their backs on it will wish they were part of the change.
Imprisonment has become an ongoing thread in Palestinian society, as natural as oud music and the dabke.
The Israeli blockade on Gaza affects even the rituals around death and love–preventing unification at the most precious of times.
So many of my English students in Gaza have lost their passion, the ability to dream. I see it as my job to try to awaken it once again.
