Salamz all,
Early morning yesterday, I few lines in my head. And here’s the outcome
It’s all about me, me and me
I own the 21st century
I make my dreams come true
If even it means crushing urs
I’ll be secure
Even it means faking reasons for wars
Your story may sound sad
but it makes me look so bad
so I’ll change facts
I own the news, man
I’ll look like the prey and you’ll be the predator Just like that
Your fossils, your forests and your currents
Your seas and streams
And what lies underneath
Are all for me
I’ll make out of ‘em
Things you’ll buy Things you’ll need
things Paris uses, and recommended by Britney Spears
things will make you in debt,
but at some point we’ll need a plastic surgery
Revolt, I’ll turn you against you
And you’ll kill yourself by my artillery
I listen to your scary speech
But you never scare me
Your words are just words
and I dictated you the oratory
Remember when you think about disobey
I’ll send my drugs, my thugs
I’ll spread ignorance and H1N1
then you’ll call me to ease your pain
to teach your next generations
My watch is ticking
I know I’ll come to an end
I oppress and gain
but the history teaches all a lesson
the truth is not on my side
it’s on the side of the oppressed
Salamz all,
Shootings, a car chase and a story of a hero, “Imad Aqil” is the first movie to come from Gaza.
The 2 hour picture opened on August the first in Rashad Al-Shawa- cultural center in Gaza city. It’s written by Mahmoud Al-Zahar, who is a prominent Hamas leader in Gaza, directed by Majid Jindiya, and produced by Al-Aqsa media network. The movie’s cost is about 120,000 dollars according to Hamas’ daily paper Al-Resala. The film was mainly shot in Asda’ media production city which is placed in the 2005 evacuated ex-Israeli settlements. And it was struck in the recent war.
I saw the promotional poster of the movie before its opening; I felt surprised to be having a home-made movie given the harsh situation in Gaza. Only yesterday, two of my friends and I bought the 10 shekel tickets and went to see the movie of this legendary Palestinian hero.
The plot
the movie is based on the biography of the freedom fighter Imad Aqil. It started with a scene of the midwife and her husband heading to the Aqils house to deliver the future hero, who was born on June the 19th 1971 in Jabaliya camp. Then, the audience is moved to his childhood and then his teenage in the camp, where the Palestinians were constantly subjected to random arrests and beating by the Israeli patrols.
In 1988, the Palestinian first Intifada broke out as well as Hamas was formally launched as an Islamic Liberation movement. In the same year, Imad Aqil was arrested for engaging in the Intifada and Hamas’ activities. He spent 18 months in prison. After his release, he took a leading role in the armed struggle against the Israeli army in Gaza. He was dubbed by the Israelis as “the man with seven souls”. The life of the Qasam’s brigade fighter ended with his assassination in 1993 by the Israeli army with the help of a Palestinian traitor.
The movie
It’s not the best movie I have seen, but it’s a movie from
Rashad Al-Shawa cultural center
Inside the hall waiting for the movie
Gaza. Putting in consideration all the circumstances, the resources and facilities that are needed to produce a movie with such plot; the outcome is relatively good given the situation and the siege which has been imposed on Gaza for almost two and a half years now. The actors and the actresses are all from Gaza. Sadly, the same Resala report mentioned that four of the actors were actually killed in the recent war on Gaza.
There were some troubles in the sound mixing; some of the dialogue was not audible along with the sound effect. Moreover, the performance of the actors was not that good. Yet, the whole outcome must be appreciated as it came amid hard times Gaza is going through.
The movie is a part of what Hamas calls ‘a cultural resistance wave’ in Gaza as an AP report mentioned.
A tv show also is expected to be aired in Ramadan produced by Al-Aqsa media network.
Salamz all,
There’s a song by a band called “Lighthouse Family” titled “One” or “I wish I knew how it feels to be free”. Today, I felt like putting this amazing song and lyrics into artworks, because it describes exactly how I feel.
And here’s the outcome:
You can listen to the song here:
-
- Bonus track
Salamz all,
Part 2 of artworks inspired by Outlandish’s new songs from their new release Sound of a Rebel!!!
Remember these are non-official. I made them, because I love Outlandish and graphic design 
.
“Gaza would have been one of the most beautiful cities in Palestine if only…,” once you pass by Gaza’s populated beaches in summer this thought will come across you mind. And it’s so true.
When we first came here in late 1995, I remember, Gaza was still suffering the aftermath of the first Intifada. It was a somber place with maybe overall 7 or 8 restaurants on the seaside and the streets were mostly not asphalted yet. However, from that year -1995- till 2000 Gaza was changed remarkably; construction, tourism, and an airport!
Yet, with the start of the second Intifada, the airport was closed then totally destroyed-it was really nice btw. So,people no longer visited Gaza to see their families. And with the recent war on Gaza, the infrastructure and the construction were brought to almost complete destruction.
Now in 2009, options for Gazans to have a leisure time are not too many since the price everything is doubled; restaurants and cafés are highly expensive for the average families to afford, and most people don’t make money anymore.
So, summer, vacation, no electricity, and almost broke…where to go? Leisure time is necessary and for Gazans, who have been going through a lot to even to contain, is extra important.
One answer: the sea! Allah (swt) granted Gaza and its people by making it costal strip. Otherwise, I can’t even imagine what would happen to the people of Gaza!
Yesterday, my friend and I went to a café by the seaside called “Green Beach”. We had a really good time. However, we have a tradition once we go to the beach we must take a ride on a sea boat. In our search for a better boat barging, we had to walk along the shore. It was very populated as it is the weekend. Families and friends were swimming, eating and playing not caring about the scorching heat and the bites of jellyfishes. People usually spend both Thursday and Friday having a good time.
It is a beautiful scene to see how normal these people look, how normal life looks and how normal Gaza looks even though none of these is normal. Once you go to a nice place by the seaside, you’ll always have this feeling: Thank you Allah for the sea; it’s the one and only place that all the people can afford and can have fun in and “Gaza would have been one of the most beautiful cities in Palestine if only…,”
I took some footage of the sea. You can watch in the videoed slide show below.
Spacial thanks to Basama M for some photos taken by her and Nesreen Abu-Sultan.
This is something I’ve been feeling so significantly the past week. It’s the feeling of dehumanized or the feeling that life is not meant for us, the Palestinians. Even though I fight this feeling with all of my power, yet sometimes it prevails, because I don’t find an escape. In other words, my strength can’t protect my vulnerability; I find myself in need to feel weak, so I can feel my strength again.
Well, smallthings are always more significant than say wars or assaults.
Getting to explanations, the electricity in Gaza has been nothing but horrible since the start of this summer. It’s cut for almost 8 hours and mostly when it’s required. I think when you wake up at 8 am hopping to have a productive day then the very next moment it’s cut till 4 in the evening, you find yourself like…ok, now what? Go back to sleep! I use my computer for educational purposes. I’ll still live if I don’t use it for 8 hours. But now almost every single institution & society uses computers and depends on them for work. No electricity, no work!
Moreover, it’s July, the summer has not been hotter here in Gaza.
You may want to argue that these are tolerable troubles and after all you still get 16 hours of electricity!! Why all this drama?
Well here’s something, have you ever thought about not having electricity for 8 hours? Something the world takes for granted, like the electricity. To us ,Gazans, it is somethig when we have it for 24 hours.
So isn’t enough to feel dehumanized?
Another thing, summer time to many people is a time when you travel & chill out to put behind you all the year’s stress so you can have energy to start over. Well in Gaza, it’s yet another season. In this regard, I don’t feel bad for myself, as much as I feel bad for my parents; they work hard all the year. They deserve a break. My mum has not seen her mum for 5 years. Grandma lives in Jordan.
As a matter of fact, it’s impossible for us ,Gazans, to visit Jordan, because we’re not given visas.
Moreover, Rafah crossing opens 3 days each 3 months and conditionally; that is only for those who are severely sick, students ,and not Gaza residents. Plus, if you go out of Gaza, you won’t have a specific date or even an estimated period for how long you’ll be out. Not forgetting, the way people get humiliated by the Egyptian police on the terminal. So why the drama, the humiliation why to travel unless you were dying?! Again is that something you’ve ever thought of? It’s another thing the world takes for granted while to us, Gazans, is a means of last resort.
Last, the food we eat and the things we buy. I think that more than 80% of the goods you find in the supermarkets are smuggled. When you go to Al-Qishawai, one of Gaza’s biggest supermarkets, you find most of the goods there are smuggled from Egypt. One may ask what gives it away? Well you have to wash the Coca Cola can before you drink it, because it is so much like it was buried in the sand, and then hit by rocks then exposed to the sea that it got rusted. Another thing caught my attention how the box of tea bags is full of sand, because it’s smuggled.
The siege which has been imposed on Gaza for more than two years now does not mean to hunger the Gazans; it wants us to feel dehumanized! Something like, see even the food you eat is not clean, because you don’t deserve one. You don’t get to travel, because you don’t deserve it. You don’t get electricity for 24 hours, because you don’t deserve that either. These things are for human not Gazas humans.
Life is difficult in Gaza. All the people are suffering this dehumanization.
For how long? I don’t know.
Things don’t seem to get better. It’s only getting worse and worse! There’s no room for hope or anything that prompts it.
However, the only thing that makes me feel good in the end of the day despite the annoyance and frustration prompted by feeling dehumanized,is that I am not distracted to what is important, to what the Palestinian issue is all about; struggle for freedom ,dignity ,and justice.
In fact,I am in pain for the siege but not only for that. I am in pain for the constant confiscation for the lands in the West bank by the Israeli settlers. Moreover, I am in pain for the house demolitions in Al-Quds. I am in pain for not being able to visit Al-Aqsa even it’s only 2 hours or less far away from where I am. Maybe this pain is the only thing left for me to have hope. In fact, it is the only thing left. Till this hopeful pain turns to freedom we aspire, I am letting my strength protect my vulnerability.
Special thanks to Nesreen Abu-Sultan & Zahid
Salamz,
It’s said that summer break is a chance to refresh and toss out all the years stress. In Gaza,all seasons are the same. The siege which is bieng imposed made it impossible to think of traveling whether out-side or inside Palestine. Outdoors activities in Gaza are not much either. We have the beach…and that’s it!
Personally, I see holidays as a chance to do the things I don’t get to do in university days. I recoreded this video to show you indoors activities which will make sure that my time won’t be wasted!
Remember moros in the West Bank, Outlandishs concert is aroundthe corner. July the 2nd! In sha Allah!
Filed under: Real Gaza | Tags: gaza, Palestine, Al Jazeera English, Ayman Mohyeldin
Salamz all,
I would like you to read this report. It’s very comprehensive and very informative. It sums up the situation in Gaza over two years of Hamas’s taking over Gaza. It’s non-aligned to any faction.
You can read the article by clicking here.
And there is also a video report you can watch here:
Salam all,
I always feel great when I write something. Because, writing is way more complicated process than graphic design or editing a movie. Last night, I was just going to sleep. Before I did, however; I was listening to an Isam B ,Danish song 
The song is nothing but…magic. It caught my attention since the very time I listened to it. Moreover, its lyrics is just SO GOOOOOOOD! SOO PROFOUND!
Anyhow, I started writing at 2 am and finished at 3 am!! I’ve never ever spent that much time writing a poem; I usually spend like 5-15 minutes. But this time…AN HOUR! And since it was very late, I didn’t turn the light on. I wrote it using the light my cellphone, because I was listening to the track on and on to get more lines…Don’t ask
Finally, the song which I consider pure ART, is called “Skæbnen gør ondt” or “Fate hurts”. The two lyrics are not typical at the meanings. What inspires me is the tones not the lyrics.
Anyhow, after this long, long introduction…here’s the OUTCOME :
it takes a lot of courage
to face yourself
to tell yourself secrets
you prefer them to stay kept
who you are
is not a truth you escape
but a person you dare
You have flaws, mistakes
sins and dreads
Your truth, fate and path
are defined
Your past, present and future
are left for you to findIs it too hard for you to believe?
Is it too hard for you to heed?
I know it’s not easy
But it’s indeed…A lesson to be taught
A fight to be fought
Seconds to be passed
Sadness to be come through
Starts to end…and ends to start
It’s life
Goes up and down
Up and downIt takes a lot of pain
to love, to hope
Any moment everything can be lost
Always on the run
Searching for a home
Someone means to you the most
Waiting for you to end your warsIs it too hard for you to believe?
Is it too hard for you to heed?
I know it’s not easy
But it’s indeed…A lesson to be taught
A fight to be fought
Seconds to be passed
Sadness to be come through
Starts to end…and ends to start
It’s life
Goes up and down
Up and downNow,
Sounds in your head are howling
Thoughts are storming
You don’t know how to stall it
neither your silence nor your words
Are expressing what is in your soul
Walking in the midst of fog
One voice called
Read your book
Peruse its pages
Find where did you go wrong
fall…
then fall
life is a lesson to be taught
Then rise
Life is a battle to be won
I really hope you like it. I know part of it talks about me. You can call it personal and out of experience. And never mind the title I had to come up with something. Writing the title IS HARD!
If Isam B got you curious, listen to the AMAZING song here:
Special thanks to Soha Z and Eman E!!!
That’s all
Salamz all,
Last Thursday and Friday, I had two amazing days. To me, it was the 1st time I met non-Palestinian students as the same age as me. The group of about 40 students came to Gaza from Cairo to show solidarity with the people of Gaza. They were all Americans expect one girl was Canadian.
As I go to Sharek English unit (a society to activate the youths’ role in the community.), our group there was invited to meet these students.
On Thursday, we met them at Al Baidar “resort” on the seaside. We arrived there at 4 pm. When we got there, I saw no one. So, I was like maybe they are not here,yet. Then, when I went out of the hall to the beach. Many of them were enjoying the pristine, polluted sea of Gaza. Seriously, the sea was very tempting!!
Anyhow, after both Palestinians and Americans had enjoyed some sun & sea, we went inside to get to know each others. We sat in groups. At the beginning, it was difficult for me to start a conversation. Funny thing, the Gazans were sitting together, and our counterparts were on the other side of the table. So, I thought, bloody hell, we ain’t talking! we ain’t doing anything!
I suggested that we blend, and we did.
First, me and two of colleagues sat with a boy and a girl. They were really nice! And again at the beginning, I didn’t know how to break the ice. But since it’s Gaza! there’s always something to talk about! 1st question, How do you find Gaza?! lol Most of the answers that I got were: I loved Gaza and its people! they are so friendly.
To be honest, I was really happy to hear that! Then, we were lectured about the situation by Al-Ahzar’s Mukhemir Abu Sa’da and the head of “Al-Dameer” society. It was educating.
Then, there was a coffe break. It was another chance to talk to other people.
After that, there was a game but I went out. There were students too. I can tell you, I had one of the coolest discussions ever with 3 nice students (Ashley, Madeline, Nathaniel and my mate Ali). We talked about many things; and I did A LOT of the talking
Then, we had a nice Palestinian traditional dish called “Qedra”. Personally, I don’t eat it, but it was a nice thing to them enjoying it. hehe
Day one, came to its end; I took some e-mails to stay in contact. I was not sure that on Friday, I would join them or not. So, I just said goodbyes! My brother Sharif was with me as he works with another youth association to cover the activities.
On Thursday, I had really good time, and I enjoyed the company of new people. It’s an experience I have always wanted to have. I do have many friends from all over the world, but I never saw them in person. So, it was a great pleasure!!
On Friday, I woke up really early so did Sharif. He was like get ready, you’ll join us today, too!
I felt like YAY! I got ready, we moved on 6:30 am!!!
We went the port of Gaza; there fishermen talked about how the siege is affecting them severely.
We went on a sea cruise on a fishing boat, and it was soooooo SICK! (I mean so cool, but I am being cool ) You can check the video below.
Then, we went to a seaside coffee shop and had breakfast there. It was quick!
The next stop, was Gaza’s most controvertial place the tunnels. The tunnels are located on the borders of Egypt. It’s a life line for Gazans as they are mainly used to smuggle goods, fuels and supplies that no longer enter from the crossings with Isreal because of the siege. We were not allowed to take pictures ; it was a very quick visit. We saw one tunnel only, but this is for our safety and also the smugglers’. It’s not a safe area there.
Ok, then, we went to The Marna house a hotel/resturant. There was a senimar about the economic situation in Gaza. To be honest, my bro, his friends and me went down to set at the resturant,however; we were not the only one.
We had a nice, smokey conversation with two students; I said smokey, beauce ALL Of them were smoking Arguilla except me, OF COURSE!!
Afterwards, we headed to the UNRWA’s headquarters to meet John Ging, the head of the UNRWA.
There had been an interesting discussion about the situation and the future of Gazans and Gaza under siege. After the meeting had finished, it was time to say goodbye, for real this time! I admit before leaving, we had a funny discussion about food (Pizza was invited in new york!)
I said goodbye to the people, I consider them new friends. And I deeply wish to meet them again!
Seriously, I have this thing, really not good thing. I get attach to new friends a lot. I mean, I only spent two days with them but I was like MAN! I want to see them again! Sadly, on Saturday and Sunday I had university, so I didn’t join them. Tomorrow , they are leaving Gaza.
ok, that’s the longest post in the history of my blog!!!!!
Even I didn’t get to know all of them; it was plain to see that they were happy to be here. And, now I am sure many of them will tell what they saw and experienced in Gaza to their family and friends, and if one was able to change somebody else’s perspective about the situation here in Gaza that would be remarkable!!
One last thing, This experience opened my eyes to their experiences which left me really frustrated. Really! I really would like to have the life of freedom. Travel, see the world and know more! move around freely and even to have the chance to choose what to study and where to.
As I live in Gaza, all this is not materialized at all. I mean, I am happy that they have these chances, but it makes me sad to know that I just can not have such things, because simply I am from Gaza and I am not free. Even, I believe i do have the same qualifications, ambitions and will. So, this has been suffocating me, but i’ll live
Time for the sea cruise! Yea!
The way back from Rafah, green areas I didn’t know about. I was listening to this song! One of my all time fav songs EVER!
