Palestine: A Story of Survival
Palestine: A Story of Survival Renee Odeh | Manager of Output, Al Jazeera English “It is quite common to hear high officials in
Occupied West Bank are Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks. Without the “right” documents you simply cannot pass. You cannot visit the Holy Land. You cannot pray with your brothers and sisters in Al Aqsa Mosque. You cannot visit the family you were ripped away from. You cannot go to Gaza. What was once a vacation spot for Palestinians decades ago is now nearly reduced to rubble – many have called it an open prison. You cannot visit coastal cities and towns. You’ll probably never see Haifa or Akka. You probably have the key but can’t get to the house to unlock your past. Millions of Palestinians who are part of the diaspora have never seen where their grandparents or great- grandparents once lived. They haven’t picked a fig off a tree when it’s in season or walked through the old city. They haven’t been to the Mount of Olives to take in the views and sounds of one of the holiest places on earth. That’s precisely why it has been Al Jazeera’s mission from the beginning to make sure the stories of Palestine are told – and told with accuracy and balance. But at the heart of this story is our never- ending drive to tell the truth; however difficult or uncomfortable it may be for some. We show what happens when Israeli forces bomb a civilian building in the middle of densely populated Gaza. We show when Palestinians say enough is enough
Washington and elsewhere speak of changing the map of the Middle East, as if ancient societies and myriad peoples can be shaken up like so many peanuts in a jar.” ----Edward W. Said In the heart of the Middle East lies Palestine. Even acknowledging its existence is often fraught with controversy and accusations of wrongdoing. But Palestine is there. It exists in the millions of people who struggle to live in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza. And the hearts and minds of the millions of us Palestinians who have lived and grown up in exile. The story of Palestine is heartbreaking. But it’s also a story of endurance and perseverance. A people’s will to survive despite extraordinary and unimaginable challenges. A cause that brings together millions around the world in the pursuit of justice. In pursuit of basic human rights. In pursuit of an end to a brutal and life-shattering occupation. Palestinian olive trees are scattered throughout my homeland, cutoff by the cement slabs of a crushing wall – separating not only the trees but our families, friends and neighbours. Littered throughout the
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