Hello,

I am signing this guest book again after spending the last hours reading the information in this site and opinions in the guest book pages. I would like to post some thoughts this reading made me think.

Please allow me to introduce myself. I am a teacher from Jerusalem, born in acre, raised in Kiriat-Ono (near Kafr-'Ana) and currently living in Katamon neighborhood (in Jerusalem). All of them are occupied Palestinian territory. I also studied in a Israeli college standing on the grounds of the demolished Al-shaykh Muwannis (now in the north of Tel-Aviv). As most Israeli Jews, I've served in the Israeli Army (sometimes referd as the Israeli Defence Force, God knows why). Today, I can no longer consider myself zionist. In fact, I am Anti-Zionist, since I identify Zionism with racism and the occupation. As you can imagine, being Anti-Zionist in Israel is not too simple. It almost got me arrested during the last massacre in Gaza, just because I was among the very few who protested against it. As a history teacher, I have tried to tell my students about the Nakba. I was expecting them to strongly object that and was well prepared, but was defeated by the parents petitioning to the principal to have me fired for "spreading anti-patriotic propaganda" and had to stop.

Living in Israel, you can always see Palestine if you have eyes for her. She's in the falling-apart houses you pass nearby when you go on a trip, and have no sign to tell their stories. she's in the changing, forgetting names: from Manshiya to charles Clore Park (which was build upon its ruins), from Deir-Yassin to Har-Nof ("mountainview" - a lovely name for another ugly chapter in my country's chronicles). Living in Israel, you can hear Palestine aching, if you have a heart. every inch of my childhood, of the most sweet and intimate memories I carry from my early years, is dripping with Palestinian blood and dust and tears. And such stains don't clean easily, if at all.

But I have a "but". You see, Israel is my home and Jerusalem is my city. I have no other place in the world. Yes, my grandparents came here after World War II (and fought your grandparents, most likely), but the places they came from are not my home. I cannot "come back" to Lithuania, Romania or Turkey. I have no linkage whatsoever to these places. I want to live and raise my children in a Jewish, secular, Democratic and Hebrew-speaking society (that can be part of a larger, multi-cultural society, but has to exist). This is my identity, not something I can fold back from or compromise. Right now, my country is not Democratic. It won't be, until Palestinians from all over the world are allowed back (yes, even by the millions), as full-rights citizens, that can relate to the national anthem and the flag (which obviously will have to change). Unfortunately, Palestine and Israel refer to the same piece of land. This doesn't mean we have to fight until either side perishes. This means we are bound. Bound by love to the same land. I will stay in my goddamn little country for it's the only home i've got, and continue to try to make it a little better with my humble might and strongest spirit. And I will welcome you as my neighbours and fellow citizens in a Democratic land for all its citizens - not just the Palestinians or the Israeli. But it will not be Palestine, nor Israel. Maybe, as Muammar al-Gaddafi once wrote, it will be called Israstine. Maybe we'll come up with a better name.

Amos Bar, Jerusalem/ Yerushalayim/ Al-Quds

Hello,

I've reached your site looking for information about my childhood memories from Kiriat-Ono, the place I grew up in. I was born in the 70's, long after the 48' war, and had no idea that my home stood on Palestinian land (they don't tell you that at school, and you have to find out yourself). Of course, I heard about Kafr 'Ana, but the books and my teachers told me that "they left willingly on 48', though we pleaded them not to", and as a child I found nothing wrong with this answer.

My question, however, is not about the Nakba. Near my house was a field ("reissfeld orchard", today a built quarter of Kiriat-Ono) and i clearly remember a Bedouin camp settled there, with sheep and goats. As far as I know, except for us children, nobody had ever made contact with them. One day they where gone. I don't remember quite when (probably in mid-80's), since nobody ever spoke about them ever since, or even asked a single question. For a child it's like one of your toys is gone, or your grandma dies, so you're sad and you get used to it. You have no idea it's a political question. But when I grew up and remembered them and the way they where silently evacuated, I couldn't avoid thinking that the same people that threw them away from their home are the ones who keep asking how could the Eastern-Europe society not pay attention and raise questions about the disappearing of the Jews during World War II. How can one be so indifferent to suffering, regardless of his or her political views, is beyond my understanding. Our town stood silent when the Army/ Government/ Police took them away, and this sin we will carry as long as we live.

I would like to know if you have any information about this Bedouin tribe. Who they where? Where are they now? When where they driven out of their home? On what excuse? If you can direct me to a survivor or another source of information, it may help me voice what had been silenced for so many years.

I thank you for keeping a Hebrew version of the site. It is important that Israeli people will have access to information in their mother tongue that is different from the usual "they just hate us and will always try to throw us into the sea" rubbish.

With gratitude,

Amos Bar, Jerusalem

ahla falasteen !!!!!!

This website is a true testament of the strength, determination and beauty that is Palestine and its people.

(يعبد ) في القلب


شعر : عاطف الكيلاني ( اليعبداوي )

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للّه درّك يا فراق أذبتني
سنتان فوق الأربعين ؟ قتلتني
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فل (يعبد ) الأمجاد يسحقني النوى
طابت وطاب أريجها ... هي موطني
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غادرتها بعد الهزيمة آملا
عودا سريعا والبيارق تنثني
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لكنها الأيام طالت رغم ما
بذلت نفوس كلها كالأغصن
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قولوا ل ( يعبد ) عندما تبدو لكم
في الشرق ( عاطف ) صامد لا ينحني
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قولوا لها أن النفوس لها هوى
ول (عاطف ) قول : بلى هي ديدني
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ول(يعبد ) في نفس (عاطف ) موئل
فهي الجمال بعينه وهي ( الدني )
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طوبى ل ( يعبد ) والضواحي والقرى
طوبى لزهر الفلّ والجوّ الهني
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( زبدا ) و (طورا ) و ( الكفيرات ) التي
أهدت الى الدنيا زهور السوسن
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جبل ( المصلّى ) و ( الأقيرع ) دونه
قمم تطاول غيرها كالأنجم
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( أمّ الرياحين ) التي كانت على
مرّ السنين تذود عنا ( الصّهين )ا
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كانت و ( برطعة ) الصمود بخندق
من أجل ( يعبد ) قاتلت بالأعين
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( عانين ) يسكنها سباع الغاب ما
نامت على ضيم العدوّ الأرعن
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هذي القرى من حول ( يعبد ) , انها
من حولها , متشابهات المعدن
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ملاحظات : الدني : الدنيا
زبدا , طورا , الكفيرات : قرى صغيرة حول ( يعبد )ا
جبل المصلى : جبل شامخ شرق ( يعبد )ا
جبل الأقيرع : جبل الأقرع جنوب ( يعبد )ا
ام الرياحين : هي ( ام الريحان ) , قرية شمال ( يعبد )
جميع سكانهامن آل زيد
الكيلاني ( عشيرة الشاعر )ا, وكانت تقع على
خط الهدنة مع الصهاينة قبل 1967 م .
برطعة : بلدة كبيرة غرب ( يعبد ) , كانت مقسّمة الى
جزأين ... شرقي مع الضفة الغربية , وغربي
مع الصهاينة , وذلك قبل 1967 م .
عانين : بلدة شمال يعبد قرب ام الفحم .

my country i missyou toomuch i hope stay life to see my life zekreen

kol 3am wantom beker wa falsteen bekeer

my father is from lifta i wanted to see where he grow up i was born in amman we moved to australia in 1970 iwas two years old all i know about the home land is what my father has told me it makes me angry to know that jews live in my farthers house the day will come when our land will be returned to its rightful owners please anyone how can fill me with any imformation or what can i do to help