“Awda” means to return in Arabic, there is a similar world in Hebrew “aliyah” which is reference to immigrating to Israel. Though these words have similar meanings, they represent two radically different worlds. One that is Arab, one that is Jewish, and the home they wish to return to? A place known as Palestine and Israel.
This weeks readings take the reader along for harrowing journeys of personal narratives of two different lives, both who are from Palestine. They offer very personal accounts of the changes unfolding in their new world “Israel.” Beginning with Ahmad H. Sa’di and Lila Abu-Lughod, “Nakba, Palestine 1948, and the claims of memory” offers the memories of a beloved father Ibrahim Abu-Lughod. He is a respected scholar of Arab Studies, an an advocate for Palestine. The writing shares intimate moments as Ibrahim journeys back to Palestine after decades. He shares stories of British occupancy, and the change over to Israeli authority. “On his first visit he had asked some Arab kids on the street if they knew where King Faysal Street was. They immediately took him there, though he could see that the street sign said something altogether different. From this, he knew that Palestinian parents were still teaching their children the old names of things even as Palestine was being buried, erased, and rewritten by Israel. This encounter shares the ever present changes that are evolving the Arab community. Those who fled became displaced, but those who stayed became displaced in their own country.
The painting above titled “Life Prevails,” by Ismail Shammout, highlights the ever present life that is both Arab and Jewish, that there are moments of peace, and moments of chaos.
The second reading by Ghassan Kanafani, “returning to Haifa” also examines the conflict through personal narratives. This type of documentation allows the reader in on a deeper level, giving a sense of how people were thinking, what they experienced and how they dealt with the challenging changing circumstances. Kanafani offers two perspectives of displacement, the first highlighting the Arabs who were forced to leave, and secondly the experience of those who chose to stay but had to adjust to an entirely new country.
What both these authors share is insightful and heart-wrenching for the displaced Palestinian. It is unimaginable the thought of being forced to leave your homeland. For the survivors of Word War II it meant a new beginning, but that beginning could not have foreseen the deterioration of another people.
I find the image you included to be extremely interesting, it amplifies the effect that the readings portray being that there is a relation between these two groups of people. It effectively represents the clear contrast between the peace and chaos that you describe while merging the two groups together.
I like “Life Prevails.” I think that’s Jerusalem in the background with the Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem is of course famous for its ties to both Judaism and Islam (and Christianity), so it’s a good symbol of what the groups have in common.
I really like the painting you used. The abstract almost impressionism style does a good job at highlighting the complexity of the debate over Israel. So many people are affected by this issue and these many people are depicted in the painting. It almost looks like they are being led home by the lady.
The painting that you used as your artifact particularly stuck out to me, and was the main aspect of your post that stayed with me after I read it. I think that this beautiful painting along with your ability to appropriately include the information relating to the painting into the discussion of your post is important, and that you did an excellent job.