That’s the terrorist who I am
First, I’ll introduce you to a drawing that I didn’t upload in my blog before. It’s actually one of my favorites and I hope you like it. I think it fits with the next section of the entry. Palestinians went through a lot, starting with ethnic cleansing to the series of violations of their rights, to the daily attacks on their land and their people, and so on. However, Palestinians maintain their determination believing in victory, justice and peace. They always have a bright look full of hope towards a better future where humans are treated like humans, even in their crying eyes. I meant to highlight some symbols in the wood “background” such as 48, the key, and the map of historical Palestine, to convey a message that we will not give up. Despite many people thinking that these are only illusions, and that one-state solution is not feasible, I still believe that just peace will inevitably come along.
While preparing my assignment for the translation course at university, and being busy with translating texts from Arabic into English and vice versa, I came across an Arabic poem entitled: “They Asked Me”. I fell in love with this poem and I tried to look up its author, but I found nothing. It describes Palestinians and their long decades of struggle against the Israeli Occupation. I see the strength of Palestinians, especially prisoners, portrayed in this poem very simply. It embodies their dignity, challenge and steadfastness in front of the tyranny, oppression, humiliation, injustices committed by the Israeli Occupation. I think it is worth the time it took me to translate it. Enjoy.
They shut my mouth up and ordered me to “utter”
They hit me and asked me why I suffer
They broke my teeth and demanded to hear “laughter”
They insulted my family and asked me to be, of the situation, “understanding”
They shut my course and told me to “learn”
They set me on fire and told me “move forward”
They have left me homeless and said that I was “fantasizing”.
And as I screamed the truth, they questioned why I was “attacking”,
And invited me to a discussion where I was threatened to be “executed”
And they asked me “steadfast still?”
I held my head high and shouted
“I am Palestinian, so learn, you scoundrel!”
PALESTINE FROM MY EYES 
a very superb..nice piece of resistance. ….& a very enthusiastic poem it is….lovely……keep it up..we’ll overcome
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January 26, 2012 at 3:59 am
Thanks friend. I’m glad you like it. We’ll overcome inshAllah!
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January 26, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Reading the poem and understanding the struggle of the Palestinians reminds me of the past struggles of my people in Ireland. I think of quotes by Bobby Sands, an Irish political prisoner who died on hunger strike in the 1980’s, and how they can be equally applied to the Palestinians. They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken.
Bobby Sands.
They won’t break me because the desire for freedom, and the freedom of the Irish people, is in my heart. The day will dawn when all the people of Ireland will have the desire for freedom to show. It is then that we will see the rising of the moon.
Bobby Sands
Bless you Shahd and all the Palestinian people, may you all see the rising of the moon soon.
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January 26, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Thanks for this beautiful comment Robby! Actually you Irish people and your strong spirit and you past struggles inspire me and all Palestinians. I’m sure you know about the Irish way of hunger strike. I actually couldn’t imagine how your people could do that! But I know, for the sake of freedom, everything is priceless. Sometimes, Palestinian political prisoners threaten Israeli Prison Service to launch a hunger strike adopting the Irish way to put more pressure. When I hear about it, I get stressed and scared. During Dad’s imprisonment, Dad and his fellows tried doing that, and they were doing all they could to stop it. They would even use dangerous methods sometimes, like feeding them forcibly through a tube while they are handcuffed and tied to a chair. Bobby Sand’s words are very strong and very moving. True, they will never break someone who had a real desire of freedom. I hope that my people will maintain having this desire no matter how many more of decades our struggle will continue! :) Thanks again amazing Irish ;)
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January 26, 2012 at 5:42 pm
Shahd, you are an inspiration to me and many activists for Palestine in America. Your beautiful and meaningful art capture the spirit of Palestine in all its glory. Please know that we share in the pain and suffering of our Palestinian family and pray for the day when all souls there will be free from oppression and cruelty. You have gained our hearts and our attention….for me, it means that part of me remains in Gaza as my heart and spirit refuse to leave my brothers and sisters alone for even a moment. The stories and artwork you share are priceless and have helped form a bond between us and Palestine that will never be broken. We are now your family and Palestine is our child that we love and cherish with all of our hearts. We will never forget you and will continue to demand freedom and justice for our brothers and sisters of Palestine. Thank you for sending your sacrifice of love to us across the oceans…The beauty, love, and dignity of Palestine will endure forever. I send you love and blessings of peace, my dear little sister!
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January 28, 2012 at 10:28 am
Hi, Shahd,
I am glad to have discovered you (I’ve just added you in facebook). I think Arabic a beautiful language and I hope I’ll learn some day. May you, please, add the original Arabic version to help me train my (still poor) Arabic?
Shukran!
Tom
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January 29, 2012 at 10:47 am
Hey Tom,
Thanks for your comment. Arabic is a beautiful language, so rich! Good luck with learning it.
Here is the Arabic version.
اغلقو فمي وقالو لي …تكلم
ﺿﺮﺑﻮﻧﻲ ﺛﻢ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ ﻟﻤﺎﺫﺍ … ﺗﺘﺄﻟّﻢ
ﻛﺴﺮﻭﺍ ﺿﺮﺳﻲ ﻭ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ … ﺗﺒﺴّﻢ
ﺷﺘﻤﻮﺍ ﺃﻫﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻮﺿﻊ ..ﺗﻔﻬّﻢ
ﺃﻏﻠﻘﻮﺍ ﺻﻔﻲ ﻭ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ … ﺗﻌﻠّﻢ
ﺃﺷﻌﻠﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺭ ﻭ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ … ﺗﻘﺪّﻡ
ﺳﻠﺒﻮﺍ ﺩﺍﺭﻱ ﻭ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ ﺑﺄﻧﻲ … ﺃﺗﻮﻫّﻢ
ﺻﺤﺖُ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖٍ ﻓﻘﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ ﻟﻤﺎﺫﺍ … ﺗﺘﻬﺠّﻢ
ﻭ ﺩﻋﻮﻧﻲ ﻟﺤﻮﺍﺭ ﻓﻴﻪ ﻗﺎﻟﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ … ﺳﺘُﻌﺪﻡ
ﺳﺄﻟﻮﻧﻲ ﻭ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻵﻥ ﺻﺎﻣﺪ؟…
ﺭﻓﻌﺖ ﺭﺍﺳﻲ ﻓﻮﻭﻭﻕ ﻭﻗﻠﺖ ﺍﻧﺎ
ﻓﻠﺴﻄﻴﻨﻲ …ﻓﻴﺎ ﻧﺬﻝ ﺗﻌﻠّﻢ
:)
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February 2, 2012 at 11:24 pm
Great poem and great drawing… I love Palestinian poetry (translated into English) so I hope you will consider posting more poems..
and I also like your new blog, the lay-out is much better.
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January 30, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Thanks dear :) I’m glad you like it!
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February 2, 2012 at 11:26 pm