فلسطين حبيبتي

During the 1981 Irish hunger strike led by Bobby Sands, a statement was smuggled out of Nafha Prison from the Palestinian prisoners behind the wire and sent to the families of the 10 men who died. Below is the text of that message:  “To the families of the martyrs oppressed by the British ruling class. To the families of Bobby Sands and his martyred comrades.  We, revolutionaries of the Palestinian people who are under the terrorist rule of Zionism, write you this letter from the desert prison of Nafha.  We extend our salutes and solidarity with you in the confrontation against the oppressive terrorist rule enforced upon the Irish people by the British ruling elite.  We salute the heroic struggle of Bobby Sands and his comrades, for they have sacrificed the most valuable possession of any human being. They gave their lives for freedom.  From here in Nafha prison, where savage snakes and desert sands penetrate our cells, from here under the yoke of Zionist occupation, we stand alongside you. From behind our cell bars, we support you, your people and your revolutionaries who have chosen to confront death.  Since the Zionist occupation, our people have been living under the worst conditions Conditions. Our militants who have chosen the road of liberty and chosen to defend our land, people and dignity, have been suffering for many years.  In the prisons, we are confronting Zionist oppression and their systematic application of torture. Sunlight does not enter our cell. Basic necessities are not provided. Yet we confront the Zionist hangmen, the enemies of life.  Many of our militant comrades have been martyred under torture by the fascists allowing them to bleed to death. Others have been martyred because Israeli prison administrators do not provide needed medical care.  The noble and just hunger strike is not in vain. In our struggle against the occupation of our homeland, for freedom from the new Nazis, it stands as a clear symbol of the historical challenge against the terrorists.  Our people in Palestine and in the Zionist prisons are struggling as your people are struggling against the British occupation and we will both continue until victory.  On behalf of the prisoners of Nafha, we support your struggle and cause of freedom against English domination, against Zionism and against fascism in the world. ”

Irish activist Mary Evers embroiders the names and ages of Palestinians killed during the Israeli genocide in Gaza, using the colors of the Palestinian flag—black for men, red for women, and green for children... Thanks for people Irish.

My toddler son saw me working on it at the dining room table once and asked if he could help, picking up my supplies. I told him no, this was a very important project that only Mommy could do. I explained I was stitching names of people who were no longer alive. We've talked about Palestine and read some kid's books. As he looked at the stitching I explained the red were women's names, the black were men, and the green were children's names. "But the mommies with stay with them". "Some of them, yes" I told him.

I held him tightly in the same way I have so many times since October 2023. That night I moved the name of Fatima Saleh Yasser Al-Hout, age 0, to be near her family. At least in my stitches they will always be together.

I reserved completing this project to the 2-3 hours I have free after his bedtime each night. Those same wee hours of the morning I spent sobbing, watching the horrors live streamed on my phone. The project was up against the work I was doing to run my own businesses, to close that business months later... environmental advocacy work I was doing in the city.... homeschool curriculum development.... nights I gave in to my tiredness. I hated this project not because it was something I had to do, but every day I couldn't get to it, every time life got in the way, I was reminded for these 182 people I was given the responsibility and honor to memorialize, life was taken.

As I stitched I learned how many stitches it takes to make the curve of an 'a' (I am such a novice). As I thread my needle, again, I felt connected to my own Irish heritage, and was reminded of the resiliency of oppressed people. As I stitched I thought, was this someone I witnessed dying on Instagram? I held their names in my hands for 7 months. I will hold them in my heart forever.