Red

My favorite ever

Israeli Knesset member: Burning Palestinian children to death is not terrorism

This will be a growing list…

1. The smell of coffee in the morning. Or anytime.

2. The first sip of coffee in the morning or when you’re tired. Especially lazy Saturday mornings with a book.

3. Good coffee. The froth on top of Arabic coffee. Coffee with a slightly chocolaty slightly smoky flavour.

4. Old people with light in their faces. Especially when they smile.

5. The old man years ago who randomly said: you’re a beautiful child. May the sun always shine on your face.

6. Old people in love. Especially the old couple I saw once on a train where the man was playing footsie when his wife was trying to read the paper and she started giggling like a teenager.

7. Wrinkles on old people’s faces and their hands. I always have to stop myself saying: please tell me your stories.

8. That moment after 4 hours had gone and I’m still painting even though my back is crying in pain but the brush feels so good in my hand and I’m so outside of my reality that I can not stop.

9. Big warm hugs. Especially unsolicited. No lame ass ones. If you’re going to hug do it properly or just don’t.

10. Baby noises.

11. Thunderstorms.

12. The smell of the air at 4am when the world is asleep.

13. The dawn Adhan. Only thing that can put me to sleep after a nightmare.

14. Soft cotton sheets when the temperature is that perfect kind of cool and I’m all bundled inside.

15. The moment someone who knew you years ago says: yes- I remember you. Especially when they knew you during time when you were not your happiest but they still thought of you fondly.

18. Friends that surround me with their love and put up with my stream of obsessive thoughts on bad days. You know who you are.

21. Words and the worlds they create. Words have the power to lift and the power to destroy and I am an addict.

22. Night silence

23. The ability to cry (this is a difficult one to explain but it’s more than just the release)

24. A goodnight’s sleep

27. Wrapping presents. Unwrapping presents.

28. Unexpected kindness.

29. Elegant thoughts.

30. People who are real and comfortable in their own skin

31. The high after I write a poem. The flush post creative indulgence.

32. Starry skies, cold railing and a hot cup of tea.

33. Perfume. The smell of skin of people I love.

34. The feeling of paper beneath my fingers.

35. Sunshine on my face. Sunshine everywhere. Just sunshine but especially on my face.

36. The sea. The sea. The sea. Companion. Confidant. Rebel.

37. Oranges. Clementines. Lemons. Citrus. Smell. Taste. Texture.

38. Cheese. Grilled cheese. Cheese with anything.

39. hot bathes preferably with music and candles

Referring to Palestinians living within 1948 territories as “Israeli Arabs” is an act of violence

Referring to the West Bank as “Arab” is an act of violence

Referring to East Jerusalem as “Arab” or containing “Arab districts” is an act of violence

This only serves to contribute to the erasure of the Palestinian identity, and is in no way accidental. Israel wants to erase any memory and association with Palestine, and so it strips us of our identity and regularly refers to us as “Arab”, and this is frequently how we are portrayed in the media as well.

We are Palestinian

There are Palestinians living within Israel