A Letter From My Student to Obama

Dear Mr. President:

First of all, I congratulate you on the new position. I congratulate you for the actualization of the American dream, the dream of black people and the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. Sorry Mr. President I did not see the inauguration ceremony. In that moment I was busy watching the war on Gaza and numbering the victims of children, mothers, fathers…. while you were being inaugurated.

You are one of the dreamers. You are the one who achieved the long dream for the American black people who were suffering hundreds of years. Also Palestinians have a dream. I’m Palestinian I still have hope to get to my dream, to live in peace in an independent nation as you. But I wonder how to get that dream while you support Israel like who led America prior to you by everything. During the war on Gaza you said “Israel has the right to self-defense...” What is the right you are talking about? Is it the right to brutality or the right to killing children and steal lands in Gaza and the West Bank. And you want more peace, but what kind of peace? Is it like the peace that happened in Gaza before months ago (the war on Gaza)? I think we got too much peace in the last ware on Gaza. It is not enough or what? In the final peace process a lot of children in Gaza lost their families and homes. When somebody wants to take my home do you think I will give up simply? No I will fight back what about you Mr. President? What are you going to do Mr. President? You will fight back exactly like us, as we do in Palestine. The peace you are talking about is represented in arming Israel to overwhelm us by flashy peace bombs as happened in Gaza.

Anyway, let us go to the point that you really want peace and you are the president that we waited for. You want to visit Israel to discuss the situation for peace. But prior to you many American presidents came to make peace between both Palestine and Israel, but they failed. Are you going to do the same? I hope not, and not to disappointment me because you really want peace. If you really want peace withdraw American troops from Iraq, and Afghanistan. Get them back home. In Iraq leave the land to its people and stop supporting Israel against Palestinian afterward the killing will stop. Mr. President be the one who makes unforgettable differences and memorable changes to be remembered forever. Mr. President you can make changes in the region if you really want. Here I’m not asking you to bring troops to get back our stolen lands. I’m asking you to be clear, to stop Israel from stealing land and building new settlements, to put away all plans that were established by others, because these plans indeed won’t bring peace. But if you choice one of these plans like “Annapolis” or “The Road Map” we will see more peace bombs, another war, and more homeless children and families. Mr. President we are humans just like you. We have two legs, two hands, eyes. When you visit us you will see. The thing which I cannot understand is why you are supporting and arming Israel, not Palestinians or Palestine and for what? Can you tell me Mr. President? Is this because we don’t deserve life? However, Mr. President I know your previous president left you a hard mission and many things to repair them. I wish happiness and a good life for you during your presidency. Don’t forget we have a dream that I hope someday will come. I hope this day comes in your time and then peace and peace.


Salem Nazzal, Student
Palestine

Petra and Palestine

Went to Petra. So amazing. I am still reeling from the experience. Whenever I step out of occupied Palestine, I can’t help but weep for Palestine and the people who have suffered so greatly for so long. If only they could be given an honest chance at life, what could Palestine be?

Denying Life

For as long as I have been coming, which is over five years now, I have never met her husband. For as long as I have been coming, he has been trying to get back inside this country. Thousands in plane tickets and lawyer fees to try and try to get back to his family. I know Wafa and her kids very well—she’s family. After years of trying to get in, he finally succeeded. I couldn’t believe it. She had her husband again and the youngest got to meet his father. They finally had their dad in the flesh to be their dad again. Only two months of being a family. He died a few days ago of a heart attack. He was young, and everything seems wrong. Two months of a dad. Two months of a husband. Two months on his land. They were deprived of each other for years, and then when the occupation stopped saying no, fate stepped in.