What happens before the Israeli military bombs your house? For many Gaza Strip residents, it’s a phone call. Sawsan Kawarea, a resident of Khan Younis, said she was in the house Tuesday when the phone rang. She answered, and on the other side was “David,” who claimed he was with the Israeli military.
“He asked for me by name. He said: ‘You have women and children in the house. Get out. You have five minutes before the rockets come,’ ” Kawarea said in an interview.
LENA KHALAF TUFFAHA writes a poem in response. (Received via Magid Shihade)
They call us now.
Before they drop the bombs.
The phone rings
and someone who knows my first name
calls and says in perfect Arabic
“This is David.”
And in my stupor of sonic booms and glass shattering symphonies
still smashing around in my head
I think “Do I know any Davids in Gaza?”
They call us now to say
You have 58 seconds from the end of this message.
Your house is next.
They think of it as some kind of
war time courtesy.
It doesn’t matter that
there is nowhere to run to.
It means nothing that the borders are closed
and your papers are worthless
and mark you only for a life sentence
in this prison by the sea
and the alleyways are narrow
and there are more human lives
packed one against the other
more than any other place on earth
Just run.
We aren’t trying to kill you.
It doesn’t matter that
you can’t call us back to tell us
the people we claim to want aren’t in your house
that there’s no one here
except you and your children
who were cheering for Argentina
sharing the last loaf of bread for this week
counting candles left in case the power goes out.
It doesn’t matter that you have children.
You live in the wrong place
and now is your chance to run
to nowhere.
It doesn’t matter
that 58 seconds isn’t long enough
to find your wedding album
or your son’s favorite blanket
or your daughter’s almost completed college application
or your shoes
or to gather everyone in the house.
It doesn’t matter what you had planned.
It doesn’t matter who you are
Prove you’re human.
Prove you stand on two legs.
Run.
Before they drop the bombs.
The phone rings
and someone who knows my first name
calls and says in perfect Arabic
“This is David.”
And in my stupor of sonic booms and glass shattering symphonies
still smashing around in my head
I think “Do I know any Davids in Gaza?”
They call us now to say
You have 58 seconds from the end of this message.
Your house is next.
They think of it as some kind of
war time courtesy.
It doesn’t matter that
there is nowhere to run to.
It means nothing that the borders are closed
and your papers are worthless
and mark you only for a life sentence
in this prison by the sea
and the alleyways are narrow
and there are more human lives
packed one against the other
more than any other place on earth
Just run.
We aren’t trying to kill you.
It doesn’t matter that
you can’t call us back to tell us
the people we claim to want aren’t in your house
that there’s no one here
except you and your children
who were cheering for Argentina
sharing the last loaf of bread for this week
counting candles left in case the power goes out.
It doesn’t matter that you have children.
You live in the wrong place
and now is your chance to run
to nowhere.
It doesn’t matter
that 58 seconds isn’t long enough
to find your wedding album
or your son’s favorite blanket
or your daughter’s almost completed college application
or your shoes
or to gather everyone in the house.
It doesn’t matter what you had planned.
It doesn’t matter who you are
Prove you’re human.
Prove you stand on two legs.
Run.
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
I consider myself an utter waste, sitting here, being unable to do anything for my Muslim brotherhood, just watching and browsing news like these. They are cutting our roots there and we cannot even weep or cry because we are hypnotized.
LikeLike
I also feel wasted. But it’s not just being unable to do something for our Muslim brotherhood…it’s a question of Palestinian independence and an end to the illegal occupation of their land…Palestinian is Muslim of many sects, Christians of many sects and possibly, once, even Jews…
Please post MORE POETRY from Gaza, that will help broaden the understanding…
Have any of you seen a film called ‘Hanna K’ by Costa Gavras?? When you see it, capture the last, closing shot, then go and watch the news on BBC…
LikeLike
Why should you see it as a “Moslem brotherhood issue”? That itself is so tribal and shallow. If there’s injustice, oppose it, that’s all. Your “Moslem brotherhood” is not always right, in fact they are often wrong, and doing the oppressing. The Palestinian issue is more about people who have been displaced and living in refugee camps. Not really about Islam, or at least it shouldn’t be.
LikeLike
Worldwide, the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is making a serious dent in Israel’s indifference. Too bad that there’s barely a ripple of organized action here in India. In some ways, typical of the weaknesses of our left – lots of outrage and calls for ideological purity at the expense of solidarity-building.
LikeLike
Good to have information about the INCACBI through Kafila after the time it took to moderate my comment. Now hope we can figure out how to frame the narrative of the Palestinian anti-colonial struggle in ways that reach more Indians.
LikeLike