Comments on: Mahmoud Darwish Could Have Been an Israeli Poet http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html The War of Ideas in the Middle East Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:55:37 +0000 hourly 1 By: Richard Witty http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54818 Richard Witty Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54818 <p>One phrase in your post that suprised me was the Darwish's family returned to Israel.</p> <p>Is that accurate?</p> One phrase in your post that suprised me was the Darwish's family returned to Israel.

Is that accurate?

]]> By: saifedean http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54819 saifedean Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54819 <p>Richard,</p> <p>It is true. Many Palestinian refugees from 1948 tried to return home after their ethnic cleansing. Any that were spotted by Zionist militias were killed, imprisoned, or re-ethnically cleansed. Some managed to get away and successfully "Escaped home".</p> Richard,

It is true. Many Palestinian refugees from 1948 tried to return home after their ethnic cleansing. Any that were spotted by Zionist militias were killed, imprisoned, or re-ethnically cleansed. Some managed to get away and successfully "Escaped home".

]]> By: Richard Witty http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54820 Richard Witty Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54820 <p>If Darwish had been publicly presented as an Israeli poet, would you have found that pleasing, or disrespectful?</p> If Darwish had been publicly presented as an Israeli poet, would you have found that pleasing, or disrespectful?

]]> By: charles Keating http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54821 charles Keating Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54821 <p>In 2001, Darwish received the Lannan Prize for Cultural Freedom. It is a pity that he now has no opportunity to win the Nobel Prize he deserved.<br /> Last year, he returned to Israel for what turned out to be the last time and gave a reading of his poetry. AFP describes the event:<br /> In July 2007, Darwish decried the Islamist Hamas movement’s bloody takeover of the Gaza Strip a month earlier in his first poetry recital in Israel since quitting the Jewish state in 1970.<br /> “We woke up from a coma to see a monocolored flag (of Hamas) do away with the four-color flag (of Palestine),” Darwish said before some 2,000 people who attended the reading in the northern port city of Haifa.<br /> “We have triumphed,” he said with thick irony. “Gaza won its independence from the West Bank. One people now have two states, two prisons who don’t greet each other. We are victims dressed in executioners’ clothing.”<br /> “We have triumphed knowing that it is the occupier who really won.”</p> In 2001, Darwish received the Lannan Prize for Cultural Freedom. It is a pity that he now has no opportunity to win the Nobel Prize he deserved.
Last year, he returned to Israel for what turned out to be the last time and gave a reading of his poetry. AFP describes the event:
In July 2007, Darwish decried the Islamist Hamas movement’s bloody takeover of the Gaza Strip a month earlier in his first poetry recital in Israel since quitting the Jewish state in 1970.
“We woke up from a coma to see a monocolored flag (of Hamas) do away with the four-color flag (of Palestine),” Darwish said before some 2,000 people who attended the reading in the northern port city of Haifa.
“We have triumphed,” he said with thick irony. “Gaza won its independence from the West Bank. One people now have two states, two prisons who don’t greet each other. We are victims dressed in executioners’ clothing.”
“We have triumphed knowing that it is the occupier who really won.”

]]> By: cogit8 http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54822 cogit8 Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54822 <p>On the day you kill me</p> <p>you'll find in my pocket</p> <p>travel tickets</p> <p>to peace,</p> <p>to the fields and the rain,</p> <p>to people's conscience.</p> <p>Don't waste the tickets.</p> <p>by Samih al-Qasim</p> On the day you kill me

you'll find in my pocket

travel tickets

to peace,

to the fields and the rain,

to people's conscience.

Don't waste the tickets.

by Samih al-Qasim

]]> By: Otto Pohl http://mondoweiss.net/2008/08/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html/comment-page-1#comment-54823 Otto Pohl Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/08/10/mahmoud-darwish-could-have-been-an-israeli-poet.html#comment-54823 <p>In point of fact until 1971 Darwish was an Israeli "citizen." While studying abroad the Israeli authorities revoked his citizenship. </p> In point of fact until 1971 Darwish was an Israeli "citizen." While studying abroad the Israeli authorities revoked his citizenship.

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