From Yousef Aljamal’s blog from Gaza, “A wedding under Apartheid.” I’m speechless. Extended excerpt:
Getting ready to head to my office, I have heard that my cousin is going to get married sometime this July. I thought for a while and said “What makes it distinctive?” It’s a wedding under Apartheid after all! A wedding in which most close relatives, like me and the rest of my family, will not be able to attend. A wedding that will take place somewhere in the other part of our homeland, but we will not take part in it, for committing the greatest sin, being Palestinians, Gazans.
It’s an apartheid wedding where very few will be allowed in, while many others will not have the opportunity of dreaming of being there, for a while. It’s how the state of occupation wants Palestinians to spend their happy moments, away. It’s the doctrine of separating Palestinians off from Palestinians, brothers from brothers, me from my cousins, uncles from aunts, families from families, beloved from beloved, sisters from sisters, me from my grandma and grandfather’s graves, a dad from his son, daughter. It’s separating us, people, from the place we belong to, separating our memories from our past and our present from our uncertain future. It’s removing cheers from children’s faces in such a time.
“Dear cousin, congratulations on your Wedding Day in advance. I wish you the best in your life. I hope these emotions get to you directly, without being asked to get permission, like us! All greeting to you, your dad whose hair turned white… your spirit of hope in the time of despair. Until we encounter once again, take care of yourself.”
