Carve this in the stones of history: a wrenching letter from Thaer Halahleh, on day 75 of hunger strike against his detention without charge, to his two-year-old daughter Lamar, who he has never seen. Translated by Jalal Najjar. Published by We Are All Hana Shalabi, with the help of IMEU.
“My Beloved Lamar, forgive me because the occupation took me away from you, and took away from me the pleasure of witnessing my first born child that I have always prayed to God to see, to kiss, to be happy with. It is not your fault, this is our destiny as Palestinian people to have our lives and the lives of our children taken away from us, to be apart from each other and to have a miserable life, nothing is complete in our lives because of this unjust occupation that is lurking on every corner of our lives turning it into eeriness, a continuous pursuit and torture. Despite that I was deprived from holding you and hearing your voice, from watching you grow up and move around in the house and in your be, and that I was deprived of my rule as a human and a father with my daughter your existence has given me all the power and hope, and when I saw your picture with your mother in the sit-in tent, you were so calm staring in wonder at people, as if you were looking for your father, looking at my pictures that are hung inside the tent asking in silence why is my father not coming back, I felt that you are with me, in my sentiment and inside my mind, as if you are a part of my heartbeats, steadfast and the blood that flows in my veins, opening all doors for me spreading clear skies around me, and unleashing your free childish voice after this long silence”.
“Lamar my love: I know that you are not to be blamed and that you don’t yet understand why your father is going through this battle of the hunger strike for the 75th day, but when you grow up you will understand that the battle of freedom is the battle of going back to you, so that I can never be taken away from you again or to be deprived of your smile or seeing you, so that the occupier will never kidnap me again from you”.
“When you grow up you will understand how injustice was brought upon your father and upon thousands of Palestinians whom the occupation has put in prisons and jail cells, shattering their lives and future for no guilt but their pursuit of freedom, dignity and independence, you will know that your father did not tolerate injustice and submission, that he will never accept insult and compromise, and that he is going through a hunger strike to protest against the Jewish state that wants to turn us into humiliated slaves without any rights or patriotic dignity”.
“My beloved Lamar keep your head up always and be proud of your father, and thank everyone who supported me, who supported the prisoners in their struggle, and don’t be afraid god is with us always, and god never lets people who have faith and patience, we are righteous, and right will always prevail against injustice and wrong doers”.
“Lamar my love: that day will come, and I will make it up to you for everything, and tell you the whole story, and your days that will follow will be more beautiful, so let your days pass now and wear your prettiest clothes, run and then run again in the gardens of your long life, go forward and forward nothing is behind you but the past, and this is your voice I hear all the time as a melody of freedom”.
Thanks to Paul Mutter.
Heart rending stuff.
Just read Diab has sent his will to his family
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/news/4390-day-76-of-hunger-strike-diab-sends-will-to-family-halahleh-writes-to-daughter-.html
just tears
Thaer Halahleh, dying, has found great dignity. If it is soon lost to him, may it long be remembered by the living. Maybe Mandy Patinkin could read this letter during his next concert or political appearance.
As to detention without trial, as Fourth Geneva Convention says: “Art. 67. The courts shall apply only those provisions of law which were applicable prior to the offence, and which are in accordance with general principles of law, in particular the principle that the penalty shall be proportionate to the offence. They shall take into consideration the fact the accused is not a national of the Occupying Power..” (emphasis added). (Sadly, I do not know whether long-term detention without charge or trial is “in accordance with general principles of law, in particular the principle that the penalty shall be proportionate to the offence.”
I also do not know whether long-term detention without charge or trial can be called an action of “the courts”. The courts do not seem much involved. One wishes the international community (of people, of nations) would speak up. Of course, many other nations disappear people * * *.
There’s chutzpah in a convicted terrorist being able to write his daughter.
Thousands of Israeli Jewish families will never see their loved ones again, to write them letters, speak to them or comfort them.
This is beyond obscene and what he is demanding is not human dignity but alleviation of his just punishment.
What he has now is more than the choice he offered his victims.
RE: “Carve this in the stones of history: a wrenching letter from Thaer Halahleh, on day 75 of hunger strike against his detention without charge, to his two-year-old daughter Lamar, who he has never seen.” ~ Weiss
FROM: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
SENT: Thursday, May 10, 2012 6:27 PM
SUBJECT: Take Action Now to Help Save the Lives of 2,000 Hunger Strikers in Israeli Prisons!
As we approach the 64th anniversary of the Nakba — the catastrophe in which more than more than 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes and lands, and thousands of others their lives during the ethnic cleansing that accompanied Israel’s creation — between 1,600 and 2,000 Palestinian prisoners have joined one of the largest hunger strikes in history.
Two strikers — Thaer Halahleh and Bilal Diab — have refused food for 73 days. Ten have refused food for more than 50 days and are now hospitalized. The International Committee of the Red Cross has said that Halahleh, Diab, and four others are in “imminent danger of dying.” As the prisoners’ health deteriorates, the State Department has been silent.
Please ask the State Department to help save the lives of these nonviolent protestors! Help us get 10,000 signatures before Monday when, with the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, we’ll deliver our concerns to the State Department!
• TO SIGN PETITION – http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10451