This is how I spent March 15.
Over the past few months, revolution in the Middle East has spread like wildfire; all those audacious Arab peoples are revolting against their old despotic regimes, a normal result of long years of dictatorship and oppression, and sharing a common yearning for long-desired social and economic changes. Palestine was no exception! Palestinians are rising too, but what for?
Drawing much inspiration from this communicable revolution, the Palestinian youth—both in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank—made up their minds to step forward and make March 15 a day of mass protest against the Palestinian division, under no political colors, but the Palestinian flag indicating unity.
On Facebook, I was following closely how vibrant youth were revving up for their big day. Same profile picture, same motto, that is: ”The people want to end the division”. March 15 finally came, and as planned, hundreds of thousands of Gazans gathered at Al Jundi Al Majhoul Square, central Gaza City, where the youth, only who wanted unity, dropped all the flags of the different Palestinian factions and just raised the Palestinian flag.
From the beginning I decided not to take part in this protest, so I got up in the morning and went to work. Some colleagues went and some other stayed. There was not work to do, and to be honest, I got bored being all by myself at my office. So I phoned my friend and decided to go out for lunch and shisha.
On my way, I stopped by the protest at certain point waiting for my friend. I literally was shocked when I saw what was going on. True to my words, I had this coming, but in reality it was more appalling. Pro-unity youth raised and drew the Palestinian flag on their faces; some even were clad in the Palestinian flag itself. They were vehemently chanting and holding banners calling for unity. But at the other extreme of the picture, I saw a huge wall of sound amplifiers dwarfing the sound of unity. What an eyesore! Hamas followers insisted to ruin the whole thing: on their microphones, instead of joining the “club of unity”, they were just condemning the Oslo Accords, the security liaison between the Israel and the PA, and other slogans that would deepen the rift and further kindle the fire of division. So many men and women were wearing Hamas’s green headband, and holding its flag as well. They clearly weren’t willing to “let bygones be bygones”!
After enjoying our time, my friend and I went home. It was around 5 p.m. when I took the same path back home, with my thoughts being elsewhere. I was just bemoaning the point to which we have reached. So many questions were striking my head, but every time I didn’t find an answer, I would just keep silent.
Anyway, when I got home, I slept for about a couple of hours. When I got up, and out of curiosity, I called a friend of mine for any updates. I thought I was still sleeping when my friend told me Hamas security and other undercover policemen attacked the protestors—boys and girls alike– and struck upon them brutally. They even burnt the tents, which the demonstrators were going to spend the night in.
Speechless was how I spent the rest of the day. And as I’m writing this, I never stop wondering if they will ever put their heads together. I don’t think so! It wrenches my heart to say “they have agreed not to agree”.
Mohammed Said AlNadi, 23, lives in Gaza and is an English literature graduate. He works as translator and freelance journalist.
