A piece of culture, a piece of politics #5
Love and Conflict in Darwish Poem & in The 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony
In today’s social media world we’re bound to our own bubble of views. We are condtantly exposed to the messages we relate to, ideas that resonante and validate our point of view. In this kind of atmoshpere, the “other” is seen as demonic and evil. It’s relatively easy to give in to hate.
I aim to bring hope for a better future. A future of dialogue and collaboration. A future of a better distribution of power, equality of opportunities and rights. In the words of Captain Picard: “We work to better ourselves, and the rest of humanity“
A piece of culture: Haifa’s Horizon - Love and Conflict in Darwish’s ‘Rita and the Rifle’
Somewhere in the mid-60s, while studying at the University of Haifa, Mahmoud Darwish had a romance with an Israeli Jewish girl, Tamar Ben Ami, whom he referred to in his poem Rita and the Rifle.
The rifle is an allegory for the barrier between the cultures.
Between Rita and my eyes
There is a rifle
And whoever knows Rita
Kneels and plays
To the divinity in those honey-colored eyes
And I kissed Rita
Understanding the context adds another layer to this poem. Their love affair was flourishing before the 1967 war, just before Israel seized power in the West Bank and Gaza. The tension between Israel and the Arab world was at its peak. But Haifa could cultivate them all.
I give my own interpretation of this poem, of the reference to the city at the end of the poem.
Oh, the silence of dusk
In the morning my moon migrated to a far place
Towards those honey-colored eyes
And the city swept away all the singers
And Rita
Haifa, as I know this city well-upon Mount Carmel, views from the university, watching the bay under the smog rising from the refineries-is the only city in Israel that can accommodate the tension and ease it. The steep uphills and hidden stairs, and communities living together in mixed neighborhoods.
As Darwish is considered the national Palestinian poet, his poetry holds more than just a personal story. The poem is interpreted as a metaphor for the broader struggle of longing and reconciliation.
This poem makes us wonder: Is it possible to reconcile the tension, is it possible to have hope where it is being constantly threatened?
A piece of politics: The 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony
Last week marked Israeli Memorial Day and Independence Day.
I’ll start from the end: Independence Day celebrations were cancelled due to wildfires in the Jerusalem area1. These wildfires are common in this region, as it is mostly dry throughout the year and has forests of flammable pine trees. It takes only a zetz (spark) from a cigarette bud to ignite an entire acre. The magnitude of the wildfires increases over the years due to the climate crisis, but also-Israeli right-wing publicists and opportunists are fueling hate and blaming everything and everybody else, either they Palestinians or the tweet agaisnt left-wing2 human rights advocates for acts of arson. As Netanyahu stated that 183 were arrested, the facts are-only 3 were arrested, and they will be released for lack of real evidence to support any acts of arson on their part.
Memorial Day traditionally precedes Independence Day. Israel was formed on grounds of blood and war, and mourns its fighters and victims every year. Hebrew has a specific word for grief4 over loved ones lost to acts of terror and war, different from any other kind of loss.
Israeli Zionists mourn the wars as if there is an absent, amorphous enemy-so different and demonic, without context. As if this conflict just started on October 7, 2023, and is not the result of over 70 years of bloody occupation and tormenting the natives of the land.
The Parents Circle–Families Forum (PCFF) offers a different perspective and hope.
Every year, this unique ceremony of Jews and Palestinians is held on Memorial Day. Every year, more people join this organization; this year, the organization grew from 400 member families to over 700 grieving families from both sides.
We are all victims of war and violence, and we can choose to share the pain and create mutual ground for collaboration.
And I say: we are all victims of corrupt politicians, greedy and power-chasing, who drive us against one another.
No, I’m not comparing the grief and loss of any side, not putting any hierarchy. There should be no doubt: the IDF led by Israeli government is the strong, aggressive side in this equation, executing the will of an evil, fundamentalist Jewish movement of settlers alongside Orthodox Jews. Both Orthodox jews who refuse to participate in israeli civil life, but enjoy its funding, and Mesiahic settleres led by Ben Gvir and Smotrich, has long ago lost their moral compass, seeing themselves as superior, and under some obscure religious ideas, leading a systematic annihilation of Palestinians from their land.
Every year, the ceremony draws fire; This year, the ceremony was held in a secret location due to fears of riots, and the fear was indeed justified. Inside a Reform synagogue in Ra’anana5, the ceremony was screened, and a mob of right-wing rioters broke into the ceremony, disrupted it, and harmed participants.
These are not right-wing extremists; this is the current mainstream in Israel:
Settlers and messianic right-wingers, proven to be the most terrible-vengeful and hateful, seeing themselves as superior, as the chosen people, better than everyone else, thus leading Israel to destruction and creating hell on earth.
And yet, The Parents Circle–Families Forum is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest times, shared grief can become a bridge to understanding and peace.
It’s the end of the world.
Don’t waste time doomscrolling and consuming bullshit.
Eat well, walk enough steps a day, travel as much as you can, be a tourist in your own hometown.
Call your loved ones, forgive your parents.
If you like my writings, you’re welcome to show it 👇🏻
Times of Israel: Israelis mark muted Independence Day amid ongoing fires https://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-mark-muted-independence-day-amid-ongoing-fires/
Times of Israel: PM’s firebrand son baselessly suggests Israeli left to blame for major blazes https://www.timesofisrael.com/pms-firebrand-son-baselessly-suggests-israeli-left-to-blame-for-major-blazes/
AlJazeera: Israel wildfires flare near Jerusalem for a second day, arson arrests made https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/1/israel-wildfires-flare-near-jerusalem-for-a-second-day
שְׁכוֹל, pronounced: shchol
Jewish news: Right-wing mob storms Reform synagogue in Israel over Gaza memorial event https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/right-wing-mob-storms-reform-synagogue-in-israel-over-gaza-memorial-event/