Tag Archives: Palestine

“The Three Complaints of My Mother” in “Solstice”

Posted on May 17, 2017 by

~~An essay of mine, “The Three Complaints of My Mother,” is in the Spring issue of “Solstice.”  It took almost a decade to find a literary home for this essay, despite all the praise heaped on it by editors many … Continue reading →

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“The Shoes” by Nassir Ibrahim

Posted on May 16, 2016 by

~~Today, the Palestinians nakba begins its 69th year.  On this sad occasion, I am re-posting my translation of Nassir Ibrahim’s “The Shoes.” It appeared in Words Without Borders in 2006. ~~ The Shoes Perhaps it is merely a clever joke, … Continue reading →

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Gentle Wind of Ramallah

Posted on December 11, 2015 by

Last summer, Harvard Bookstore, in Cambridge, MA, sent out a call for submissions for an anthology of travel essays to be compiled, printed, and exhibited by the venerable bookstore.  My essay on Ramallah, Palestine, was chosen to be included in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cities and towns, Palestinians, Passages and Homes, Rx for Maladies | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

May 15: The Nakba at 67

Posted on May 15, 2015 by

May 15 is the day Palestinians and supporters of Palestinian rights to self-determination commemorate the Nakba, or Catastrophe, which forced hundreds of thousands of the native population out of Mandatory Palestine.  Today, the Nakba is 67 years old.  On this … Continue reading →

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Re-reading Darwish on March 13

Posted on March 13, 2014 by

~~Mahmoud Darwish was born on this day–March 13–1941.  For all that he has given to us, his readers, for the monumental body of his work and its staying power, and for his enduring images and ideas, these lines.  The first … Continue reading →

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…little town of Bethlehem….

Posted on December 24, 2013 by

This evening, all across what used to be called the Holy Land, Christmas celebrations will be held in ancient, weathered churches.   The most emblematic of these celebrations will, no doubt, be the one held in the Church of the Nativity … Continue reading →

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Reprise: Mandela for the world…

Posted on December 6, 2013 by

~~As the sad news of Nelson Mandela’s death spread around the world, I could not find one word–not even a word–about Mandela’s unwavering support for the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.  There was talk of how the anti-apartheid BDS movement inspired … Continue reading →

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Jenin’s gift to the world…

Posted on October 13, 2013 by

Jenin Freedom Theatre’s Gift to the World There’s always the risk of disappointment when you attend the performance of a theater group that has achieved near-legendary status, as has the Jenin Freedom Theatre.  The JFT is based in the Palestinian … Continue reading →

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Edward Said–ten years after his death

Posted on September 25, 2013 by

~~Edward Said died 10 years ago today, on September 25. On that day, when the news of his death reached us, a colleague not given to excess said, “He changed our world.”  Prolific author, founder of the field of cultural … Continue reading →

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Writers of the Palestinian Nakba: Ghassan Kanafani

Posted on May 16, 2013 by

~~All week, this week, I will be posting from Palestinian writers.  Yesterday, I posted two from Darwish. Today, an extract from the great Ghassan Kanafani~~ When Said S., who was approaching by car from the Jerusalem road, reached the outskirts … Continue reading →

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