This is the first edition of Behind The Wall e-zine! This platform for Palestinian youth voice will be published monthly during the traditional school year.

The first issue kicked off with students from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan asking questions to students at Friends School in Ramallah, Palestine. Each Palestinian student responded to at least 12 of the questions. The questions address a wide variety of subjects such as politics, terrorism, USA, peace, religion, God, family, daily life, friendship, sports, food,  and even dating, and more…the answers are very interesting - from a teenage perspective!

(via Ramallah Online)  

Enjoy!

She is always taking me back to times I cannot even recall and coming up with the most difficult personal questions …

this time, she asked: “soooo iman tell me, what was the most rebellious thing you’ve done??”

hmmmm, Does the mere thought of getting a real tattoo of Palestine map on my back shoulder qualify as rebellious?

Women for Palestine is a network of Australian women who stand for nonviolence and human rights in the Holy Land. “As women, we believe that our inherent inclination for healing and nurturing can indeed have a powerful effect on the attitudes and actions of all people who are caught in a spiral of hurt, anger and retribution. We believe that peace is the only solution to conflict and that even small beginnings can make a difference.”

As suggested on their site, I spent some time exploring the content and links provided: ‘images and information on Palestine ranging from expressions of the joy of a child’s hope’ in the Children’s Corner to ‘a tormenting experience of life in a local Palestinian school ‘via Voices from Palestine.

I was very impressed by The Book Club section. It provides a very compelling collection of books…some of which I have never heard of. I decided that I must have every single book listed that I don’t already have. 

The one which stood out most to me is “Palestinians Speak: I painted the Snow Black…because we are afraid of the days” … Someone wrote: After reading Palestinians Speak, you may be persuaded to give up the idea of owning a semi-detached house and the latest Volkswagen beetle and head for the refugee camps in Lebanon. This actually reminds me of what I was discussing with a friend this morning - about my ultimate fear of getting stuck in Palestine while on vacation. Seriously, now that I think about my statement I feel like crap. Every time I passed through the refugee camps in different parts of Palestine, I appreciated every single thing I had this much more and didn’t care the least bit for what I didn’t have… I love Palestine, it holds a very very special place in my heart and despite being there was very depressing, I missed it the minute I left Ramallah. It also reminded me of the brief conversation I had with a delegation member- who is American- (I cannot recall her name!) from the Palestinian Solidarity Group-Chicago a few weeks ago about her experience in Palestine. I asked  how she liked Ramallah. “I love it, but Ramallah is too western for me…I love Balata. To me, that was Palestine.” she said with a genuine smile… very impressive coming from an American whose passion is Palestine!

“From the silence, let the whispers grow until with one voice we can all find a way to go forward in peace and once again hear the laughter of children ring out in that most ancient land of Palestine.”

She asked: What were you doing with your life when you were 23?

I seriously cannot remember! I am trying so hard to go back to 23, and I cannot figure out what was going on in my life at that point. The year was 2001. I graduated with my Bachelor’s in 2000. Did I start grad school in 2001?  Thanks a lot! now, I am going to keep thinking …and thinking … and thinking…

UGH!   

Summer is here and with it comes sunshine, inspiration to jog, relaxtion, sandals, BBQs (yummy!), fun and of course frizzy hair! That’s when hair accessories play a vital role! … It’s abou the right time to pack my winter clothes and get my summer stuff out! 

Do you think it’s safe to try on my white pants from last summer? I really have not been keeping up! I am afraid the result would be devastating! Yes, I know … really. There are more devastating issues in the world than the possibility that my white pants may not fit!

I came across this very impressive collection of post cards made by some creative individual who says has some free time on his hands.

“I apparently have a lot of free time, or at least I used to; what you see here before you are some postcards I made with some cut-up magazines, a glue stick, crayons, and a lot of patience. I sent them at random to a bunch of internet pals of mine — it’s just a thing we do. Finished batches of these cards tend to sit on the coffee table in my living room, awaiting first the scanner at Kinko’s and then the post office; my housemates seem to enjoy them, so I thought I’d put them up here for everyone to see.”

All of them are impressive, but these few are my favorites: It’s a Truth Fact, The Future is a Harsh Place, Dudes (feminists, oh be quiet!), The Less Said (I, too, wonder what the lady is looking at?) and finally this one!

This really makes me think…creative ideas flowing inside my head are endless, so what am I waiting for???

Florence’s first mosque is born
At the same time, Elzir and a group of around 20 students and workers, all immigrants from across the Islamic world, decided that the city’s nascent Muslim community needed a place to gather and pray.

“With those 20 people, the first mosque in Florence was born in 1991,” he said. “Over time this mosque has grown, and now more than 600 people come to Friday prayers.” Every three years, the Islamic Community of Florence and Tuscany elects a “parliament” of 21 people. The leaders then choose a president who also serves as imam. Elzir was first elected to this position in 1992 and has been reconfirmed over the years.

At the same time, Elzir and a group of around 20 students and workers, all immigrants from across the Islamic world, decided that the city’s nascent Muslim community needed a place to gather and pray. “With those 20 people, the first mosque in Florence was born in 1991,” he said. “Over time this mosque has grown, and now more than 600 people come to Friday prayers.” Every three years, the Islamic Community of Florence and Tuscany elects a “parliament” of 21 people. The leaders then choose a president who also serves as imam. Elzir was first elected to this position in 1992 and has been reconfirmed over the years.

(Read on …)

iman; says: did u see ramallah
iman; says: did u see the lions??
iman; says: aren’t they cute?
She says: huh?
She says: what lions?
iman; says: they’re in the center of ramallah
She says: hey btw
She says: there’s this hot guy over there
She says: he walked in the background
iman; says: in ramallah?
She says: when the lady was talking
She says: yeah
iman; says: i think he’s my cousin
She says: see i always keep an eye out for you
She says: eww iman
She says: he’s ur cousin
iman; says: hahaha
iman; says: i know
She says: don’t check ur cousin out
She says: stop it
She says: perv
iman; says: of course i think he’s cute
iman; says: but of course i wont marry him

(Read on …)

The remaining of this month and moving into June, I promise to:

Not complain nor nag
Not curse my fellow traffic mates
Not complain nor nag
Not use my cell phone while driving
Not complain nor nag
Not buy shoes
Not complain nor nag
Not eat past midnight
Not complain nor nag
Not eat out more than once a week
Promise myself not to complain nor nag
 

valid all the way through the month of June

Today after I got off work, I stopped by Lilian’s work so that we can go together to visit Sayeda’s mom in the hospital. As we were walking in the parking lot towards Lilian’s car, Lilian says to me: “And who decided that we’re taking my car?” I said: “I decided… because I am not ready to drive again after being on the road for the past hour.” I was holding a flower arrangement I had picked up from the place Lilian works at ( Chase Bank is in the Dominick’s)…not wanting to hold it the entire way to the hospital, I opened the back door of the car and leaned down to place the flower arrangement on the bottom of back seat…Suddenly, the wind blew the door shut …the impact was so hard that life seemed to have stopped for a minute!

(Read on …)

Do you think that Palestinians should be subjected to draconian sanctions for voting? If not, then please pick up the phone today - right now actually actually - and call your Representative because the House is voting tonight, Monday, May 22, on HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. Call the Capitol switchboard today toll-free at 1-888-355-3588 and ask for your Representative, or call them directly by looking up their numbers here.

Even if you’ve already contacted your Representative before on this issue, please call again today! I called Obama’s office. The lady who answered the phone told me she will give him the message. I hope she does. I asked if they’ve been getting calls against this bill. She said ‘quite a few, yes!’

Why is HR4681 so important? HR4681 is the most draconian sanctions bill that Congress has EVER considered imposing against the Palestinians. The anti-Palestinian sanctions in it include:

(Read on …)

On Thursday May 25th (Egyptian International Day of Action!) at 12 :30 PM , a peaceful protest will be held at 500 N. Michigan in front of the Egyptian Consulate to demonstrate solidarity with the Egyptian judges being tried in Egypt for alleging corruption and fraud in the past parliament elections. For the past couple of weeks the Egyptian Security police conducted a brutal crackdown targeting Egyptian reformers and demonstrators who took to the streets in support of the Egyptian judges on trial in Egypt now.

(Read on …)