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Another birthday under occupation
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 19 April 2012 10:56
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Fadi Abu Sada – I deeply wanted today to be special. I know that I am under occupation in Palestine and that should excuse the lack, but it doesn’t seem to. Even if little attempts make it special with family and friends it’s just not the same as what I think or dream about. I thought about a lot of things and I believe that some ideas may lead to having a special day, but then I just stepped back and thought about writing what I have in my mind.
Today I celebrate my birthday for the 33rd time while we’re still under occupation. I am really looking forward to one day celebrating without occupation because this day, like all days, is connected to the occupation at least psychologically. What makes it so difficult is that I know that the occupation is still there and will remain, I guess, for a long time. The political situation in the Middle East and the world in general gives to indication to the contrary.
Another year passed with more bad things happening than any person should witness. First there is the internal fighting which led to attacks on journalists and the political arrests. And then we see the continued failure of the Palestinian – Israeli negotiations that are clearly not working out. And the worst thing is that the Palestinian case lost its priority in the international community, coming after Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and last but not least the Russian – Georgian war.
The feeling is that another difficult year is on the horizon. The indicators are there: on the Palestinian level Hamas is saying they won’t recognize Abbas as president after 9 January 2009. This will entirely cement the internal fracture. Even if Hamas says this just to pressure Abbas for more political clout before the internal dialogue or elections, it will not help especially as the Palestinian priorities become self-centered not reaching beyond party affiliation, no longer focusing on the national need.
Even with the Israeli political map changing, nothing will change for the Palestinians. The Kadima party elections brought Tzipi Livni into the winning position, regardless of the failure of Olmert under corruption charges, and this may change the entire Israeli political map, but what is sure is that regarding Palestinians, their daily lives and the negotiations will not change because it’s been the same for many years. The proof of that is that we just passed the 15th memorial of the Oslo Accords.
An Arab poet writes: You never achieve what you want by wishing, it comes by struggling.
Even if I was wishing to have a good year or even to live in peace, this wish does not ameliorate the difficulties waiting on the path. But the most important is to continue fighting to not lose hope for a better future. And I have nothing to end with other than happy birthday to all.
