met a teacher on the train during a of my trip from Bristol to London, was kind and encouraged me to start a conversation. I can assure you that this does not happen often. We started to talk about different issues to break the silence as well as cold and dull atmosphere that surrounded the two-hour trip.
discovered that was a music teacher and was working on an album compilation of international children's songs from different countries. He asked me about my country, where I came from and what kind of children's songs have. Did not mean to say that maybe my generation is the last to have heard children's songs that the Palestinian children used to be awakened by Israeli bombardments most nights.
We talked about music and traditional Palestinian songs. And without realizing it, I ended up telling her about the most famous Arab singer, the Lebanese Fayrooz and songs that has contributed to Palestine and Palestinian children.
In my phone had some of their songs downloaded on my son, who knows how to keep her mom. I offered my phone to the young woman to listen to the song of Zahrat Al-Madaen. The woman asked me the translation of the song. I told him that this is a song that says ...
Jerusalem
'I will pray for you, City of sentences. "
I translated almost every word of the song and when I came to Ia part of Mary and baby Jesus, was impressed. She knew that not all Palestinians are Muslims. I thought it was odd that being a teacher would have lost the connection that Jesus was born in Palestine and there are hundreds of churches in Palestine. I also thought to myself that the sound of the bombings has silenced the bells of the churches.
I figured maybe he was embarrassed by questions such as the eyes of a practicing Muslim, wearing Hijab, they can shine with tears as he recited a song about the churches of Jerusalem.
Some other incidents
confirmed to me that not many people know the suffering of Christians in Palestine caused by the Israeli state. And that is an Israeli policy to keep people thinking that the struggle in Palestine is caused by religion, and that this struggle takes place only between Jews and Muslims, which is absolutely false.
Palestinians in the three faiths lived in peace and harmony long before the Zionist state began his plunder and destruction.
is why people consider filing one of the heroes Palestinian Christians, only one of thousands of Christians suffering, my own fellow brothers in Palestine, and I should mention that the majority of Palestinian Christians were forced to leave Palestine just as the Muslims. Most emigrated to the United States and European countries, others came to Lebanon and other neighboring countries like Jordan.
My Christian hero is Bishop Attallah Hanna. They may even notice that part of his name is Allah in Arabic and Islamic terms means God, his name is composed of two syllables, which means gift Atta and Allah which means God. The name of our Palestinian Bishop extraordinary means Gift of God in Arabic.
Bishop Attallah Hanna was charged with terrorism and was arrested several times in Israeli jails. Also was placed under house arrest for 4 years and the Israeli government withdrew his passport because they wanted him to stop playing the theme from the sale of some property of the Orthodox Church to the Jews!
Attalah Hanna Bishop enjoys great popularity and love among the Palestinians, is at the heart of Muslims and Christians living in Palestinian land or forced into exile. His home is in the humble building of the Orthodox Church in the Old City of Jerusalem.
When asked in an interview published by the Egyptian newspaper Almasry Alyoum introduce himself, he replied: "I am a Palestinian Arab proud member of the Arab nation. And I'm proud of my identity as a Palestinian Orthodox Christian serving this ancient church. There is a close relationship between this church and my sense of national and religious belonging. I would tell people that Christianity was born in Palestine, no matter our faith in the West, that Jesus did not come from the West, which is native to this land, from Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. Here Jesus was born. Therefore, Christ is Palestinian. All the Palestinian people, Muslims and Christians alike, are proud that their homeland is Palestine. Our church is 2000 years old. We did not come here with some kind of Western colonialism, this is our homeland since Christ was born and when the Caliph 'Omar ibn Al-Khattab "made the Islamic conquests, was welcomed by the Arab patriarch of Damascus," Sovrios. " That incident marked the meeting of the two poles, Christianity and Islam. The meeting between the caliph and the patriarch is considered a firm and strong bond of brotherhood between the Muslim and Christian Arab children in a country, working together to serve their causes. "
When asked Bishop Attallah on violations against Christian holy places by the Zionist occupation, said: "The excavations were carried out by the occupation under both Islamic and Christian holy sites, and I think that the sentence such acts are not enough to confront such violations. What Israel is doing is well known to everyone and can be summarized briefly by saying that Israel falsely claimed Jerusalem as their religious and political capital, we do not recognize such claims that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish state. "
Such claims are reckless and are considered a falsification of facts and an assault on the rights of other religions and an attack on all cultural and spiritual values \u200b\u200bfor Christians and Muslims. I do not mind saying that the holy city of Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, or is sacred to the three monotheistic religions, the problem lies that the Israeli occupation and denied this important fact and claimed that Jews are the only people responsible for the holy city.
"Israel has tried to prove their claims of all possible ways. They find it impossible to eradicate the Islamic and Christian monuments of Jerusalem, stealing the land from Christians and Muslims, continuing attempts to transform the Judaizing the city by different ways, among which are the excavations beneath the city. In addition to the wide and vast spread of illegal settlements in an attempt to expropriate our own city, we are strangers in our own country. "
Asked
Bishop if he had a message for the world, said: "I mean that there is a national and international obligation - spiritually and humanly, all Muslim and Christian in the world to Palestine. Some may consider that the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem are the only people responsible for this, and this is wrong. It is true that we are on the front lines, do not give up our historical responsibilities, spiritual and national, are in that line. But all Muslims and Christians should fulfill their responsibilities. No party should take only talking about what is happening. While we are talking about what is happening Israel continues with its project, demolishing houses, occupying land, removing trees and killing innocent people. If Christians and Muslims want Jerusalem to remain the capital of Palestine, must act immediately for the sake of this nation. "
" What bothers me most are the ones who stand on platforms to discuss the Arab character of Jerusalem, to them say, 'interrupted his speeches, we've talked enough, we have surplus of appeals. Jerusalem will not be liberated by speeches. "
was asked Bishop of Jerusalem if they honestly believe there is some hope that the Arabs change their policies and do something to help the Palestinians. He replied, "If I had no hope of that happening, I never would have seen, we live by hope, forged on our convictions and beliefs."
"We emphasize that Jerusalem is an Arab city, read the story. We have endured 60 years of Nakba, 40 years Nakssa (adversity). Our cause is alive and we need wisdom, determination, perseverance and adherence to the principles that are leading to the right of return for Palestinians. "
When asked the Bishop of Jerusalem its opinion on the suggestion of creating two states in Palestine, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians, said, "I never will agree with that point of view, I believe in a state for all citizens, in which Arabs live together, Muslims and Jews. I believe in the right of return for Palestinians. And then, the results of Palestinian elections determine the outcome. Speaking of two states in Palestine is unfair and impossible to implement. "
AUTHOR:
TAMIMI Iqbal Translated by Yaotl Altan
Source: Palestine Think Tank
Fairuz - Jerusalem Zahrat Almaden
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