My Mother Once Said

I will recognize you by your voice,

by your prayers

for me and for the martyrs.

I will not lose my way in the darkness,

for the fires of their hatred

have lit up the sky.

Oh, mother,

You lied, mother,

You lied for me and to yourself,

And for a homeland you loved.

But no one loved us,

Oh, mother,

No one loved us,

Except God.

~Nour Khalil AbuShammala, June 2024

Nour is the daughter of Khalil, one of three central figures in No Way But Forward by Brian Barber, a story of 3 Palestinian men and their families in Gaza over a 45-year period. (https://bkbarber.com/books/)  

•  As Iqraa 21 highlighted, through its focus on Brian’s book, education is central to Palestinian identity. Nour’s writing—essays and poetry—reflect this.

Education is both a central part of the Palestinian dream and a cherished and hard-earned resource of the Palestinian people. The wealth of Palestinian human capital—derived from education–is the foundation of Palestine’s eventual liberation.

• As Nour said (The Electronic Intifada (TEI), 21 February 2024), “I studied law for four years and trained for two years…A week before this genocide started, I passed the bar exam. I was hoping to pursue a master’s degree in international humanitarian law before the occupation destroyed my life, dreams and hopes…Despite all our blood, wounds, pain, all I want is my homeland and my home.”

Nour’s young life reflects her love for education; she has been able to make her voice heard in the West largely because of it. She earned a law degree from Al Azhar University in Gaza university in 2021 and has worked for the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, which monitors and documents the practices of Israeli military forces in Gaza and the West Bank, according to its website. In addition, Nour has published poems and essays in a variety of Western media, e.g. Nour in LA Times.

As Nour says (TEI), “Stop this war before you kill our hope. Stop it and return us to our homes, because we deserve a decent life. Or, return us to our homes and kill us there, as I don’t want to die in a tent.”

Both poems in this Iqraa message appeared in No Way But Forward, and were made available to Brian by Nour’s proud father, Khalil.

The Land Fights, Too

The earth yields its fruits,

Defying siege and hunger,

Defying the occupation.

Tomatoes sprout,

Peppers and eggplants,

Despite cut-off water,

Despite forbidden shells.

Mint and basil’s fragrance wafts,

The scent of homeland

In The land of peace.

Despite the tents’ heat,

Children’s displacement,

The loss of dreams,

The earth yields its fruits,

Feeding its children,

North and south,

Refusing starvation.

The earth brings forth vegetables,

And fruits,

Watered by martyrs’ blood.

It fights with its soil,

Holding warriors’ remnants,

Steadfast in death,

Defying forces,

Defying weapons.

Our people plant,

And eat from our land’s soil.

The earth fights side by side,

With its sea, with its brave resisters.

It grows patience,

Quelling children’s hunger,

Silencing mothers’ tears,

Easing men’s burdens.

Only in Gaza,

The earth fights with its people.

~Nour Khalil AbuShammala, July 2024

They will recognize us by our voice. 

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