Palestine is a world without color!

Palestine is a world without color. It is Christmas and I thought, at least during these happy days, in Bethlehem, Jesses’ birthplace, happiness must be in the air. But no, I was mistaken.

Why should they be happy at all? How could they be happy? Could a person be happy while passing through checkpoints every day? Could one be happy while being insulted at every moment of his/her life? Can they be happy looking out of their windows and seeing the wall of injustice? Can they be happy looking at their land and seeing someone else, with American tax money, building his own dream home. Is it possible to see color in such an atmosphere? Is it possible to live like a prisoner and be happy?

I visited Palestine and listen to Palestinian and saw their daily struggle. I listened to them and wondered how can they still smile? How can they be kind to us and be wonderful hosts and smile and talk about their daily pain and sadness? How can they even look at us? We, Americans who pay taxes to a government, which is the first and most important provider of army goods to Israel. The goods that are used to kill Palestinians, to build the wall, to support the checkpoints, and to destroy a nation’s dignity and pride?

This is what I have witnessed in Bethlehem. Now I am heading to Cairo to join Gaza Freedom March and enter Gaza.

Experts say Bethlehem is like a heaven compared to Gaza.

Will there be any smiling face in Gaza?