Palestinian Journalist from Rafah

Last week, CSPAN broadcast a talk by Mohammed Omer, a young Palestinian journalist and photographer, at the Palestine Center. The presentation was very powerful. I have been reading actively about the Israel-Palestine conflict for the past couple of years, and I thought nothing would shock me. However, I was deeply moved by his account. For people who are not very acquainted with the issue, much of what he says will come as very shocking and, more importantly, as news. For those who are abreast of the developments, it is still a stirring experience to watch the video he plays (of a peaceful demonstration by Palestinian children and youths, which is indiscriminately fired at by Israeli forces), and the many photographs he shows, and to hear about 'Gaza on the Ground' from this young Palestinian who was born and raised in the Rafah refugee camp of Gaza.

One of the things that struck me was that Mohammed Omer spoke with the tone of a dispassionate observer, which makes his account even more shocking, because some of what he talks about are his personal experiences, like the killing of his brother, other relatives, and neighbors by Israeli snipers, and the complete destruction of his family's house and property by Israeli bulldozers. (He begins his chilling story by calmly stating that, as the oldest of eight children, he had to work since the age of six, because his father languished in an Israeli jail for twelve years for no just cause.)

It is hard for me to believe that after watching this, one would not feel outraged at the atrocities committed by Israel on Gazans. One would also wonder at the motivation behind some of the wanton actions by Israel. For instance, Mohammed describes how, after the houses have been completely demolished by bulldozers, the Isreali soldiers then dig holes to bury and burn the remnants of the demolition. I am sure that there are official and seemingly rational explanations for these actions, but to me, it seems like gratuitous cruelty. How are Palestinians retaining their sanity and humanity in the face of such dehumanizing experiences?

More and more people living in the United States, especially those unacquainted with the Palestine issue, need to watch the presentation. You can find his video in RealPlayer format on CSPAN's website (do a search on "omer").

Please visit Mohammed's website to learn more about the events, past and present, in the Rafah refugee camp, and to view some of the photographs he has taken in Gaza. Also, look at the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs for more of his writings, and of others, on the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza strip.