Jenin… Jenin… Jenin.
Jenin, mentioned for the second and third time, is not a recurring memory from Mohammad Bakri’s film, nor is it the story of “Children of Arna” by Suzan Abu al-Hawa. Jenin is not just a hashtag used to ride a trend or market a product. It is not a narrative of catastrophe, displacement, or a new form of occupation.
Today, Jenin, like Gaza in the past, and Nablus, Hebron, and Jerusalem in the future, represents the story of a people living under relentless occupation. This occupation has persisted, with its consequences unfolding since the Balfour Declaration, continuing through the Oslo Accord, and enduring with the promises of Trump and the threats of Netanyahu.
Amidst this ongoing struggle, we cannot overlook the recent Israeli invasion that has resulted in mass destruction and loss of life over the past three days. The relentless assault has left a trail of devastation and countless lives lost. It is a horrifying chapter in the continued oppression faced by the Palestinian people.
Despite the changing events, varying locations, and different names of victims, the underlying reality remains constant: the people’s experience of living under occupation. This occupation can manifest in military mechanisms armed with tanks and missiles, or it can be a systematic form of control through checkpoints, instructions, and coordination that ensures the occupation’s longevity. In this reality, our existence oscillates between resistance and compromise.
There are those among us who find themselves caught in the middle, unable to resist or compromise, suffocating the spirit of resistance while strengthening the grip of compromise, Struggling to navigate the difficult path between resistance and acquiescence.
The devastating situation in Jenin, exacerbated by the recent invasion, cannot be fully described by comparing it to a holocaust, massacre, or slaughter. What truly matters is the extent of the losses suffered by its people. How many families have lost their breadwinners? How many children have been deprived of their fathers? How many mothers have been left without their sons?
Consider the toll on families, enduring the toil and hardships of life. How many wounded individuals are left? How many houses have been demolished, streets ravaged, and shops crashed? The count of tears shed and hearts scarred and paralyzed by fear and horror is immeasurable.
In these one-sided wars, there are no clear victories or defeats for the resistance. However, we must ponder how much more we can endure after being conditioned to destruction and loss by the depths of submission.
For how long will these resilient people continue to pay the price for compromising on the lives of their beloved sons and daughters? Each deteriorating situation reaffirms the unlikelihood of a future Palestinian state being born. The extent of injustice and oppression imposed by the occupation isolates these people regionally and internationally, leaving them waiting for the anticipated moment: the end of an authority that retains its power only over its own people.
Yet, as always, the people gather the remnants of destruction, heal their wounds, bury their loved ones, and persevere on their journey to survive. They do so despite the occupation’s relentless attempts that will persist until the last Palestinian breathes the spirit of resistance.
While we eagerly await the moment when this faltering authority meets its deserved demise, its men repeatedly emerge from their hiding places, standing tall amidst the debris of human lives and shattered stones. They chant slogans, seek strength through condemnation, threats, and unbelievable lies, and persist in their existence until a new destructive invasion arises.
As long as the people endure, the authority persists, and Israel continues its relentless pursuit of ethnic cleansing, both in terms of human lives and land, we must strive for resilience and find hope amidst the struggle. The recent Israeli invasion, marked by mass destruction and murder, serves as a horrifying reminder of the ongoing atrocities faced by the Palestinian people.
While the world turns a blind eye to the suffering and devastation that unfolds in Jenin,
we stand in solidarity with the people of Jenin. Their resilience and unwavering spirit are inspiring.
Jenin… Jenin… Jenin. The name resonates with pain, resilience, and a plea for justice. May the world heed their call and take action to bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people.