more on Ma'manillah

the visit which took place this morning on the cemetery brought over 30 people together. The group made up of Palestinian and International members of Jerusalem inhabitants today. Quite a few media correspondents representing al Quds newspaper, AFP, Spanish, Dutch and French radio and papers.

Asem Khalidi talked about the history of the place, when he visited the cemetery with his father back in the 40s. He talked about martyrs burried since the time of Salah Eddine, the Sahabeh and nobilities. The group walked along the grounds of the cemetery around the demolished tombs: some of the names are still on

broken gravestones, like the Kaloti; Jerusalem families Aweidah, Budeiri, Jaouni, al Khalidi, Nashashibi, Husseini, Nusseibeh al Khazraji related to the Kabakyeh tomb, at the entrance of the

cemetery.

Majdi Husseini, IT Administrator of the Centre for Jerusalem Studies found his great grandfather's grave. The Grave stone is beautifully desined with arabic islamic calligraphy. i asked him to post photo. Again, seeing him happy to find the tomb and that its still untouched amongst the few left. i thought perhaps its still possibel to find the tomb of my great grandfather Jamal Eddine

al Imam, in vein. its probably destroyed amongst the first series to build the Independence Park or the parking on Agron Street. The foundations of the Museum of Tolerance, planned to be built were hidden by silver barriers. Basem, a member mentioned that Israel has done a similar act building on 'maqbaret al istiqlal' the independence cemetery in Haifa.

Despite the denial by Peres, i think the Peres Peace Centre in Jaffa was constructed on part of the cemetery overlooking the mediterranean sea of al Ajami. "All of Israel is built on Palestinian

heritage" a member of the group, stated.  Saari, an Israeli member of the group suggested that we negotiate with Israel Jerusalem Municipality to change the content of the Museum; the reactions

were that its the principle which counts, not the content. How can a Museum in the name of Tolerance and Human Dignity be built on a cemetery ? How inhuman and intolerant  ? Tom mentioned that some members of the Wiesentahl family who are partners with the municipality in the building of the museum, are not very happy with the construction taking place on the cemetery. How much 

more can one take ? Israel is erasing a whole entity of heritage and identity, that of the Palestinians; its not a matter of deporting people, but deleting any scars, roots, culture and belonging.

Its hectic, and really exhausting for me to do this. I find myself wanting to revive the death!?

I dont usually visit my father's tomb which lies in al Sahira Gate Cemetery on Salah Eddine Street.

Today i find myself paying frequent visits to Ma'manillah Cemetery. Like my visits to Bakaa' where my father's beautiful house still lies with its lemon and askidenya trees in the garden, on the west side of the city in the Greek Colony. 

There is too much injustice !  

and we force this pressure on ourselves, a kind of passive resistance.

Tab wil hal ?  what's the solution ?

perhaps ba'eed al manal as we say in Arabic, meaning farfetched. Some of the group thought i was too optimistic when i said "i still believe that Palestinians most strategic allies are the Israeli people"
(that's what Sari Nusseibeh taught us in HASHD)
I would like to hope for Israelis to say "its time".

Let them grasp the 'Arab Spring' wind blowing in this part of the mediterranean. Let them stand for their rights and dignity and revolt against their apartheid jewish state, and finish with all  this.....shit.