I understand you completely, even though I haven't been through the horrors that you have. Sometimes I see kids with their parents out in public and get flashbacks of videos or photos from Gaza. It's surreal that everything carries on as normal. My heart is with you. Thank you for keeping on and not giving up 💔💔💔
Honoured to have you in Ireland, Abed, and I’m so sorry for all you have had to give up. I wish peace, justice, safety to your family and friends, and hope you get to be with them in a free Palestine soon. ❤️🇵🇸❤️
I know nearly everybody speaks about trauma and that most have some kind of trauma to go through. My family life as a child was a war zone and I was made to deal with serious issues much too soon, and lost my brother when I was 17 in a horrific car accident, then my father 4 years later. I’m only mentioning it to say I truly get trauma, despite never having lived under threat the way you have. I moved to Europe to escape the pain I felt living in the US, and have felt alien here too. Much of what you said has resonated with me deeply, and this essay brings even more of it to the forefront of my mind. I’ve adopted a bunch of Syrian younger brothers ten years ago when they fled, among them a descendent of Arab 48ers. They have enriched my life greatly, I am thankful to them for showing me true grace and generosity of spirit. My hope for you would be that you could be able to relax soon and pursue your dreams as a football commentator but I realize of course that the Zionist entity makes that impossible. Especially when the west so firmly supports that and offers impunity to the perpetrators. Even despite that, I wish you strength and the courage to continue making your parents proud. As I know they must be, of your eloquence and determination.
Oooh, Erik. I am so sorry for your tragedies. I hope this trauma never hits you again. Thank you for sharing all this with me. Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
I am not Palestinian but I am also shocked that the world has not been moved in the way I thought it would. I visited shaam before the war, your people from that area are unique and unparalleled. I never wanted to come back to the West because of the hospitality of the region. It was such a humanizing experience. It was the first time I felt alive. What you wrote here is absolutely accurate and well described. It’s like walking zombies with their spark totally faded. Capitalism turns people into commodities. They are not merely consumers, they are consumed.
What you are dealing with is immense, unfathomable. I think the emotional "deadening" you are experiencing is probably a natural and protective response, allowing you to continue to function under the weight of extreme trauma.
Culture shock is also not to be underestimated. When combined with grief, and with constant fear, the result must be so heavy, so disorienting.
I think that what you have done is extraordinarily brave. And I feel it in my bones that you will see your mum and your best friend and your homeland again. 🌿💖
Gen Z are growing up fast, and they are not going to tolerate the racist jewish serial-killer state the way older generations did.
I wish it were easier and better and fairer and I hope your family members are safe. My ancestors fled Ireland after the great hunger when the English colonial aristocracy drained Ireland while the Irish starved. Those who converted from catholicism to protestantism were provided with food. Those who resisted or rebelled were murdered. That same colonial system of theft and exile and murder has been applied by zionists in Israel and Gaza and the West Bank - a violent system of settler colonialism.
And Zionism has grown out of paranoia, out of refugees who weren't wanted in one country being deposited in another and by the British empire wanting to expand into the Middle East, and the US now, with its empire, picking up the reins. The zionist state is based on the fascist notion of supremacy is a system of apartheid and genocide.
Capitalism has supported the horror. It's a system of exploitation where the labouring poor are never free, where people do not have equal access to good housing, decent work conditions, good communities. It is a system that encourages competition individualisation and which sets people against each other in the competition to rise to the top and those at the top kick those at the bottom. Indigenous communities, which we all originally track back to, care for the elderly, the vulnerable.
What we are seeing now - the terror, the fear, the silencing, the censorship and cancellations - comes under the umbrella of totalitarian capitalism.
When we free Palestine we free ourselves. But we need a different system everywhere, societies that are not based on greed.
Thank you Abed. Beautifully written words etched in grief and trauma. Know that we are holding you (digitally), psychically, emotionally, historically. We don’t know how any of this will turn out. Millions want this to end, despite the surface McDonald’s, etc. Daily my feed is full of people speaking out, taking risks, protests — we’re winning the narrative Abed. History is playing out. Here in the US we’re in dead heat in this election to not just change names, but to defeat AIPAC, Israel’s sway over our body politic. Palestine has painfully awoken the world. Israel is more isolated every day. All that you’ve done is not in vain. We may not see it, but Palestine will be free. Find a close cadre of people who see you, get you, love you, like we do.
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. We need to take more decisive actions to stop Israel. We need a rebellion to save our lives. This is more than Palestine.🌹
Abubaker, we are truly at a tipping point in the world and the US — Israel must be stopped in its final arrogant, entitled and megalomaniacal death throws to continue to colonize and depopulate west Asia (and I believe it will be)— here in the US our struggle with Israel is now taking form in our Israeli influenced elections, anti ICE/Detention Centers, surveillance and data stealing technologies, and bribed politicians — we are politically occupied. We are waking up I pray it’s not too late. As an 82 year old person, I’ve been protesting for Palestine since long before you were born and am fully immersed in the worldwide struggle to end the occupation of your country and ours. Your job is to heal and thrive Abubaker, that’s the best revenge but also to let us know and meet you and exchange love and solidarity, to dispel the myths perpetrated by the Zionists, Brits and Americans. My doctor is a young beautiful Palestinian man, father husband (much like you)who lives in Washington state and has family in Canada. Berkeley California has a large community of Palestinian and solidarity activists who are our neighbors, friends and community. Mamdani in New York is redefining relations between Jewish and ME peoples and providing a template for political, social and economic transformation. Again we’re at a precarious tipping point.
So eloquent, so moving. Keep writing. Many of us have not forgotten and support all the demonstrations. We are not winning in the short term but Israel has become such a pariah that I think they are doomed in the longer term
I understand you. I grew up where no one would ever allow an old person to struggle with heavy bags. Now, I see around me elderly people ignored like bags of trash. I don't like it
I helped an elderly person just last week and the way she thanked me almost made me feel uncomfortable and sad. I could hear in her voice how it was so rare for others to help her. The west is an absolute lie.
No Israeli survives outside Israel either and not in Israel also, all are mentally, emotionally and spiritually dead. It is a big cemetery, the walking death lining up to be buried.
Thankyou Abed. I have often thought about how you were doing in Dublin since leaving Gaza...and now we know.
Hold on to your humanity- so many in so-called democracies seem to have lost it.
I hope you manage to be in contact with your family and friends in Gaza
Saluti from Italy
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
Thank you for writing this agonizing truth.
Thank you so much, Diana. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
Wishing you strength Abubaker. You’ve now seen the west for what it really is
Thank you so much, Andres. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
I understand you completely, even though I haven't been through the horrors that you have. Sometimes I see kids with their parents out in public and get flashbacks of videos or photos from Gaza. It's surreal that everything carries on as normal. My heart is with you. Thank you for keeping on and not giving up 💔💔💔
Thank you so much, Kate. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
Honoured to have you in Ireland, Abed, and I’m so sorry for all you have had to give up. I wish peace, justice, safety to your family and friends, and hope you get to be with them in a free Palestine soon. ❤️🇵🇸❤️
Thank you so much, Brian. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
You are right. It is really truly insane that we keep on living like Palestinians aren’t dying. The world should have stopped.
Sadly, the world doesn't care anymore.
I know nearly everybody speaks about trauma and that most have some kind of trauma to go through. My family life as a child was a war zone and I was made to deal with serious issues much too soon, and lost my brother when I was 17 in a horrific car accident, then my father 4 years later. I’m only mentioning it to say I truly get trauma, despite never having lived under threat the way you have. I moved to Europe to escape the pain I felt living in the US, and have felt alien here too. Much of what you said has resonated with me deeply, and this essay brings even more of it to the forefront of my mind. I’ve adopted a bunch of Syrian younger brothers ten years ago when they fled, among them a descendent of Arab 48ers. They have enriched my life greatly, I am thankful to them for showing me true grace and generosity of spirit. My hope for you would be that you could be able to relax soon and pursue your dreams as a football commentator but I realize of course that the Zionist entity makes that impossible. Especially when the west so firmly supports that and offers impunity to the perpetrators. Even despite that, I wish you strength and the courage to continue making your parents proud. As I know they must be, of your eloquence and determination.
Oooh, Erik. I am so sorry for your tragedies. I hope this trauma never hits you again. Thank you for sharing all this with me. Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
I am not Palestinian but I am also shocked that the world has not been moved in the way I thought it would. I visited shaam before the war, your people from that area are unique and unparalleled. I never wanted to come back to the West because of the hospitality of the region. It was such a humanizing experience. It was the first time I felt alive. What you wrote here is absolutely accurate and well described. It’s like walking zombies with their spark totally faded. Capitalism turns people into commodities. They are not merely consumers, they are consumed.
Exactly this. It's horrifying. Sadly, Arab countries are becoming so Westernised.
Painful but very true. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you so much, Nora. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
💚❤️🖤🤍
Thank you for writing this, Abubaker.
What you are dealing with is immense, unfathomable. I think the emotional "deadening" you are experiencing is probably a natural and protective response, allowing you to continue to function under the weight of extreme trauma.
Culture shock is also not to be underestimated. When combined with grief, and with constant fear, the result must be so heavy, so disorienting.
I think that what you have done is extraordinarily brave. And I feel it in my bones that you will see your mum and your best friend and your homeland again. 🌿💖
Gen Z are growing up fast, and they are not going to tolerate the racist jewish serial-killer state the way older generations did.
Palestine will be free 🇵🇸
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. Your words mean to me.🌹
Inshallah re Gen Z
I wish it were easier and better and fairer and I hope your family members are safe. My ancestors fled Ireland after the great hunger when the English colonial aristocracy drained Ireland while the Irish starved. Those who converted from catholicism to protestantism were provided with food. Those who resisted or rebelled were murdered. That same colonial system of theft and exile and murder has been applied by zionists in Israel and Gaza and the West Bank - a violent system of settler colonialism.
And Zionism has grown out of paranoia, out of refugees who weren't wanted in one country being deposited in another and by the British empire wanting to expand into the Middle East, and the US now, with its empire, picking up the reins. The zionist state is based on the fascist notion of supremacy is a system of apartheid and genocide.
Capitalism has supported the horror. It's a system of exploitation where the labouring poor are never free, where people do not have equal access to good housing, decent work conditions, good communities. It is a system that encourages competition individualisation and which sets people against each other in the competition to rise to the top and those at the top kick those at the bottom. Indigenous communities, which we all originally track back to, care for the elderly, the vulnerable.
What we are seeing now - the terror, the fear, the silencing, the censorship and cancellations - comes under the umbrella of totalitarian capitalism.
When we free Palestine we free ourselves. But we need a different system everywhere, societies that are not based on greed.
Thank you so much, Saige. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
Powerful and insightful. Thank you Abubaker. May God grant you the opportunity to see your family and reunite with your homeland.
Thank you Abed. Beautifully written words etched in grief and trauma. Know that we are holding you (digitally), psychically, emotionally, historically. We don’t know how any of this will turn out. Millions want this to end, despite the surface McDonald’s, etc. Daily my feed is full of people speaking out, taking risks, protests — we’re winning the narrative Abed. History is playing out. Here in the US we’re in dead heat in this election to not just change names, but to defeat AIPAC, Israel’s sway over our body politic. Palestine has painfully awoken the world. Israel is more isolated every day. All that you’ve done is not in vain. We may not see it, but Palestine will be free. Find a close cadre of people who see you, get you, love you, like we do.
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. We need to take more decisive actions to stop Israel. We need a rebellion to save our lives. This is more than Palestine.🌹
Abubaker, we are truly at a tipping point in the world and the US — Israel must be stopped in its final arrogant, entitled and megalomaniacal death throws to continue to colonize and depopulate west Asia (and I believe it will be)— here in the US our struggle with Israel is now taking form in our Israeli influenced elections, anti ICE/Detention Centers, surveillance and data stealing technologies, and bribed politicians — we are politically occupied. We are waking up I pray it’s not too late. As an 82 year old person, I’ve been protesting for Palestine since long before you were born and am fully immersed in the worldwide struggle to end the occupation of your country and ours. Your job is to heal and thrive Abubaker, that’s the best revenge but also to let us know and meet you and exchange love and solidarity, to dispel the myths perpetrated by the Zionists, Brits and Americans. My doctor is a young beautiful Palestinian man, father husband (much like you)who lives in Washington state and has family in Canada. Berkeley California has a large community of Palestinian and solidarity activists who are our neighbors, friends and community. Mamdani in New York is redefining relations between Jewish and ME peoples and providing a template for political, social and economic transformation. Again we’re at a precarious tipping point.
So eloquent, so moving. Keep writing. Many of us have not forgotten and support all the demonstrations. We are not winning in the short term but Israel has become such a pariah that I think they are doomed in the longer term
Thank you so much, Clare. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
I understand you. I grew up where no one would ever allow an old person to struggle with heavy bags. Now, I see around me elderly people ignored like bags of trash. I don't like it
I helped an elderly person just last week and the way she thanked me almost made me feel uncomfortable and sad. I could hear in her voice how it was so rare for others to help her. The west is an absolute lie.
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this. Much love and hope. 🌹
I just help them. I try to be the change
No Israeli survives outside Israel either and not in Israel also, all are mentally, emotionally and spiritually dead. It is a big cemetery, the walking death lining up to be buried.
They will be held to account. And hopefully, they're no longer in our world — all these war criminals.