And I Witness History
Reageer (0)By Sameeha Elwan
28-03-2011
At those precise precious moment of victory and pride when my eyes welled with tears of joy witnessed again another greater Arab revolution, my heart was dancing and my tongue chanting the first poem I learned at school here in Gaza, “Beladi, Beladi, Beladi”, the Egyptian national anthem.
The lines were amongst the first revolutionary lines I learned at a time where the Egyptian curriculum was taught in Gaza schools. I was taught to love Egypt before I was taught to love Palestine. I cherished the Nile though I never drank of its water. I loved the Pyramids which greatness I have not yet witnessed.
For years, I have
repeated the Egyptian anthem over and over again along with the Palestinian
national anthem. Back then, I thought there was never really that revolutionary
spirit the history books celebrated. Today, Egypt has just taught me another
lesson for which I should feel grateful. Today, I am only humbled to know that
what we’ve studied back then in history books were not only some “legendary”
nonsense
Sameeha Elwan
 in their tent- North Gaza..jpg "Abu Halima Family having their Iftar (breakfast) in their tent- North Gaza.")
 child, playing hide and seek.jpg "child, playing hide and seek")
