Terrorists
My name is Fahimeh Ali Mustafa Zeidan,
and I was just eleven years old
when the terrorists came to our village of Deir Yassin.
They killed one hundred and seven civilians,
and with them just thirteen armed defenders.
Among the dead were my mother, who was breast-feeding my little sister, Khadra,
when they killed her,
my brother, my uncle, and my cousin.
The date was April 8, nineteen fortyeight;
a leader of the terrorist gang was later elected Prime Minister.
My name is Jabr Abuhadeed Abu-Sneineh,
My home was in Hebron,
last resting place of our common ancestor, Abraham.
I died on February 25, nineteen ninetyfour,
when Baruch Goldstein, a madman from the illegal settlement
entered our Mosque
and gunned down the worshippers
as they prayed.
I was just twelve years old.
I was not killed by the assassin,
but by their soldiers
when he was already in custody.
My name is Salama Adibis.
I was shot dead by a sniper
as I leaned out of my window to warn my children not to play in the street
near the invaders' tanks.
My name is Mohammed Fayed.
I live in Jenin.
My son Jamal was injured in a childhood accident
and could not get out of the house in time
when the bulldozers came.
They gave us one minute to get out of the house.
We pleaded with the soldiers to give us more time
because he is paralysed from the neck down,
but they knocked the house down on top of him.
He died in the rubble.
My name is unknown.
I blow myself up
to avenge all those whose names are known and unknown.
I am called a terrorist.
I do not want to die.
I want to plant new olive groves where they have been uprooted.
I want to rebuild our homes.
I want to live in peace with all our neighbour as once we did before these settlers came from foreign lands
to drive us from our homes.
But if they will not let me die in my bed
with all my family round me,
what then should I do?
I do not ask you this.
I ask my brother, Fahimeh Ali Mustafa Zeidan,
my brother, Jabr Abuhadeed Abu-Sneineh,
my brother, Mohammed Fayed,
and all the dead and dispossessed in this tortured, divided land.
When will the world hear their answer?
