Sa'sa' - سعسع: Sa'a', an Idol And a Sweet Song

By Refa'at Loubani

An aggressive power can, by brutal force, usurp the "LAND", assassinate "INDIVIDUALS" and annihilate "ARMIES and INSTITUTIONS". But that aggressive power, no matter how brutal it behaves, will never be able to usurp the "HOMELAND", or assassinate the "PEOPLE" or annihilate the "NATION AND ITS NATIONAL IDENTITY".

That aggressive force could also forge a "BOOK" or fake a "MAP" or steal a "MONUMENT" or destroy a "LANDMARK". But that force will never be able to forge "HISTORY" or fake the "GEOGRAPHY" or wipe out from the memory of the people their "HERITAGE".

When the land under the impact of colonialism, usurpation and occupation ceases to function as an incubator to the values and heritage of the "HOMELAND", the "CITIZEN" undertakes to perform this function and acts as an incubator to the values and heritage of his homeland and nation. "MEMORY", which is natural enemy of the persecution, becomes the substitute to the "LAND". No force can ever defeat "MEMORY" or conquer the "CONSCIENCE OF THE PEOPLE".

In 1948, about a million Palestinians were uprooted, ethnically cleansed, and driven out by force by the Israeli army from their homes and country of origin, and on that day we started our wilderness, which has continued up till now due to the hypocrisy, blind support and total absence of conscience of those World Powers (led by USA and UK) who created Israel and who are still fully supporting the Israeli occupation of our Country and the continuous misery and wilderness of the six million Palestinians refugees.

But "INSIGHT" is stronger than "SIGHT" and "HEART" is a more fervent lover that the "EYE". My village SA'SA' (which embodies PALESTINE to me), is still, and shall forever be my past; my present and my future; shall always remain my hope and my love; my idol and my sweet song. SA'SA' from which I was evicted on 29th October 1948 and which I have never been allowed to visit since then, is the only place under the sun, where I like to live and where I like to be buried.