Mahmoud Hashem
I am a Palestinian refugee. I was obliged to leave my land by the force of
Israeli weapons and massacres, such as those at Der Yassin, Kafar Qassem, and
Der al Baqar. As if murdering Palestinian women and children was not enough,
Zionist gangs entered Al-Aksa mosque and murdered people in the worst brutal
fashion -- people that had always hoped respecting the sanctity of God's House
could prevent Zionists from storming it. In more than one instance, Hagana
gangs stabbed pregnant women. Some of those murderous tactics were adopted
several times by the Israelis in other parts in the Arab world, especially
Lebanon, where I now reside; the worst massacres there took place in Qana and Mansoury.
Dear GNR
I am not asking you to become Palestinian; nor am I asking
you to liberate my land. All that I’m asking you is to respect the feelings of
some 400,000 Palestinians who are currently residing, against their will, in
refugee camps in Lebanon, suffering intolerable misery and deprivation, BECAUSE
Israel occupied their land in 1948 and 1967. This requires that you apologize
for playing the Israeli National Anthem. It also requires that, on the short
run, you heed the steps of tens of musical groups in the West that have opted
to refrain from performing in Israel; such performances are used by Israel to
whitewash its crimes and to claim that it is a civilized and healthy society!
Dear GNR
Any disregard of our immediate request, that you apologize
for playing the Israeli Anthem in 2012, would mean only one thing: A disregard
for our suffering. In that case we would have to mobilize, by all possible
civil means guaranteed by the Lebanese Law, our people, in the camps and
outside, against your performance in Lebanon. We refuse to enter history as
mere dancers to the melody of death of our Lebanese and Palestinian children.
Finally a message to the organizers of this event: Resisting
the Israeli enemy is a duty; boycotting supporters of Israel is a national
demand. It is absolutely unacceptable that you compromise the blood of the
Lebanese and Palestinian people. Cancel this performance or demand an apology
from the band!
I am a Palestinian refugee. I was obliged to leave my land by the force of Israeli weapons and massacres, such as those at Der Yassin, Kafar Qassem, and Der al Baqar. As if murdering Palestinian women and children was not enough, Zionist gangs entered Al-Aksa mosque and murdered people in the worst brutal fashion -- people that had always hoped respecting the sanctity of God's House could prevent Zionists from storming it. In more than one instance, Hagana gangs stabbed pregnant women. Some of those murderous tactics were adopted several times by the Israelis in other parts in the Arab world, especially Lebanon, where I now reside; the worst massacres there took place in Qana and Mansoury.