Remember The Massacre of Deir Yassin

Posted on Aslam Dar:

When you hear people say that history didn’t start on October 7th, this is exactly what they mean.


​The date was 9 April, 1948. Just weeks before Israel declared independence, the peaceful Palestinian village of Deir Yassin had signed a peace pact with their neighboring Israeli settlers, and the Palestinian villagers took that agreement seriously and actively refused to allow Arab militias into their village, choosing instead to remain completely neutral in hopes of maintaining peaceful relations.


​Now, the Israeli settlers knew the village had no armed protection, and rather than honoring that peace pact like the Palestinians did, they saw this as an opportunity. Zionist militias launched a savage attack on the village. They slaughtered hundreds of civilians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, and they did it in their own homes.


​Reports from the time document acts of sexual violence and mutilation. After the killings, survivors were loaded onto trucks and paraded through the streets of Jerusalem. They were publicly humiliated and mocked for the crime of trusting the Israeli settlers.
​Word of the massacre spread rapidly. The horror of what happened caused widespread panic throughout Palestine. Villages began to flee en masse, terrified they would suffer the same fate. The Israeli settlers had discovered that terror was an extremely effective weapon, and they used that fear to dramatically accelerate the Nakba.


​There are many stories just like this. But why didn’t we hear about them in school?

Continue reading
Vanessa Redgrave: ‘Fighting Till The Last Minute’

Vanessa Redgrave؛

“She sold her home to help produce a film about Palestine”

We, as Palestinians and as people who believe in freedom and human rights, owe our gratitude and appreciation to the British actress Vanessa Redgrave, who stood with the Palestinian people at a time when the Palestinian narrative was largely absent or marginalized in much of the Western world, while the Israeli narrative dominated public discourse.

Vanessa Redgrave was not only an Academy Award-winning actress; she believed that fame should be used in the service of justice and human rights.

She sold her home to help finance the documentary The Palestinian (1977), co-produced it, and narrated it to bring the Palestinian story to Western audiences.

In 1978, after winning the Academy Award for Julia, she used the Oscar stage to respond to the intimidation and protests she faced because of her support for Palestinians, condemning what she described as “a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums.”

At a time when supporting Palestine came at a high personal and professional cost, Vanessa Redgrave chose courage over silence. For that, we remember her with deep gratitude and thank her for helping ensure that the voice of the Palestinian people was heard.

Continue reading
In Memory of Naji al-Ali

Artist Said Elatab writes:

This painting is dedicated to the memory of Naji al-Ali, the prominent Palestinian cartoonist and artist whose work gave voice to the struggles and hopes of the Palestinian people. He was shot by an unknown gunman in London in 1987 and later died from his injuries.

His art continues to inspire generations. Through his iconic character, Handala, his spirit lives on as a symbol of resilience, justice, and the enduring Palestinian story.

Continue reading
Guernica of Gaza

Said Elatab writes:

My painting, “Guernica of Gaza,” is inspired by Picasso’s Guernica. Picasso’s painting responded to the bombing of Guernica, Spain. In my view, the suffering, destruction, and human tragedy portrayed in Guernica are reflected in the war in Gaza today. Through my own abstract expressionist style, I express grief for civilians and call for humanity, justice, and peace.

Please share it

Continue reading