Teachers, Pupils – Rashidya School, Jerusalem 1930

Pitching Together, Palestine

• marwan
• August 6, 2026

Mutual aid was more than just a social custom; it was an unwritten pact that united hearts before hands, making the community one home whose doors were never closed to anyone. As soon as someone began building a house, harvesting a crop, or pouring concrete for a roof, men would rush from every direction, carrying picks and stones, each offering their labor with love and contentment, without expecting any reward or compensation.

Generosity was deeply rooted in their hearts, and the sound of folk songs would fill the air, easing the hardship of the work and planting joy in their hearts. The owner of the concrete structure would slaughter a sheep or a goat in honor of those who stood by him, and the women would prepare the food. The workday would then transform into a celebration of cooperation and love, showcasing the most beautiful aspects of Palestinian solidarity. Today, life has become a heavy burden on people… everyone is preoccupied with their livelihood, work, and studies… many of the values ​​we were raised on have faded… and “mutual assistance” has become more of a tale from a bygone era than a reality… Yet, this spirit hasn’t died… it still lies dormant in the hearts of the people of this nation… waiting for someone to awaken it and restore it to its rightful place.

Nations are not preserved by their buildings and markets alone… but also by their authentic values… and by the sense of honor that compels a person to rush to the aid of their brother before being asked… Does that spirit of mutual assistance that once united people in love still exist among us… or has it become a memory we recount to our children with endless nostalgia?

Palestinian Prisoners Experience Worse Times in Israeli Jails

• marwan
• August 5, 2026

CROSSFIREARABIA – A research paper by the Prisoners Media Office shows Palestinian prisoners are experiencing the worst times in Israeli jails for the month of July. Prisoners are being subjected to torture, starvation, negligence and medical isolation. The paper which was published Tuesday, shows the number of Palestinians behind bars today is unprecedented with their total number at 9400. They include 94 female prisoners, 350 children and 1320 on administrative detention under what Israel calls the “Unlawful Combatant Law.” It further shows that since the war on Gaza, the number of those detained stood 24,600 people. The paper documents an escalation in the “oppressive operations” inside Israeli jails and which include raids on prisoners’ cells, beatings of prisoners, use of rubber bullets against them, frequent use of police dogs besides, solitary confinement and humiliating searches. The paper also shows that female prisoners are subjected to violations, pointing to the Damon Prison where diseases are rife, medical negligence persists, and the documentation of physical and sexual torture against female Palestinian prisoners. See full article here.