umkahlil

Show them a picture of a ragged little refugee boy or an old woman holding a key to her property.

This seems to have sent San Francisco advocates for a Jews privileged and Jews preferred Palestine into a tizzy and unfortunately San Francico State University's General Union of Palestine Students gave in to Zionist pressure after a two year battle to scrap Naji Al Ali's famous ten year old refugee Handala holding a key as part of an Edward Said mural.

Shame on the students. Better to scrap the mural altogether than to foolishly compromise with those who have stolen Palestine. Now you let them hijack enduring symbols of Palestinian justice and give them their own twisted definitions?

My letter to SFGUPS:

Dear Members of SFGUPS:

I strongly disagree with the compromise you've reached with the Jewish community which means that Handala with the house key is excluded from the mural. Evidently, in order to appease the Zionists, GUPS has foolishly agreed to a mural which is useless since the heart and soul of Palestine, the sacred and inalienable right to return, symbolized by Handala holding a key, will not be depicted on the mural. Instead of compromising, I wish that GUPS had carefully explained that the Palestinians' right of return is part of international law, as stated in Article 13, Section 2, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It pains me to see young Palestinians so quick to compromise on human rights in order to have the opportunity to attend concerts with their oppressors (“The last couple of years, our Israel Coalition has been putting out feelers all the time, inviting them to all the concerts we’ve had on campus. And they’ve been coming, which they hadn’t in the past.”),

http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/33201/format/html/displaystory.html

A reminder about Handala from Naji Al Ali:

http://www.handala.org/naji.html

"I am Handala from the Ain Al-Helwa camp. I give my word of honor that I'll remain loyal to the cause..."

How telling really that the Zionists are so frightened of the symbol of a barefoot, ragged child, and how ashamed I am that Handala, a symbol of all vulnerable refugees, is so easily disregarded by his own people. A great coup for Zionist propaganda and Jewish supremacists and an opportunity lost for Palestine.

Please consider further these words of Handala's creator and ask yourselves if your compromise is really a victory or a cowardly concession:

"The character of Handala was a sort of icon that protected my soul from falling whenever I felt sluggish or I was ignoring my duty. That child was like a splash of fresh water on my forehead, bringing me to attention and keeping me from error and loss. He was the arrow of the compass, pointing steadily towards Palestine."