A soldier kicked down the door and stole a yelping dog,
the children sobbed while their mother cursed god.
Later the widows were blown out, the roof glowed red
against a ghostly bone white moon.
The dog curled itself to sleep beneath a different flag
after filling its belly for the first time in weeks.
This poem is based on an event I witnessed in the H2 area of Hebron in 2018 whilst working for an international organisation.
Dear all,
I haven't sign posted this scribble in any way, maybe by not doing so I have done it a disservice.
Undoubtedly it is not the most well painted piece I have ever slopped onto a page. Its merit, if any is that it portrays a real event which occurred in 2018 in H2, Hebron. The event encapsulates much of what had happened in the previous 60 years and which went on to occur in Gaza and the West Bank sunsequently.
It suggests the subhuman level with which many who live in Gaza and the WB are veiwed. It focusses on eviction of a palistinian family and the less brutal rehousing of their family pet.
The IDF soldier who stole the dog was armed and in uniform he was accompanied by his patrol. The dog was wrenched from the arms of the owner whilst all around was pandamonium. It emerged that the family and property had been targeted by settlers for their own use and was to be cleared the following day (which it was) by destruction and being raised to the ground.
Within all this inhumanity an IDF soldier had decided the dog was to be his so he simply took it.
Incidentally I was visiting H2 with delegates of the EU. I had with me a female palistinian interpreter, she was standing by my side on Al-Shuhada Street, a street on which palistinians are not permitted to stand or walk. She was approached by an IDF soldier and asked to ID herself, she did so with her palistinian authority ID card after doing so she was requested to move 25m away to an area in which palistinians are permitted to be.
All this although she was a member of the delegation. I did not intervene as I had seen this many times before. I never was able to understand this behaviour by citizens of a nation that was created after such evil had been perpertrated against them.
I was spat at and on by settlers who drew their fingers across their throats to simulate the cutting of mine. In the early days I was astounded but came to be nonplussed by the irony of their blind spot.
I have commented with this information as unlike much of the writing seen on WoL this was an actual event.
These people were literally treated worse than dogs. It seems to me that unless these things are individually witnessed people just don't believe it.
David
NB, as always...none of this behaviour warrants or excuses atrocities commited by any side or faction.
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David RL Moore
Tue 4th Jun 2024 08:05
Thank you for the like Holden