Anael Harpaz
Copyright 2009
Written March 2009
in memory of Bessan Abualish who was killed in Gaza on January 16, 2009
I long to touch you Bessan
One more time
To hug you
To tell you how sorry I am
that your mom died
But now you too are gone.
Your smiling face
Your gentle way
Your softness
Your non judgmental words
Your pain for your people
Your way of life
Your dreams, aspirations
and your hope for peace
Just days before the war
I spoke with your dad
He gave me your phone number
It is still in my car
Everyday
I glance at the number
seeing your name
Bessan
I wish I had spoken with you more
but I didn?t have the guts
I spoke with you three days before you died
I told you that I am praying for your safety
My prayers were not heard
through the shelling
the bombing
the kassams
the smoke
I feel I have been betrayed
by God
By my country
By the cruelty of humanity
By the warmongers
By those who think violence in the solution
And with all of this
I have been given a gift
To have spent six weeks
with Shadah,
Izzaldeen, Ata and Raida
I heard no words of revenge
nor hatred
I heard no anger
I heard the deep belief
that peace is possible
even with this enormous loss
I have been strengthened
from their strength
I am more determined
from their determination
I am more at peace
from their peacefulness
Bessan forgive me
for not being able to save you
from my own people
Forgive me for giving you hope
that peace is possible
and then taking that dream from you
You will always be my symbol
of hope, peace and mostly gentleness
Your dad shared a dream with me
days after you died.
He came into a room full of men
and there you were
sitting amongst them
He asked you
?Why are you sitting here?
You know it is not acceptable in our society?
You answered
? All is fine now Dad
I am happy and well.
I can be here now amongst the men where I am needed?.
May no other woman need to die
in order to be able to influence
the men as you have Bessan.
May we women
be heard and heeded
and may the men in this world
get the chance
to know from deep within their hearts
that this is where the answer lies
In their hearts
where love resides.
March 2009
WHERE LOVE RESIDES?.
in memory of Bessan Abualish who was killed in Gaza on January 16, 2009
I long to touch you Bessan
One more time
To hug you
To tell you how sorry I am
that your mom died
But now you too are gone.
Your smiling face
Your gentle way
Your softness
Your non judgmental words
Your pain for your people
Your way of life
Your dreams, aspirations
and your hope for peace
Just days before the war
I spoke with your dad
He gave me your phone number
It is still in my car
Everyday
I glance at the number
seeing your name
Bessan
I wish I had spoken with you more
but I didn?t have the guts
I spoke with you three days before you died
I told you that I am praying for your safety
My prayers were not heard
through the shelling
the bombing
the kassams
the smoke
I feel I have been betrayed
by God
By my country
By the cruelty of humanity
By the warmongers
By those who think violence in the solution
And with all of this
I have been given a gift
To have spent six weeks
with Shadah,
Izzaldeen, Ata and Raida
I heard no words of revenge
nor hatred
I heard no anger
I heard the deep belief
that peace is possible
even with this enormous loss
I have been strengthened
from their strength
I am more determined
from their determination
I am more at peace
from their peacefulness
Bessan forgive me
for not being able to save you
from my own people
Forgive me for giving you hope
that peace is possible
and then taking that dream from you
You will always be my symbol
of hope, peace and mostly gentleness
Your dad shared a dream with me
days after you died.
He came into a room full of men
and there you were
sitting amongst them
He asked you
?Why are you sitting here?
You know it is not acceptable in our society?
You answered
? All is fine now Dad
I am happy and well.
I can be here now amongst the men where I am needed?.
May no other woman need to die
in order to be able to influence
the men as you have Bessan.
May we women
be heard and heeded
and may the men in this world
get the chance
to know from deep within their hearts
that this is where the answer lies
In their hearts
where love resides.