Arab News has a piece in which some elderly palestinian Arabs recall the glory days of Ramadan before the “Nakba” (establishment of the state of Israel). Excerpt:
“There is nothing more beautiful than the old days and the month of Ramadan in the past.”
With these simple words, Palestinian Um Ahmed Aqel started to recall the Ramadan atmosphere before the Nakba in 1948.
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“Life today is different and difficult, but at the time people were simple and good,” she said.
“Before and during Ramadan, happiness fills the hearts, as if people are waiting for a dear one who has been away for a long time. Ramadan for us was the month of goodness and blessing.”
What the article does not describe is how in British Mandate Palestine in the ‘good ol’ days’, Ramadan meant excluding non-Muslims from Holy places and – in 1925 at least – violent riots to protest the visit of Lord Balfour to the Holy land:
In other words, pretty much like Ramadan here nowadays!
Meanwhile, 97-year-old Um Ahmed Aqel quoted in the piece looks adorable:
I sincerely hope she does not share the views of this fellow elderly palestinian Arab woman:
Update: That first New York Times report I included above refers to them as the “Palestinian Arab” people:
You may have noticed I am careful to refer to them as palestinian Arabs, to stress that they were never referred to as the “Palestinians” – until it was politically expedient.
