Gaza Diary - From Gaza to Rome - parts one and two

This diary was started on June 8th and continues still, and tells my story of traveling from Gaza to Italy, my purpose, and the problems I encountered there.

Part one:

It was not an easy mission to obtain the Italian Visa, since Palestinians are always disdained. I waited for more than a month; and at the end of the day, I got it. I left my Gaza not for a tour or a period of relaxation which I need so bad, like all people of Gaza. My visit to Italy was not an easy job…It was a visit of advocacy and lobbying the Italian Mainstream with Palestinians, especially those who are besieged in Gaza.

In one way or another I succeeded to get out of Gaza after special coordination with the Egyptian side. Frankly, I was travelling beside Mr. Gamal El Khoudary, an independent Palestinian lawmaker; so the trip was easy! I was not believing my eyes or mind that I’m out of Gaza. My airplane hovered for 3 hours from Cairo to Rome.

For the first time in my life I tasted the meaning of freedom as I found myself in Rome. Exclusively, from the besieged Gaza to the free Rome! The Rome weather was very cold and colder because I still not convinced that I got out of Gaza.

The story starts! No relaxation but tremendous tasks that I should undertake because I’m the only witness from Gaza in the meantime.

The organizer of my visit was a real rebellious movement called “Gaza Vivrà” This movement had arranged and organized about 18 workshops, meetings with officials and lectures with public in many Italian cities.

A-one-month tour in Italy was prepared as an average of one meeting every 2 days. That meant I have to travel all over Italy for thousands of kilometers, by car, plane or train.

Regardless of the fatigue of that upcoming tour I started working to tell the story of Gaza.

For at least 2 days before leaving Gaza for Rome I didn’t sleep and ironically speaking, the first meeting was directly in the wake of my arrival. I travelled from Rome to Perugia City for over 300 hundred kilometers.

As soon as we arrived at the city we held a meeting with the Mayor and some local representatives.

After that, another meeting was at Perugia University for Foreigners. Several students, doctors and the Mayor attended. People were shocked of the facts, numbers and pictures we have shown.

Part two:

These words will not be describing my tour in Italy. Rather, I need a lot of time to write, but unfortunately I don’t possess that time. I will be trying to shorten the adventurous political tour in Italy in my diaries that I have started to write.

After the presentation in Perugia City, I moved on to Spoleto, Siena, Lucca, Poggibonsi, Cecina, Faenza, Florence, Bologna, Reggio Emilia, Milan, Turin, Padova, Venice, Osimo, Bari, Lecce, Naples, Comacchio, Rimini and finally once again to Rome. It was really incredible to move all around these cities for thousands of kilometers in such a short time!

In Firenze, known as Florence in the Arabic language, I had a good meeting but with violent questions. I explained the Gaza Strip situation and how people are suffering. I told those present how people are being exposed to an obvious collective punishment policy.

“You are here to tell your story…First solve your internal problems and fights then speak about your Cause. Why Fatah and are Hamas fighting each other is the problem.” Someone stated.

I was so sad about the fact of this dispute not the question. I wish that they would have never brought up this dispute.

I tried to answer the question:

Well, I guess this political division is temporary. Palestinians will realize at the end that their unity will be the only way towards achieving their goals. The USA and Israel are betting to gain more time by this dispute. Originally, both Fatah and Hamas are freedom fighters for the same cause.

Thus, the meeting points between them outnumber their disputes. Accordingly, this diversity is surely influenced by outsiders that managed it and its impact is multiplied by foreigners who have many interests in the middle east. Regionally speaking, we are in a proxy war between the USA and Iran. Globally speaking, it’s the war between the Anti-imperialistic camp and the Imperialistic camp. So, our internal political problem will end soon in case Israel will not hold a peace deal before president Bush leaves his Black House!

I returned back to continue my presentation, which was nearing its end. I showed the public a group of photos and a video showing an Israeli Massacre perpetrated against children in March 2008.

Some of the audience started to shout and some others cried ardently. The atmosphere turned to be s mixture of sadness and anger. This time, I cried despite the fact that I am used to seeing such massacres.

At the end of the meeting, an old woman came to me asking me to send a message for the people of Gaza. She told me with a shaking voice, “We are all Palestine. You are the oppressed people, occupation will come to an end in Palestine as all occupations around the world.”

I really loved her words which charged me with more power for my next meetings…..

Next in my diaries

The Qassam-Rocket Quest

Barack Obama and Palestine

Israel vs the Globe