Saja Abu-Hamdeh On Her Palestinian Roots, What Nation Pride Means To Her, the Current Crisis in Palestine, and What We Can Do To Help

The violence occurring in May 2021 in Jerusalem has been making headlines. Much of the unrest happening is due to long term Israeli effort to evict Palestinian families from East Jerusalem, and now many people are being killed because of Israeli airstrikes and violence, which have been met with self defense from the Palestinian side. The land of Palestine has been under occupation since 1948, and as the years have continued, the territory belonging to Palestinians has grown less and less. I had the great opportunity to sit down with a Palestinian American friend of mine, Saja Abu-Hamdeh, and ask her a few questions about her homeland. 

I understand your family fled Palestine decades ago. Where did they go?

My grandparents moved from Palestine to different countries in hope for a better life around the 1960s. Neither of my parents were born in Palestine. My dad was born in Kuwait, and my mom was born in Jordan. Although my direct family doesn’t live in Palestine or go there often, some of my grandparents’ siblings still live in Palestinian Territories.

How bad were the circumstances when your family first fled?

Part of my family is originally from Yaffa/Jaffa now known as a part of Tel Aviv, and many Palestinian refugees from that area fled during the 50s and on. It had been under Israeli occupation, which forced a lot of Palestinians to leave and seek asylum in other Arab countries. 15% of Palestinian refugees were originally from Yaffa.

I admire that you’ve still been able to form such a close connection to your home country, despite never having been there. What does nation pride mean to you, and how do you think your devotion to your country differs from what other people may feel towards their own homelands? 

Having pride in being Palestinian is really important to me and other Palestinians because it is a way that we show resistance. Identity to Palestinians specifically is crucial because we have slowly been losing a large amount of our land over time. Maintaining both our identity and pride are some of the only things that are left for many Palestinians, including myself. The way I look at my homeland is different than how others might view their own, because us Palestinians face ethnic cleansing, an uncommon struggle that is rare in peaceful nations, which means that Palestinians need to make sure to hold onto our identities, to be aware and prepared to educate others about what is happening. Not many people from other countries have to regularly educate others and fight for basic human rights the same way Palestinians do.

Many people in the West aren’t informed about the land occupation and genocide occuring in Palestine. Why do you think that is?

Many people in the West aren’t educated about this topic and topics that involve the Middle East in general because they don’t directly affect them, so they have the choice to remain ignorant. This is ironic, though, considering that The United States gives The Israeli government a large amount of aid from our taxes. Another major reason for the lack of education in the West is that war and genocide in the Middle East have been normalized. Many people are used to seeing Gaza on headlines but fail to educate themselves and to understand that war and genocide in the Middle East is far from normal. 

What has it been like growing up in a place where many people are apathetic and/or insensitive towards your country’s struggles?

At times it can feel very tiring and draining trying to constantly explain to others how my country exists and how Palestinian human rights matter. Ever since I was a kid, whenever anyone asked me the question “Where are you from?”, I’ve always had to give extensive information about Palestine, and how it’s not on the map anymore but it still exists. This has oftentimes led me to feel like my country is unimportant, and not worthy enough to be acknowledged.

Are there any common misconceptions you’ve heard made about your homeland?

Sometimes people believe that when Palestinians are fighting for their human rights that they’re being anti-Semitic, because people are under the impression that what is happening is a religious conflict between Muslim Palestinians and Jewish Israelis, as those are the majority religions in each party. This is extremely false: many Jewish people from various locations, including Israel, support Palestinian rights and are against Zionism (the Jewish nationalist movement that has as its goal the creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine). Zionism does not equal Judaism and it is so important to distinguish the Israel Defense Forces and The Israeli government from a religion. Another major misconception is that Palestinians are only Muslim. Palestine is made up of Christians, Muslims and Jews. 

How do you feel that being Palestinian has shaped your overall worldview?

Being Palestinian has shaped my worldview in the sense where I feel that I am obligated to be informed about different cultures and issues that don’t only pertain to Palestinians. Since not many people are educated about Palestine, I understand how it feels when no one seems to care about the struggles you face. That is why it’s so important for me to spread awareness about many issues around the world, not just Palestine, and to stay educated on different cultures.

Do you feel a large sense of community with other Palestinians? Does your nationality make you feel closer to your family?

Yes, I definitely feel a sense of community with other Palestinians because we relate to the same struggles and have been through similar experiences. Even though many Palestinians living in America have lived most of their lives peacefully we still encounter struggles such as the lack of care and knowledge many people in the West have about Palestine, as well as our constant fight to spread awareness and to prevent human rights violations occurring in Palestine. A large amount of Palestinian Americans have lost close family members, have family in Palestine living in fear, and some have no idea if their family members are still alive due to no way of communicating with them. In addition, my nationality does make me feel closer to my family, because my family heavily values holding onto our Palestinian ideals and culture.

Lastly, what are the most important things that everyone reading can do to help Palestine at this moment? What are the best resources for us to educate ourselves on the conflict?

The first and most important step is to stay educated and aware about what happens in Palestine and The Middle East in general. In savepalestine.carrd.co there are links that go over what has been happening in Palestine as well as specific and important resources on ways to help. Donating is also incredibly helpful. There are various resources to donate to Palestinian refugees, to help out individual families, children, and to provide medical aid and relief. Some good donation resources are imeu.org, map.org.uk, humanconcern.org/palestine-relief and the Islamic relief. Signing and spreading petitions such as the petition on bit.ly/3fa20m3 is important too! Reading books such as “Palestine Speaks” and “Freedom is a constant struggle” will further add to your knowledge about Palestine. Lastly, joining local protests and openly showing solidarity with Palestinians is extremely appreciated.

I would like to thank Saja for taking the time to answer my questions, providing amazing resources, and for giving her unique perspective on an issue that everyone should educate themselves on. If you would like to get more historical context on the matter, you can read this informative Washington Post article.