A candle burned in solidarity as supporters of Sumud Palestine commemorated 65 years of the Nakba in readings of poetry and historical accounts of the Deir Yassin massacre. The film ‘The Great Book Robbery’ told how families fleeing were forced to leave behind thousands of cherished books. Some disappeared into private hands but many were gathered by Zionist forces and are now stored in the Jerusalem library, classified and labelled ironically ‘Abandoned Property’ and although owners can be identified there appears to be no intention to return them.
Images of pre-Nakba Palestinian family portraits, scenes of evictions, refugees walking along dusty roads illustrated personal accounts from Ghada, Rudiana and Mohammed of their own families’ disrupted lives and displacement to refugee camps. Their sense of Palestinian identity, a longing to share this with their children and the restrictions they continue to experience in travel and in returning to their homeland left an unforgettable impression. I feel more committed than ever to campaigning and spreading the message.