I Entrust You With Palestine

Today is the one-year anniversary of the martyrdom of Anas Al-Sharif, a 28-year-old Palestinian journalist who grew up in a refugee camp and committed his life to tell “the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification.” Because of this bold commitment, he was murdered by an IDF missile (probably made in America).

In his final message to the world, he called Palestine the heartbeat of every free person in the world. He wrote his message two months before his murder because he knew they were coming for him.

More than 260 journalists have been murdered in Gaza over the past three years.

This week, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)- is organizing a week of action, in honor of Anas Al-Sharif, to ensure that the voices of Gaza are heard and to let complicit media know that we will hold them accountable.

As Anas Al-Sharif said, don’t let chains silence you.

Be bold. Break rank. Go public. Free Palest1ne.

The Heartbeat of Every Free Person

By Anas Al-Sharif, who was assassinated by Israeli missiles yesterday

This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (Al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final. I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification—so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.

I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls.

Continue reading “The Heartbeat of Every Free Person”