Unlocking the past for children

Bethlehem: Palestinians remembered the 60th anniversary of Al Nakba (the catastrophe) on Thursday with a massive ceremony where people who were expelled from their land when Israel was created in 1948, handed the keys of their old houses to their grandchildren.

One of them was 84-year- old Um Abdul Aziz, who gave the keys of her house, in a village near Jaffo, to her five-year-old grandson, Mohammad.

The grandmother, who now lives in Al Duhaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem, said she "did (her) duty" and told her children "how they were forced out by Jewish gangs from their houses in 1948, to keep the memory alive in the minds of future generations."

Mohammad, along with other children, swore to protect the right of return.

The key-handing ceremony was held in Bethlehem yesterday as part of the activities accompanying the Nakba anniversary.

Monzer Omairah, organiser of the celebration in Al Duhaisha camp, told Gulf News this year's anniversary is different from those of previous years.

"We will raise banners stressing our holy right of return, but what really sets this celebration apart is the door and key ritual, which we hope will be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records," Omairah said.

"We contacted the Guinness establishment three months ago to ask them to acknowledge a ten metre long key as the world's biggest. For us, this is not just a crazy idea to set a record and become famous. It is a political symbol," he added.

A huge gate was also erected at the northern entrance to Bethlehem in the direction of Occupied Jerusalem, which was separated from Bethlehem by the Israeli apartheid wall.

Omairah said the gate symbolises the right of return.

While Israel was celebrating the 60th anniversary of its establishment with air and navy shows, mourning prevailed over Palestinian territories.

Black flags were raised over official establishments and houses, and shops remained closed for an hour to mark the beginning of the Nakba anniversary activities, which will run for ten days.

Saeb Erakat, chairman of the negotiations department of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, told Gulf News the right of return is a basic right and cannot be sacrificed.

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