Fatima's Story
Palestinian Oral History Archive
Interviewee: Fatima `Abd al-Salam Hanafi
Provenance: Al-Kasayyer, Haifa
Date & Place of Interview: Dec. 27, 1997, Tyre
Ghina: Jaber asked you when he came about how you left Palestine. We don't want to make you repeat that story; we just want to ask you what was your first reaction when Jaber came? Did you immediately want to talk, or....
Fatima: Yes, my reaction was very positive. And even though normally, with my health, I get a bit dizzy or uncomfortable, with this, I felt my chest expanded -- do you understand, sweetheart? -- and my spirit and life opened. Praise be to God. I mean, I was very happy, with every question Jaber asked me. And had I been able to talk more, I would have been happy to. And even though now I've been talking to you, and for a month I've been sick with a bit of nausea and dizziness in my head, but today I'm not, praise be to God...
Jaber: May you recover speedily, auntie.
Kirsten: We don't want to take to much of your time, auntie. Was this the first time somebody came and asked you about these things in a formal manner?
Fatima: No, it wasn't. But we -- how should I tell you? -- among ourselves, I keep remembering what we did, how we came and went [in Palestine]. May those days rest in peace. And I wish we'd never left Palestine....
Kirsten: What did you feel that you had inside you that needed to be told to Jaber so he could publicize it?
Fatima: Whatever I can tell him.
Kirsten: I mean, what did you feel that you personally know about the history of Palestine?
Fatima: By God, what can I tell you? It's true that when I left Palestine I was fifteen, sixteen years old and only three months married, you see. But, I mean, the memories are still strong. I mean, imagine that, in 1980, after all this long exile, I returned to my region, I walked through it and contemplated it -- I wanted to walk about in it. Praise be to God.... [She goes on spontaneously to recount her story of the events leading up to her leaving Palestine.]
Ghina: Auntie, you were telling us that as soon as Jaber came your chest was filled with joy. Why? Because you were talking about things you felt like talking about?
Fatima: Of course, of course.
Ghina: Okay, what did you feel -- did you feel that your talk was important, apart from that you were remembering things you like to recount...
Fatima: Of course. I mean, in relation to Jaber, when a person who was born here, and you too, and this whole generation of youth, is still asking about Palestine, its ways, and how people were living there...Of course, if I weren't happy that would make me happy. When I start talking about these matters, even if I weren't open to talking about them, I would immediately become so. Pride. When I see generations born here and asking what is Palestine, that's one thing -- like all of you, praise be to God, they still want to hear about Palestine, its customs, its sacred land. How could I not be happy? I'm being reborn again! I feel myself that I'm being made a young girl again, born anew, when I see people like your honored selves asking about memories that are not forgettable. How could I not be happy, my sweetheart?
Ghina: Jaber told you that your interview with him will be published not just in Arabic but also in English, because we want to send the magazine abroad. We want the people who are living abroad, too, to hear these stories.
Fatima: May God reward you with blessings.
Ghina: So what do you hope this interview will have in the way of influence on people?
Fatima: By God, the decent people, like yourselves, with such consciences, when they hear such stories, of course, will be affected, strongly affected. And may God reward them; I mean, I wish them good fortune and everything good. Because, of course, by publicizing these happy memories, they're showing the whole world what Palestine means, what her inhabitants suffered, what they accomplished.... Certainly, my dear. Maybe this year you'll find me alive and next year gone, but it will be enough that you say, this illiterate woman, when you remember her, still, as much as she could she talked to us and made us happy with her memories of Palestine. That makes me proud for you more than it gives me pride in myself!
Ghina: Certainly, auntie, the memories that you and your companions tell about form a part of our history. Do you feel that when we are putting together this history, it's our duty to write down only the good things from this past or should we also talk about the bad?
Fatima: How so?
Jaber: Well, there are things that are negative that happened along with good things...
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| Maybe this year you'll find me alive and next year gone, but it will be enough that you say, this illiterate woman, when you remember her, still, as much as she could she talked to us and made us happy with her memories of Palestine. |
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Fatima: How do you mean not good?
Jaber: Well, the Palestinian people, for example, defended themselves, but there were also traitors who came out of them, we have to allow...
Fatima: Yes, we must allow that. We were rebels, people who got their food from their own purse, and weapons from their own purse. The person who didn't have enough money to buy a gun would sell his wife's gold, would sell his cow, the source of his milk and yogurt, and say, "So I can buy a gun and fight the jihad for my land and country." And the rebels, bravo! [She tells of how the revolutionary groups worked until the Arab armies came and took over.] Here I will talk, and not be afraid; 100% I'll tell you about it.
Jaber: Okay, Auntie Imm Hassan, there is that positive side that you now mentioned. There are other, negative aspects, too. Of course, there were betrayals; for example, Palestinians who sold their land. Do you think we should talk about those things, too?
Fatima: Yes, of course. The people who sold to the Jews, those we considered them traitors, even if [they sold] only a foot ground. The people who reported to the English that so-and-so is a resistance fighter, the rebels would get such people and kill them in a flash, nothing stopped them -- even if he were someone's brother. No matter. When it comes to land and the country....But God be praised we remained without selling a single foot of ground. Our people didn't sell any....
