For a Palestinian woman who lives in Malta, it feels as if the whole world is afraid of asking Israel to stop its decades-long oppression of Palestinian people.

“Palestinians have a right to resist this oppression and defend land that was forcibly taken from them. How can the world expect Palestinians not to defend their land, family and house? Standing our ground is the only thing we can do.

Palestinians are not terrorists. We love life

“Palestinians are not terrorists. We love life and most of those who take part in so-called clashes are unarmed civilians defending their land from those who want us erased.”

She was speaking to Times of Malta as tensions soar over Israel’s planned eviction of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, while in Gaza more than 115 people, including children, have been killed by relentless Israeli air strikes. Israel said around 1,500 rockets had been launched into its territory since the beginning of the week and eight people died since fighting began on Monday.

Targeting of a house in southern Gaza City. 12-05-2021 Photo: M. Hajjar/NRC

People in Gaza, the woman said, seem to have a two-year window to rebuild their house before another series of bombs destroys everything. 

“But the damage inflicted on Palestinians is not just limited to that caused by bombs. The trauma caused to our psychological fabric will last generations and transcends borders. Wherever I am in the world I’m always a stateless Palestinian.”

The woman, who is married to a Maltese and spoke to Times of Malta on condition of anonymity, explained how she felt “bruised and tired from the inside”. 

Palestinians are tired as they are continuously reacting to external forces, with no control over anything. 

“Our fate is determined from the day we’re born. Palestinians are born in chaos. How do you instil hope in a nine-year-old from Gaza who was born in conflict to parents who were similarly born in conflict? His future doesn’t depend on him, but on Israeli authorities, which control everything around him. 

“And what about children born in camps that have been built in 1948? Being born a refugee is a death sentence. In Malta people often tell me ‘you’re safe now’, but they do not understand that I don’t want empathy. I want to be recognised as a person, a human being, on my own merit.”

A child walks through the rubble Al Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, after a building was targeted. Photo: M. Hajjar/NRC

Children look at the rubble in Al Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, after a building was targeted. A woman and her son died in the air strike and several others were injured. Photo: M. Hajjar/NRC

Palestinians check their belongings after the bombing of an industrial facility east of Gaza City 11/05/2021 Photo: M. Hajjar/NRC

'Palestinians running out of options'

Maltese aid worker Karl Schembri meanwhile questioned where Palestinians are meant to go if they are evicted from their homes in East Jerusalem.

For more than 70 years, Palestinians have been continuously forced out of their homes, and they are now running out of options with some living in refugee camps for decades. 

Imagine two million people besieged in a land smaller than Malta, with Israel controlling all resources

Based in Amman, Schembri works for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which helps displaced people from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and also Gaza, where he lived for some years. Nowhere is safe in Gaza, he says.

“Imagine two million people besieged in a land smaller than Malta, with Israeli authorities controlling all resources. This means that all raw materials  are controlled by Israel. If you wanted to build a bunker to seek shelter, for example, you just cannot. 

“At the same time there is nowhere safe that they can flee to: if their house is bombed, they can go to their parents down the road, or their grandparents’ house in the same street, but those too could end up under fire. There is nowhere they can go to that is out of harm’s way.”

Maltese envoy's view

Palestinians should not be deprived of their homes, Malta’s representative to Palestine Franklin Aquilina said yesterday, ahead of a decision by Israeli authorities on whether to evict Palestinian families from East Jerusalem.

Aquilina, who lives in Sheikh Jarrah, where the current clashes started, moved from his residence and into a safer quarter on Monday. 

Malta's representative Franklin Aquilina

Since September, when he was first posted to East Jerusalem, Aquilina has been living metres away from where Palestinians are being evicted by Israeli police pending a court decision on their settlement there. 

While he personally tries to avoid conflict hotspots, the cries of protesting people and the sound of exploding stun grenades do reach his residence during daily clashes in the area. In a bid to disperse protestors, the police also spray what is known as skunk water, and its foul smell wafts over the whole neighbourhood.

Earlier this week, Malta, which believes in a two-state solution, called on both sides to deescalate tension and cease violence.

“The status of Jerusalem, together with the legality of settlements, can only be resolved through impartial and inclusive negotiations between both sides. Malta believes Palestinians have a right to not be deprived of their homes in East Jerusalem and should not be evicted,” Aquilina said.

No Maltese person has been injured in the clashes. Aquilina commended Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo, permanent secretary Christopher Cutajar and Ambassador of Malta in Tel Aviv Patrick Cole for their support, as they kept in constant touch with him throughout the week.

Al Sousi tower, after being bombed several times 12/05/2021 Photo: M. Hajjar/NRC