an Official Piece of Palestine What independence means to young Palestinians
You are walking to school but all is not what it seems: An armed military official has replaced the lollipop lady and you wonder where her smile’s gone.
The state of Israel was officially formed in 1947 when the UN awarded a section of land around Jerusalem to the Jews. Previously, the same area that had been known as Palestine was occupied by Arabs, Jews and Christians alike under the rule of Ottoman and British Empires. However, since this date, disputes have been unresolved.
Forget UCAS, university has closed its doors to people like you. If you’re lucky you’ll just about catch a glimpse of its ivory tower peaking above the checkpoint that’s barring you from a future. Whilst London may be under constant watch, at least it’s by CCTV rather than armed military.
Tasneem also believes that independence will allow Palestinians to develop their own economy. “Just yesterday, I walked into Tesco’s to buy dates. They were advertised as being from the West Bank, presumably Palestinian. However, on closer inspection it turned out they were grown by Israelis.”
This scene is a daily reality for young Palestinians and a familiar one for 23-year old Tasneem Alhadi, who grew up in occupied Palestine.
Currently, Palestinian farmers can’t sell their products internationally. Tasneem asserts that independence would give young people jobs and prospects that they would otherwise not possess.
Zarah Hussain talks to one young Palestinian as her country braces itself for independence. If their bid is successful what will it mean to young people?
But a change to this life might lie just around the corner. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is taking his country’s bid for independece to the UN later this month. The decision could single-handedly put an end to the daily issues described by young people as a result of living in occupied land. Tasneem, 23, now lives in Leeds but believes independence means everything to her counterparts back home. “Freedom, socializing, the chance to go to university and the opportunity to travel.” “At the moment, if I tell people I’m from Palestine they reply – “Don’t you mean Israel?” Young Palestinians feel robbed of their identity. An independent Palestine would give us the chance to tell people that we have a country to call home.”
However, even thinking about independence has required a step-change in attitude from one generation to the next. Tasneem describes how her parents feel differently. “They are skeptical as they worry it will involve in giving up a lot of land.” Young people it seems are less consumed by what has gone before and more concerned by their future. As the nation of Palestine waits for a decision, back in Leeds Tasneem quietly believes that the benefits of independence will improve the lives of future generations of young people the most.
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WRITTEN BY Zahra Hussain PHOTOGRAPHY BY WHEWES