Jerusalem: the bells of return shall ring

Today is Al-Quds Day, an international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people that is held annually on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Al Quds – Jerusalem is the city of martyrs; the occupied city. A city painted with a deep shade of Israeli occupation crimes. A city occupied far longer than I have walked this earth.

I warmly invite the world to rediscover and embrace the Palestinian culture of Life following the flowering footsteps of the Prophets of this Holy Land, Palestine, the Arabs have forgotten Al-Quds, why?????? Arabs forgot to fight for Jerusalem, and the Arabs are fighting each other!!!

What a bizarre configuration imposed upon Palestinians; they are called racist for fighting racism, they are called anti-Semites while being Semitic to the core, they are obliged to defend the rights of their persecutors before their own,  they are supposed to care more for the feelings of those who perpetrated genocides against them for over six decades before they care about their liberation, and they are demanded to fall in love with the “humanity” of their occupiers and express that love in no uncertain terms otherwise their own humanity is in doubt and would be put on trial.

This city, I have never seen. Its air, I have never breathed. Its roads, I have never trodden, but my only dream in life is to go there, after it is liberated, the city of prayer:

Jerusalem, Flower of Cities
Sung by Fairuz

For you, city of prayer, I pray.
For you, brightest of homes, flower of cities
Jerusalem, city of prayer, I pray.

Our eyes travel to you every day
wandering towards
the places of worship
embracing the old churches
and wiping away the sadness
from the mosques.

Night of glory, path of those
who passed to the sky
our eyes travel to you every day
and I pray…

The child in the manger
and his mother Maryam
two faces, crying, crying…
for those who have been outcast
for children without homes
for those who have fought
and died in doorways.

And peace has died, in the land of peace
and justice has fallen
justice has fallen
justice has fallen, like ash.

When the city of Jerusalem fell, love retreated,
and in the heart of the world, war lived.
the child in the manger
and his mother Maryam
two faces crying
and I pray…

The blinding anger is coming
and I am all belief
the blinding anger is coming
and I shall pass through sadness

From every direction coming,
with the steeds of night coming,
like the face of God, All-seeing
Coming, coming, coming..

The doors of our city will not be locked
for I am going to pray
and I will knock on the doors
and I will open these doors
and you will wash
O river of Jordan
my face, with holy waters
and you will erase
O river of Jordan
The tracks of the soldiers boots.

From every direction, coming,
with the steeds of night, coming,
like the face of God, all-seeing
coming, coming, coming
To defeat the face of power.

This home is ours
and Jerusalem is ours
and with our hands we will return
the brightness of Jerusalem
with our hands,

For Jerusalem, peace
for Jerusalem, peace
coming,
for Jerusalem, peace
coming,
coming,
coming.

“A sword shall be drawn; and horns shall be blown; and the bells of return shall ring: now, now – not tomorrow.”

Butheina Al-Nounou