Wajiha Al Abyad

- Where are you from?

- I am from Palestine.

- What? You mean Pakistan.

- No, no. It is Palestine, near Egypt.

- Oh Egypt. Is it Israel?

- Israel is not Palestine. Ugh, it is a long story. Let’s get some coffee.

This is a very common dialogue most Palestinians have when visiting a western country. When we get home, we tell the story with a laugh, but always in a sarcastic tone.

You might feel that Palestinians are overreacting. After all, who knows all the countries in the world? But w

Editor’s note: On November 7, an Israeli court sentenced a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, Ahmed Manasra, to 12 years in prison for his alleged role in a stabbing attack on two residents of an illegal settlement.

“The lack of accountability for the actions of Israeli soldiers and the widespread use of collective punishment against the Palestinians has … led to individual acts of violence. This choice is often a death warrant for the perpetrators and it reflects the utter despair felt by many." Mic

Here are some assumptions you might make about me after reading the above title:

She is a strident feminist.

She's short and ugly.

She likes the thought of being a spinster.

She's a liberal who questions the value of marriage.

She's a drama queen.

Some of those things are accurate, but none are the reasons why I am writing this.

I am 22, I have two names, two birthdays and multiple personalities (which means I am a good actress). I grew up in Gaza, Palestine, an Arab society. Do I lov

The first time you see him, it’s obvious he is not just an ordinary guy in his 20s. With his messy hair, absent-minded sort of intensity and a smile that startles you with its charm, he sticks in your mind. You might think he is an up-and-coming musician, photographer or filmmaker. And he could have been if he wasn’t born in the Gaza Strip.

Ahmed was born in the Al-Shujaya neighborhood, which is a district of Gaza City, east of the city center. With 92,000 people squeezed into six square kilome

The weather is hot; in fact, it is 10 degrees higher than normal. I am in my office, sitting in a big, cozy chair, with my small frame wilting in boredom.

I can hear the voices of birds singing. But birds no longer make me feel anything. They’re just part of the morning scene and a friendly reminder that only birds can fly and sing in public. (And no, I am not depressed. It’s just reality in Gaza.)

I have just finished reading a few articles about success, motivation and getting the job you cr

Gaza: A young woman has broken stereotypes by becoming the first female Karate captain in Gaza. Bessan Al Khairye, 23, began learning the Japanese martial arts form at a very young age.

Her uncle was a karate enthusiast and trained Al Khairye, along with her sisters and cousins. She went on to obtain her Dan Black Belt in 2008, at the age of 13.

“Sometimes my sisters didn’t come to class and I would be the only girl. Some of the other boys refused to play with me, saying ‘we don’t play with gi

Gaza: Mohammad Abu Lehya and Najlaa Abu Nahla, a couple residing in the southern Gaza town of Al Qarara, have taken the unusual step of starting a private museum in a rented house after spending years collecting a number of artefacts and antiques.

In 2017 the couple founded Al Qarara Cultural Museum to preserve objects of artistic, cultural and historical importance in their town. Al Qarara is a rural area where the majority of residents rely on agriculture as the primary source of income.

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