We all watched the Arab world rising up and calling for their rights, Arabs decided not to be silent any more. They made up their minds to stand all united against dictators who have been controlling them for years. The light of change was sparked in Tunisia then in Egypt, and the power of people is still alight, blinding whoever tries to stop in their way, future, and dreams. The spark reached Palestine, Palestinians who are sick and tired of the devastating eternal division started calling for unity.
I was very excited and happy that people decided to take a step forward. My heart lope up when I saw youth on Facebook and twitter calling for March 15, I joined the Facebook groups: People want to end the division, March 15 revolution against the division. A shining line of hope appeared in the horizon! I breathed a sigh of relief, Oh! Palestinians are still thinking of Palestine!
I believed It was my duty, and everyone's duty to work for March 15, to call for a united Palestine, to say it out loud, WE ARE DONE! STOP THE DISASTROUS DIVISON! So my friends and I started asking our colleagues in university, in cafeterias, in classes, and in streets to join us, everyone was delighted, and they very strongly supported the idea. Everyone who cares about Palestine was waiting March15.
The call for the national unity was not only spreading in Gaza, but it spread all over Palestine, West bank, 48-occupied lands and Palestinians overseas were joining the call as well. It was agreed that people must only fly the Palestinian flag, no green nor yellow flags should be seen in the sky of Palestine, and people should chant for no parties but Palestine and only Palestine!
Here came March 15. I woke up in the very early morning, my 6 sisters and I were going to the rallies with our Palestinian flag , my father and mother joined us later. I wore the Palestinian traditional dress and went to university as we were gathering there. A wide smile appeared on my face when I saw my friends gathering with their Palestinian flag up high in the sky, and a small Palestinian flags drawn on their faces and hands. It was planned that people would gather at the Unknown Soldier Square (Al-jundi Al-majhool). We marched from the university to there, chanting for unity and singing for Palestine. It was the best scene I had ever seen in my life. Palestinian flags shining like stars everywhere, thousands of people were out in the streets calling for national unity.
The marvelous scene vanished as soon as we reached The Unknown Soldier Square. Green flags were already there!!! Pro-Hamas people were at the square with their flags, they dominated the place, and everyone's heart was broken when they saw the green flags! I am not saying that we did not want Hamas to join us, we wanted all parties to join: Hamas, Fatah, PFLP, DFLP and everyone! But the only thing we wanted them to do is to respect our demands, and to respect our main goal which is the end of the division, but here were Hamas, dividing the rallies into two. Dividing the national unity event! The day when they were supposed to go out for Palestine, not for their faction! The day when they were supposed to hold the Palestinian flag ONLY!
We left them with their green flags, and headed to Al-kateeba. People who came with an honest intention for the end of the division joined us, leaving pro-Hamas people enjoying their way of ending the division.
I felt upset and kept wondering. Why would they do that? Why didn't they just go along with the people?! I made up my mind not to think of those people who are against national unity. I stayed at Al-kateeba enjoying watching the Palestinian flags dancing in the sky. I left the place at 5 pm planning to come back in the next day! Unfortunately, Hamas attacked the place two hours after I left, no one stayed there, because Hamas security were all over the place hitting whoever tries to come in. March 15 call for unity was ruined, but why??????? I still do not know!!
Don't Hamas know that we are not against them? Don't they know that we are doing that for Palestine? Don't they know that we are protesting peacefully? Don't they know that Palestine's flag is that one with red, green, black, and white colors and not the only green-colored one? Don't they? Don't they?????
Palestine! We still have a faith deep in our hearts, that you will be joined together someday, Gaza, west bank and all Palestine from the river to the sea under one flag. People just need to put parties far away from their ways and most importantly, they need to LOVE each other!
