Author Archives: Daz

Meeting Mahmoud

I first heard about Mahmoud Darwish the year I visited Palestine. Although it’s a relatively recent connection, I’ve been trying to make up for lost time – actively collecting and reading as much of his stunning repertoire as possible. My … Continue reading

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Hamayel’s Sea

A friend of mine saw the sea for the very first time on Sunday. He’s been trying for years but because he’s a Palestinian born in the occupied Territories, his movement has always been restricted and he’s never been allowed … Continue reading

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The September Thing

You’re a liberal thinking, peace loving, supporter of human rights, right? You care about self-determination and refugees, right? So, the Palestinian Authority’s initiative to have the United Nations recognise a Palestinian state, is a good thing then, right? Um…wrong. Over … Continue reading

Posted in Bethlehem, Media | 2 Comments

Ya3ni and Me

I felt pretty darn good yesterday. I managed to use one of the few idioms I know in Arabic, appropriately and to full effect. Essentially, I made some people – strangers I’d only just met – laugh. A real, hearty … Continue reading

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A Room with a View

I had to move house the other day. To cut a long story short, the apartment I’d been living in for 3 months earlier this year and had returned to again at the beginning of this month, was about to … Continue reading

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Back In Bethlehem

It’s a funny thing coming back to a place that feels like home, but isn’t. It’s even harder to make sense of the sensation, when the said place is so different in every possible way from that space you grew … Continue reading

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Watching Ahly Fans

I have been warned against the use of sweeping statements, but screw it – I’m going to go ahead with a big, fat one anyway. When it comes to attending a football match at Cairo’s International Stadium, it should be … Continue reading

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Mubarak Trial: A Symbol In A Revolution That’s Barely Begun

I met a man a few days ago who believes that the revolution has not been televised because there has not yet been a revolution. “The people may have succeeded in toppling Mubarak,” he says sucking forcefully on a cigarette. … Continue reading

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Some Thoughts on a Culture Gone Bad

I’ve known lots of journalists and media workers which is to be expected really, granted I’m a media worker. While I watch Rebekah Brooks stand before the parliamentary committee this evening, I’m reminded of how competitive the industry is and … Continue reading

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A Transitional Shelter For Sphinxes

I’m sitting by the window people watching in an exceedingly popular Zemalek cafe. I’ve reached that happy place of whimsy and water-coloured dreams – a standard transit point for me when stationary in a place that’s entirely new. The images … Continue reading

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