‘Peace impossible in Gaza under occupation’

“Peace is impossible under the occupation. We are all hopeful for this truce. But we continue to live with the question of our future in Gaza. We only want to start living again in a land that no longer exists. None of us expected such a violence and destruction”. The painter of Palestinian origin Yasmine Aljarba speaks to Adnkronos after having inaugurated the ‘Remains of Gaza’ exhibition in Rome, at Paola Valori’s Micro Arti Visive, which aims to raise funds, through ad hoc projects, to be sent to support of the people of Gaza. “I would like to return to my country and contribute to its reconstruction through my art and that of the other Palestinian artists who lived and witnessed this war – she adds. I arrived in Milan two years ago to study art thanks to a scholarship. I should have return to my country after a year, but I found myself blocked in Italy by the war.”

“My family is still in Gaza, but the situation there is disastrous – the artist continues – There are no more schools, no universities, no hospitals. I live in Milan and I try to contribute, through my art, to the reconstruction of the my country. I don’t know if I will be able to return, but I always hope to be able to do so one day and thus give my contribution to the rebirth of my land”. Yasmine Aljarba is very skeptical about the idea of ​​finally being able to reach a definitive truce with the creation of ‘two peoples in two states’. “I do not believe that Israel will leave our land voluntarily, but it is possible to achieve all this through our ‘resistance’ to the occupation, which for 76 years has brought devastation to our land – he adds – Every freed Israeli hostage helps to save dozens of prisoners Palestinians detained in occupation prisons, underlining the importance of our ongoing struggle to regain our legitimate rights. Among our imprisoned politicians is Marwan Barghuthi, who could be the next Palestinian president.”

Could anything change in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians after Donald Trump’s inauguration in the White House? “I am pessimistic – concludes Yasmine Aljarba – Things will certainly change, but for the worse”.