It’s all relative. You might think that 22 years is a long time in the life of a magazine, but you’d be humbled to know that Al-Quds newspaper, a daily publication, has been in print since 1951! Still, with all the ups and downs in Palestine, I believe that any publication that survives 22 years of closures, raids, invasions, a poor economy, and yes, COVID-19, is nothing short of a miracle. Some years ago, we ran an article on businesses in Ramallah that were over 50 years old. We were overwhelmed by how many there were! We must be sha’ab al-jabbareen (a mighty people), as Yasser Arafat used to say. Come rain, come shine, we keep going. We swallow our pride, cry secretly, but we refuse defeat, and we pretend that all is well. Call it sumud (steadfastness); call it resilience; call it stupidity for that matter; but we still keep going. Whoever said, “You only fail when you stop trying” must have understood the Palestinian mentality!
Twenty-two years on, without missing a single issue, This Week in Palestine has become a rich source of information on Palestine. Our archive today boasts thousands of non-news articles about Palestine and Palestinians. For over two decades, our print edition and Web version have never ceased to promote artists, musicians, women, youth, peasants, industrialists, bankers, nurses, and professionals from all walks of life, among others. We have shed light on hundreds of sites and shrines, and encouraged both locals and tourists to visit them. We have listed cultural events from all over Palestine, including some in 1948 Palestine. As much as possible, we’ve made it a priority to feature Jerusalem, women, Gaza, and historical Palestine in every issue. We have promoted and documented Palestine in the best way we know how, in total honesty and transparency, and with conviction. The fact that we have distributed each issue free of charge has not stopped us from checking and double-checking every word, image, and caption. The two words that summarize our work are pride and passion.
As for the TWiP team, words literally fail me when I try to describe their dedication, compassion, and yes, professionalism. It is one thing for a team to possess these qualities and attributes under normal circumstances, but it’s a whole different ball game when the circumstances are dire. Thank you Taisir, Kathy, Bettina, Tamer, and every person who has added value to This Week in Palestine. As we say in Arabic, Your reward is in heaven!
Keep an eye out for the new TWiP website in January. We hope to reach as many people as possible who are interested in the question of Palestine. TWiP is shooting for the moon!
Long live Palestine!
