My Mother Inspired Us to Fight For Palestinian Rights
On International Women’s Day, lawyer-activist Shireen Issawi writes about how her mother inspired her and her brother, Samer Issawi, who has been on a hunger strike in an Israeli prison for some 222 days, to fight for Palestinian independence.
On March 8 every year, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements for International Women’s Day. Today I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate my mother, Laila Issawi, and share her story.
I was raised by a very empowered, inspiring mother, who endured not only her own suffering but the suffering of her children, in the struggle for our freedom and dignity as a people. From as far back as I can remember I have always been in awe of my mother, her passion, dignity and resilience. She was raised on the love of Palestine, and has raised us with those same values; to love our country, defend our rights and fight for them until they are achieved.
Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967. Suddenly, a foreign military force was controlling and oppressing the lives of all of the Palestinian people. My mother was strong from the beginning. She was a newlywed in the early '70s when she was arrested for treating the wounded revolutionaries in Jericho hospital. She was imprisoned for six months without ever standing in front of a court of law.
During the first intifada, the Israeli military forces used to regularly raid our house and turn everything inside it upside down. They once delivered a blow to my mother’s back and, until today, she suffers with chronic back pain as a reminder of that day. She never complained, however, and fought her pain to stay strong for her children. And with every day that passes, she endures much more pain, both physical and emotional.
