#0202_A_View_From_East_Jerusalem

“The house in the photo is the home of Palestinian writer Khalil A-Sakakini [1] in the Katamon neighborhood which is one of the neighborhoods of West Jerusalem. This neighborhood was established in the 19th century and was home to many middle and upper-class Palestinian families, some of whom were Jerusalemites. Katamon was also home to Greeks and administrative employees of the British Mandate.

The neighborhood was the site of a fierce battle in 1948 between Zionists gangs, most notably the Palmach [2], and a fighting brigade from Al-Jihad Al-Muqadas Army [3] under the leadership of Ibrahim Abu Diya. However, despite the courageousness of the Palestinian fighters defending Katamon, and because of British collusion and lack of outside aid, the neighborhood was occupied by the Zionists the beginning of May 1948.

Khalil A-Sakakini and his family were forced to leave their house which was located only a few feet from the battlefield, and his neighborhood and home fell under the authority of the Occupation. The first floor of his house is now home to a Zionist family, while the second floor has been converted into a preschool […]”
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0202 Editor’s Notes:
[1] Khalil A-Sakakini was a famous Palestinian teacher, scholar, poet, and Arab nationalist.
[2] Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Jewish community during the period of the British Mandate for Palestine.
[3] Al-Jihad Al-Muqadas Army was a Palestinian Arab force in the 1947-48 Palestinian civil war led by Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni and Hasan Salama.

#Khalil_Asakakini #Katamon #Palestinian_home

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