Being A Gazan ...

By Ruba

Student in Palestine 

In Cairo Airport

20 years have passed since I was born, but it seems that I have never known what does being a Gazan mean till I left Gaza in 24th July last year.

It was 4:30 AM when we left the home going to Rafah border. We had to wait for 5 hours till the border was opened and we were allowed to cross it .Anyway, it  was a long day, finished when we finally arrived Cairo airport at 1:30am the day after, putting in our minds that it is only one hour and a half waiting for the plane arrival ! However, those 90 minutes have become 14 hours..!

Being a Gazan means that you have to stay there for a period of time, without knowing how much long this period will be! You should not be that optimistic person to think that every thing will be okay, and it will be only 90 minutes...

Being a Gazan in Cairo airport means that you don’t have to ask about the exact time of the plane, or even if there will be a plane or not...

It means that you will not be allowed to buy any thing to eat, to drink, or even to go to the toilet with no security man walking beside you, looking at you as if you are a time bomb that will blow itself up in the middle of the other passengers ...

Yes, in Cairo airport, you are a time bomb. You are a great danger that must be kept away from others for “security reasons”. I just wonder what could those “security reasons” be when dealing with some exhausted, hungry, and thirsty travelers and depriving them of having any thing to eat...

What could those “security reasons” be when dealing with old men and women having nothing to sit on but the floor. Or what could they be when dealing with some children who are prevented from going to the toilet...

Being a Gazan means that I have to see that helplessness and perplexity that I have never seen before in my father’s eyes, asking himself how could he bring us something to eat...

My sister suddenly exploded with tears, as she was very hungry and tired. Finally, the security forces allowed us to buy some food, but sure, with being accompanied by a policeman...

Being a Gazan in Cairo airport means that you should “practice your hobby” of demonstration even when you are a traveler, in order to have a plane! Anyway, it was effective...

It was a-fourteen-hour imprisonment, with no guilt, no lawyers, but with dozens of jailers spitting abuses on some helpless Gazans, just because the security reason of being Gazans...

Being a Gazan means that they will insult you to the level that makes you forget about something called dignity, or even humanity !

  

However, being a Gazan also means that they whatever they do to insult you, you will never go down, and will keep your dignity!