By: Mutaz Yasoubi
Every grain of sand in Jenin bears witness to the sacrifice of noble souls, who defied the odds and brought down the invincible. Their legacy lives on in the hands of those who carry the torch of triumph and glory.
From the dawn of the Palestinian struggle against the Zionist usurpers, Jenin has been at the forefront of the struggle. Its strategic location and its brave fighters have made it a constant thorn in the side of the enemy.
Jenin was the sacred ground for Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Qassam’s heroic revolt, and it was there that he met his glorious fate after spurning the British officer’s offer to spare his life in return for surrender. He uttered a word of truth that became a shining star for generations to follow: “We will not surrender… This struggle is for the sake of God.” Then he commanded his companions to “Die as martyrs.” And they heeded his call, and they still do, generation after generation.
In the spring of 2002, the Zionists unleashed their fury upon Jenin. A horde of armored vehicles stormed the edges of the camp, while fifteen air raids rained death from above. They showed no mercy and spared no one. They razed the camp to the ground. They shattered its infrastructure. They tore down the power lines and wrecked the water pipes. They slaughtered anyone who dared to move in the street.
The battle of Jenin was a heroic stand for the Palestinian people, who refused to surrender their land and dignity to the Israeli occupation. Among the brave souls who fought against the odds was Mahmoud Tawalbeh, a leader of the resistance who devised a clever trap for the enemy. He and his comrades pretended to run out of ammunition and flee, leaving behind a group of women to lure the Israeli soldiers into a minefield. An elderly woman gave them a signal when the time was right, and a massive explosion tore apart eight invaders in an instant. As more soldiers rushed to the scene, they were met with a barrage of bullets from the hidden fighters, who killed ten more of them. The Israelis had no choice but to retreat in humiliation and defeat, while the Palestinians celebrated their victory and mourned their martyrs.
The year was 2023, a year of blood and fire. The Zionists had a sinister plan, once again. They wanted to erase Jenin from the map, to silence its heroic voice of resistance. They mobilized their most ruthless soldiers, more than two thousand of them, and sent them to invade Jenin. But they did not come alone. They brought with them a horde of warplanes and drones, ready to unleash hell on the city.
Yet the sorcerer’s spell backfired on him. The Israeli intruders who claimed the land as their own was shamed and vanquished. Jenin triumphed, and it echoed with these words: “This is the birthplace of defiance and its fire that will never die.”
While the invaders in rags faced one catastrophe after another, there was a phoenix rising on the other side, and its scream shook the earth:
For Jenin, our sacred land
For Palestine, we make our stand
You butchers, you invaders
You seek to storm our layers?
Come meet our wrathful fire
We dare you, face our ire
We challenge you, we resist you
With a spirit that shines through
I am the Palestinian, you cowards, you worms
You felt my wrath and scorn
You tasted dirt and pain
You swallowed shame in vain
Then, he sacrificed his breath
He gazed at me in death:
“Preserve my legacy
We did not bend the knee
We braved the stormy tide
We bore the loss with pride
We never lost our faith
We stood our ground till death”
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=44394
