Palestine: Hope Despite Losing Son Is What Keeps Father Alive

By Cecilia Jeyanthi Victor KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- Despite losing his wife and son in war torn Palestine and the never-ending suffering, a Palestinian, Abdul Aziz, remains hopeful that Israeli occupation in his country will come to an end someday. Aziz, 59, who is now in Malaysia is confident that he will live to see the declaration of the state of Palestine in his lifetime and even return home. With a refugee status in Malaysia, he is at loss in Malaysia as well but the hope returning to a sovereign Palestine is what keeps him going. A TRAGIC LIFE FOR PALESTINIANS Palestine has witnessed upheavals over the last 68 years leaving hundreds and thousands of Palestinians displaced and many killed due to the wars and atrocities committed by Israelis who carved out the state of Israel from Palestine. Aziz has been through vicious circle of violence in the Palestinian Territories. He lost his son in 2016 in Palestine due to a bomb attack launched by Israeli forces. Asked on the details of his son's death, Aziz told Bernama "he lived as a refugee with his wife and four children in a dangerous area and he couldn't leave. "He had to help the people there, while offering help he lost his life to a bomb placed nearby." His widowed daughter in-law and grandchildren remain in Palestine and Aziz who now resides in Malaysia as a refugee worries over them daily. Aziz also lost his wife earlier due to the war and did not want to talk further on the loss of his family members. STILL AT A LOSS IN MALAYSIA While Aziz is free from the treats and atrocities in Malaysia, he remains at a loss. Being declared a refugee by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Aziz and his compatriots in the country could not seek employment. "My late son did not want to come to Malaysia and be recognised as a refugee again," added Aziz who wanted to be granted citizenship by any country. "I do not want to live as a refugee again. I came to Malaysia because Palestinians are accepted, wanted and supported by the people here and their government," he said expressing his gratitude to his host Malaysia. Aziz who had been residing in the country for more than a year stated if given a choice, he would rather return to his home country as nothing is quite like home despite coming from a country that has been torn by war for 68 years. Asked further on how he has been surviving without employment, Aziz explained the aid from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) helped him get on with life here. Meanwhile, on the fate of his family back home in Palestine, Aziz had this to say; "There is no way for me to contact my son’s family as it is a very dangerous area and unreachable by any form of communication channel. The teary eyed Aziz did not want to elaborate further over the family’s actual location. MALAYSIA STILL A SAFE LOCATION Another Palestinian, Nashwa Baseer said she fled to Malaysia with her husband after Isreali troops destroyed her family home in Palestine. For the couple Malaysia is a safe haven. "They (Israeli troops) destroyed my home, damage was done to everything we had, so we decided to leave our country as there was nothing left and we were fearful for our lives," said the 35-year-old housewife currently residing as a refugee in Ampang with her husband and three children. Like Aziz, she is also looking forward to the day where the atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli government towards the Palestinians will end. "Hopefully, I can return back to my country then," said the hopeful Nashwa. Like Aziz, Nashwa and her husband are also not permitted from seeking employment in the country and they live on the assistance provided by various NGOs. Nashwa had a pretty comfortable life with her husband and children in Palestine before the horrors of the war began. Palestinians remember May 15, 1948 as Al-Nakba (literally meaning catastrophe or disaster) that led to the Arab-Israeli war and the establishment of the state of Israel. Since then there has been non-stop violence. --BERNAMA