April 10, 2009

Remembering Deir Yassin

Here's Ha'aretz on a Deir Yassin commemoration at the site of Deir Yassin itself:
Dozens of Jews and Arabs yesterday marched around the fence surrounding Jerusalem's Kfar Shaul psychiatric hospital, the site of the Deir Yassin massacre, to commemorate its 55th anniversary.

On April 9, 1948, the Lehi and Etzel attacked the village of Deir Yassin as part of the Nahshon Operation, killing an unknown number of residents, including women and children. Yesterday's ceremony included the reading of 93 names of victims.

Residents of the nearby Jerusalem religious neighborhood of Har Nof watched the ceremony, cursing at participants.

Among those attending the ceremony was Abdel Aziz Barakat, 81, who lost 17 members of his family in the massacre and told participants about Arab and Israeli coexistence in Jerusalem until 1939.
Arabs and Israelis? In 1939? I don't think anyone was calling themselves Israeli at that time. But then I don't think the Arabs were calling themselves Palestinian either. It's got no significance for now of course. It just goes to show how identity evolves, that's all.

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