Ghassan Kanafani

Anniversary of a martyr

On July 8, Palestinians witness the 28th anniversary of the martyr Ghassan Kanafani. He was born in 'Akka in 1936. In 1948 he fled Jaffa with his family first to Beirut and then to Damascus. In 1955, after teaching in UNRWA schools in Damascus, he moved to Kuwait, where he taught for five years. Back in Beirut again, he worked as a journalist and eventually became editor-in-chief of al-Hadaf. He wrote novels, short stories, film scripts, political articles and edited a number of political and literary publications. In 1970 he became spokesman of the Popular Front.

He was killed by the Israeli occupation in 1972 in a car bomb explosion, which also killed his niece. Amid the wreckage a scrap of paper from the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen was found, a reminder of the fate awaiting those who struggled for freedom and return.

Like no other Palestinian writer, Kanafani described Palestinian refugee life and exile. Many of his short stories and novels depict the individual's confrontation with occupation and exile. Among his famous writings are "Until we Return" (1957), "Men in the Sun" (1963), "What Remains for You" (1966), and "Return to Haifa" and "Jaffa: Land of oranges".

To honor Ghassan Kanafani and all Palestinians who were forced to live in exile and occupation, we ask you to affirm and activate your support for the end to the dispossession of the Palestinian people and the implementation of the inalienable right of every Palestinian to return to his or her original home and to absolute restitution of all destroyed and confiscated property.

Please take a moment to sign the petition on the right of return at http://rightofreturn.org/be-active/petition. Let us unite in our collective struggle in defense of our land, our existence, and our return.

On 16 and 17 September mass rallies will be organised in support for the right of return in Washington D.C. and London (UK). Please check http://al-awda.org (Washington) and http://www.ataha.com/londonrally/ (London) for more details.