Mother’s Day Letter from a Son of Palestine

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

Ummi aleaziza.

(Mom dear)

Today is the ‘Mother’s Day’! Every year “Mother’s Day” is celebrated globally on the second Sunday of May which falls on May 12 this year (2024).

Mom, People here are celebrating the Mother’s Day with a great feeling of cheerfulness and enthusiasm. But for me and other Palestinian students, it’s really a painful day! Because our father, mother, siblings plus all the relatives, friends and compatriots are in great trouble and sufferings due to Israel’s deadly offensive on Gaza since October 2023 killing mercilessly innocent civilians including children, sparing not even the infants. According to Red Crescent Society’s ‘X’ post—Israel’s war on Gaza has been killing 37 mothers daily since October 7 last year.

More than 34,000 men and women including 14000 children have been killed following Israel started the war on Palestine. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been made homeless by the Israeli military offensives since October 2023. People are living under open sky and temporary tents without enough food to eat and water to drink, medicine to treat as Israel blocked the free flow of humanitarian aid.

Mom, as I am writing this letter to you, my heart is bleeding and tears rolling down my eyes as your divine face flashing across my mind. I am living as if my empty body is here but my heart is with you, there. Mom, it’s increasingly getting difficult for me to stay in this American university pursuing my education. I would have joined my family in this difficult war period, had you and Aboya (father) instructed me not to leave my education and back to you all.

You know Mom, my class-mate Taspia who is also studying Law has lost both of her parents and her younger brother and sister after the war erupted and brutal Israeli forces started ethnocide in Palestine. Even their dead bodies could not be traced out! Mom, I am trying to console her assuring that my parents are still alive and she could share their love and affection with me.

Ummi, you know, our fellow students are strongly protesting the genocide the Israeli army is carrying on in Palestine. Students in my university are regularly staging protest rallies on the campus and outside pressing the US administration to create strong pressure on Israel to stop genocide in Palestine through effecting a cease fire and peaceful co-existence. Mom, I also took part in the protest march.

According to the United Nations-“The Israel war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food.

Clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed” The International Court of Justice has accused Israel of genocide. An Interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of

genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistances is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Dearest Mom, even in our National Mother’s Day which is celebrated every year on the first day of spring that falls on March 24, this year, none of you could observe the day with usual joy and gaiety. No child of Palestine could present any gift to his/her beloved mother. However, the mother’s concern, boundless affection, and relentless zeal to do welfare of their children never slimmer down. Mothers continued their efforts to rescuing children from the dangers and destruction of Israel’s war without caring about their own lives.

Mom, Allah is there to do fair justice for the oppressed people of Palestine.

Mom, I know that you are passing through harsh conditions and immense sufferings in makeshift tents in Rafah. Even father is not with you. He had left to visit an ailing relative living in the North but could not return back home--which is now totally destroyed by the merciless bombing of the Israeli war planes. I know that you are facing difficulties in communicating with father.

Mom, keep patience, as Allah says in the Holy Quran—“Innal laaha ma’as-saabireen” (Indeed, Allah is with the patient). Mom, don’t worry, In sha Allah justice would be established soon!

Mom, I am confident that majority people love to live peacefully on this Earth ignoring all the man-made differences between nations and castes. I am encouraged to learn that like every year, “The 2024 Joint Israeli-Palestine Memorial Day” will be held on Sunday, May 12, 2024. This Joint Memorial Ceremony provides a unique opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to grieve together and stand strong in demanding an end to the occupation and ongoing violence.

Mom, this year, it is at all not possible on my part to greet you my dearest mother with flowers plus some lovely gifts, instead, I am presenting you this heartfelt letter full of love, care and affection. I hope this will make you happy!

Yours loving son

(abnuk almuhibu)

(Prof. M Zahidul Haque retired Professor and former Dean of Faculty of Agriculture at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka)