Refugees in Our Own Land: Chronicles From a Palestinian Refugee Camp in Bethlehem

by Muna Hamzeh

This book is an eye-witness account of what it is like to live in Palestine as a refugee in your own homeland. Born in Jerusalem, Muna Hamzeh is a journalist who has been writing about Palestinian affairs since 1985. She first worked as a journalist in Washington DC, but moved back to Palestine in 1989 to cover the first Palestine Intifada - the war of stones. She then settled in Dheisheh, near Bethlehem, - one of 59 Palestinian refugee camps that are considered the oldest refugee camps in the world. Immediately accessible and fully up-to-date, the first part of the book consists of a diary which Hamzeh wrote between October 4th and December 4th 2000, telling the story of the second Intifada. Facing the tanks and armed guards of one of the best equipped armies in the world, the Palestinians have nothing. They fight back with stones. The anguish and terror that Muna and her friends face on a daily basis is tangible. Who will be the next to die? Whose house will be the next to burn down? This deeply moving personal account brings to life the harsh realities of the Palestinian struggle. The second part of the book provides the background to these current events. It describes what life has been like for Dheisheh's refugees since 1990, and explains why the second Intifada was a natural development of the Oslo peace accord. "Refugees in Our Own Land: Chronicles from a Palestinian Refugee Camp in Bethlehem" is a rare insider's look into the heart and minds of Palestinian refugees. It is a tribute to the bravery of the Palestinian people, and a wake-up call to the world that has ignored so much of their struggle and their suffering.

Genres: Middle East

184 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2001

Reviews

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is well done, however, the story skips some central perspectives (in my opinion). Is that type of book that jumps from one story to another, is not particularly bad is just not my type of reading.
I felt overwhelmed after reading this book. I will not advise reading it while you are in a bad period of your life or if you have anxiety (which applied in my case back than).

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the unique perspective the author, as a Palestinian-American woman journalist, was able to share from her time in a Palestinian refugee camp, especially through her diary entries. It would've been helpful if there had been a little more context provided with some of the diary entries or articles, especially at the beginning of the book.

[Tommaso Camilloni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Testimonianza scritta di una donna che ha dato voce a un popolo troppo spesso dimenticato.

[Norain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compared to ‘From Beirut to Jerusalem’ this book does not really touch my heart. But it does offer a different perspective on the issue of Palestine. The writer is a Palestine-born American who returned back to where she belonged and worked there as a journalist, and you will find a big part of this book as articles written by her for a number of newspapers. I do not know her religion but I do believe she is Muslim but a non-practising one. Either way she openly admitted as being secular.

Her thinking is influenced by the West as she spent a lot of time in the United States. She is a femminist and brings with her issues like honourable killing which I never heard anyone discussing about Palestine said. Still, she is very pessimist and her constant rambling about her sufferings not only failed to bring symphaty but even reaches the point of being annoying.

This is not an exciting book but should be read for a wider and different perspective about Palestine.

[Judith Smulders · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book of diary excerpts and essays by a Palestinian-American journalist. The first part of the book was brutally honest and I appreciated the uncensored reflection of reality in the refugee camps of Palestine. Her writing style is a little over the top; way too many exclamation marks, and questions following each other. I don't get the need for the constant referencing of Anne Frank and the use of the N-word for up to 3 times; highly inappropriate and wrong. The second part of the book is much better; her writing improves, it is more focused and to the point.

[Yaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book, it's taking place where I grew up, Dheisheh Refugee Camp.