Young Palestinians Speak: Living Under Occupation

by Annemarie Young, Anthony Robinson Jr.

In Palestine today, a second generation of children and young people is growing up experiencing life under occupation. These are children who know only fear when they see an Israeli soldier or come across a roadblock. This book provides a platform for young people, from all over this occupied land, to speak in their own voices about the day-to-day experience of living under occupation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle East

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 2016

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I might wish for a better organization and better design for this book to appeal to a young audience since the way it is set up hearkens back to those text-heavy books from years ago, what really matters here is how many different young voices the authors highlight. With a few photographs and even some artwork and writing from children and teens living in Palestine, the book allows those voices to be heard as they describe what it's like to grow up essentially in an occupied land that was once theirs and their ancestors. Not only does the book provide an overview of the occupation and a timeline of the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but then it takes readers along with the authors as they visit nine regions in the area, starting with Ramallah and ending with Burj al Luq Luq in East Jerusalem. Although some of the young people's feelings and words are shocking and saddening, laden with a desire for revenge against the Israelis and a desire to escape, others how resilience and hope. There are a handful of groups trying to provide support to this next generation, offering education, sports and opportunities for self-expression through art and writing. Clearly, this particular geographic area continues to be fraught with conflict that seems impossible to resolve, and many individuals outside of the area have taken sides without knowing much about the situation. For them, really, for us all, this is essential reading, despite its less than attractive packaging. The words of the children will stay with readers long after they finish the book, leaving them to wonder what they can and how to resolve this fight for the same land in a fair way.

[Rohani · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you still insist that it all started on October 7, either stfu or read this for starters.

I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn about living under the occupation, as told directly by Palestinian youths. It can't be emphasised enough that in order to understand their situation, however complex, it is imperative that we amplify their voices and listen to their stories.

This book provides them that platform to make themselves heard, and reading their stories is extremely humbling and sobering. They have hopes, dreams and ambitions like every one of us, but their situation makes it almost impossible because of the incessant bullying, harrassment and abuse of power by the Israeli government, armed forces and illegal settlers.

But what I couldn't get out of my head is that this book is published 8 years ago. Today, we are almost 6 months in and about 40,000 deaths where half of them are women and children, there is still no #ceasefire. What happened to the children interviewed in this book? I hope and pray that they are alive and well. I hope wherever they are that they've found peace and stability. And of course, #FreePalestine.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very densely blocked text arranged geographically (probably best to sample sections with young people rather than read the whole straight through?) but compelling interviews with young people from all over occupied Palestine along with some excellent resources to learn more.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for professional publication.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has taken me a month to read this book - I absorbed it slowly while also reading other histories and watching the news unfold today.

The children's descriptions of their lives are painful to read; the situation was already desperate when this came out in 2017, and it has only gotten dramatically worse over time - culminating in what we see today (1/15/2024) on the 100th day of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, the revenge being taken out on all the people of Gaza for the horrendous attack by Hamas on Israelis on 10/7/2023.

If you work with teens or tweens who have asked you, "What would cause the members of Hamas to commit those atrocities on 10/7?", you must give them this book. If your tweens and teens tell you, "Israel is justified; look what Hamas did," you must give them this book.

I made myself read the entire book - but I will tell you that you can suggest young readers to start with the first chapter, "Life Under Occupation," then pick a few locations the authors visited and read those chapters; in Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus, Qattana, Sebastiya, Gaza, Beit Ur, Hebron, and East Jerusalem. Although the specifics of each location are unique and interesting to read, the children feel and observe similar effects of the occupation.

The children describe their family's poverty, overcrowded and unstable housing, food, water, & electricity, destruction of their property, deprivation of their civil rights, and the constant presence of a hostile military force surrounding them. They describe friends or family members who were taken by police, some of whom threw rocks or shouted at Israeli Defense Force personnel, but others who were bystanders. They describe near-constant identity checks, checkpoint delays, and constricted transit routes even between their homes and schools.

In all of these conversations, the authors also ask the children to say their hopes or dreams for their own future lives - and for the most part, they talk about making a contribution to society or exploring an art form; serving their community or expressing themselves freely; and always about being able to pass freely so they can visit with family, attend school, do errands, and let adults in their community work.

There is one quote (p. 39) that stands out and is repeated in the final, closing note; When asked "What would you change?" one 17-year-old said, "The world would become one...no divisions. And Jewish people should go where they belong. Russians in Russia, Germans in Germany. The original Jewish population of Israel, about 6%, can stay and live here with no problems, but the others are not wanted...and any Jewish person that stays must teach their children that they are not the best people, not God's people. We are all the same under God. The same."

I found this quote to be important in part because it highlights the fact that the Jewish settlers have made the "right of return" impossible for Palestinians BUT at the same time, the "right of return" for Jews to Europe is also impossible.

The authors let all the children speak, and it is an avalanche of frightening experiences that no child should ever observe.

The so-called facts that the Israeli government has been feeding its citizens and Americans, too, do not mesh with the observable reality of the children of Palestine.

The book concludes with References listing films, websites, and books for adults as well as children. Many of these are organizations that can be relied on to issue updates, such as UNESCO, the United Nations, B'Tselem (an Israeli human rights center), Amnesty International, and Breaking the Silence (an organization of veterans of the Israeli military), among others.

Every library serving youth ages 10 to 17 in the United States should have this book.

[Mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is such a powerful and deeply moving book that gives voice to the lived realities of Palestinian youth under Israeli occupation. Through honest, firsthand accounts, it exposes the brutal daily struggles of Israeli checkpoints, harsh restrictions, land theft, illegal settlements and forced displacement. The interviews also highlight the differences in lifestyles/treatment/rights of Palestinian and Israeli youth.

Despite these bitter realities, the book powerfully highlights the Palestinian youth’s tenacity, resilience, and unwavering love for life. Their strength, courage, and hope shine through every story, making this an essential and eye-opening read that humanizes the struggle beyond the headlines.

In times, where Western media is reporting everything but the truth, such firsthand accounts become even more valuable. Highly recommended

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because I wanted to better understand the conflict going on in the Middle East. This book provides a clear picture of what war does not only to children, but to society as a whole. These people are living under horrible circumstances- no clean water, food, prisoners of their own homes if they have homes left. Whatever hasn't been stolen from them or destroyed by bombs.

[Anne with Violets · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've heard, and will continue to hear, enough about how Jewish children suffered in World War II through a variety of genres. We need to listen to the voices of Palestinian children who are suffering because of Israel.

[Schwarzer_Elch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breve pero interesante y potente libro que reúne las voces de niños y niñas palestinas, quienes nos cuentan sus experiencias y opiniones sobre lo que sucede en su país.

[Ann Beej · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept is great, and the interviews with the young people are just fine. The execution is lacking. There are many typographical errors and too much extraneous information.