Mother of Strangers Quotes

“Why steal our books when most of them are in Arabic? And why steal Arabic books when you detest everything Arab?”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“Palestine is a country without a people; the Jews are a people without a country.” This was a lie that had been shrewdly branded, marketed, and bought by the “free world.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“The same fleet of British ships called “Liberty” that had until recently brought Jewish immigrants to Palestine was now carrying Palestinians away from their homeland. A new nation was being born as an ancient one was being annihilated.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“A witness to what? To your crimes. To your cruelty. We've all become witnesses to the biggest robbery in the history of mankind. You steal our land, our cities, our oranges, our orchids, our homes, our shops, our garages, our fishing boats, our cars and buses, our livestock, our furniture, our books, our lives, and our souls. You steal a whole country - a fully furnished country. And then have the chutzpah to accuse me of stealing my own suit.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“Harami u kazzab, a thief and a liar.” This seemed to be the one phrase that the Jewish commander had memorized by heart because he kept repeating it.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“Mortar shells whizzed through Martyrs’ Square, adding a few more martyrs to a long list.

Mortar shells landed on hospitals, where the sick got sicker and pregnant women gave birth to premature babies.

Mortar shells fell on holy places, where people prayed this would not be their last day.

A barrage of mortar shells fell on schools, on marketplaces, on shops and shoppers, and on banks.

Panic, horror, and hysteria took hold of the city.

Those who were inside buildings rushed out, and those in the streets frantically hurried into buildings.

The injured and the dead were left lying in the streets.

Run for your life or join the dead.

Everyone was searching for a way out: by car, by bus, on a truck, on a cart, on a bike.

Looting was pervasive.

Robberies were many.

There was no water, no electricity, and no fuel.

No ovens to bake a loaf of bread, or shops to buy food from—or, for that matter, banks from which to withdraw money.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“Anew nation was born while an old one was eradicated.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“I warn you, daughter, one never feels at home away from home.” Farida paused and then added, “In your home, you die once and for all; fi il ghurbeh, in the diaspora, you die every single day out of humiliation.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“Their absence seemed to have more presence than their presence.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers: A Novel

“The three Salameh girls had learned at an early age that it is human kindness, rather than religion or nationality, that conquers the human heart.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“While the newly born nation cheered and danced in the streets of the White City, Tel Aviv, the heart of an old nation bled as its eyes brimmed with tears. They feared the worse was still to come.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“And from the air, the British forces dropped leaflets giving us a day to evacuate our houses. Before we knew it, all hell had broken loose. Like ants, thousands and thousands of British soldiers filled the streets and the narrow alleys of the old city where we lived. And in no time, they sealed off the whole area and started blowing the houses up - one after another. Like cards, they fell. The British soldiers started from the East and kept dynamiting until they reached the sea. Gone were the beautiful houses. Gone was the mosque. Gone were the holy shines. The schools. And gone were the alleys, the shops, the people… We called it a massacre while the British claimed it was a face-lift.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers

“I warn you, daughter, one never feels at home away from home. In your home, you die once and for all. In the diaspora, you die every single day out of humiliation.”
― Suad Amiry, Mother of Strangers