Like Yemen Like Palestine: A Blood-stained Eid amid War, Blockade!

By Yehya Salaheddin, Zeinab Abdallah

Eid is the usual occasion during which people, mainly children, celebrate. It is the day they wait and dream of, often sleeping over the Eid's eve hugging their new clothes, shoes, and perhaps toys.

The unusual is the case some dear nations are passing through... War, famine, blockade and insecurity! In Palestine, the nation of the free people and the occupied land has been around the past week through the bloodiest attack by 'Israeli' aggressors. Likewise, Yemen has been in a state of war and blockade for the seventh year in a row.

Palestinians and their Yemeni counterparts are the contemporary oppressed nations in our region. Their Eids are the ones marred by blood and the smell of death.

The US-Saudi blockade and the inhumane practices against Yemenis can best be described through the tight siege targeting airports and seaports, especially Sanaa Airport and the Hudaydah Seaport. It is a matter that makes it almost impossible to get containers of food, clothes and Eid equipment into the country. Prices hence skyrocketed, reflecting negatively on the children's requirements of 'joy'.

Meanwhile, the Coronavirus spread played another negative role in reducing visits that usually take place between relatives in times of Eid.

Traditionally, when life was normal, Yemenis used to hold Eid prayers in the early morning, before starting to exchange visits. Children, who accompany their parents, receive a symbolic financial treat from their visited relatives. They also eat some Eid delights such as raisins, nuts, sweets and juice.

They also used to exchange congratulations in gatherings of men and woman apart.

Since the war broke out, however, Yemenis started remembering theirs beloved ones whom they lost due to this war. Their sorrow, nevertheless, does not affect their determination and will to survive and confront this aggression.

Since March 2015, until May 2021, the Saudi-led and US-funded war on Yemen has killed, injured and maimed more than 40,000 civilians. Among the martyrs there are 3000 children and 2000 women. The injured are more than 20,000, not to mention the thousands of displaced citizens

Um Abdul Salam, a housewife, says the Eid under the aggression isn't like before. Social relationships have changed and been affected by the hard livelihoods among most of the people.

"The impacts of war pushed many to send congratulations via phone instead of visiting each other, as visits would definitely mean more expenses."

For his part, Hamza, a shop owner in Sabaa Neighborhood in the capital Sanaa, who buys some food, sweets and toys for kids, says:" People's financial situations are very bad. Most of them cannot afford the basic needs, how would they be able to pay for the Eid requirements?" Then he assures that Yemenis are to stay solid and steadfast without submitting any to the criminal aggressors.

Meanwhile, Mr. Amin Ahmad, a citizen who has been enduring like his nationals a brutal and bloody war, underscores that neither the blockade nor the aggression would prevent the Yemenis from practicing their Eid rituals. "The war would rather push us for more determination to fight and support with money until achieving the greatest victory."

Another testimony was from the young Um Abdullah [26 years] who said: "I don't feel the Eid joy ever since my parents and siblings were martyred in a Saudi bombing that targeted our home in Saawan Neighborhood eastern Sanaa. However, despite the pain, I try to spread the joy among my little children."

Salaries' cut due to the aggression has also marred the Eid's joy. It was very challenging for the tireless employees who remained patient amid this harsh circumstance.

Nu'man, a governmental employee, said: "We are able to tolerate this. As a Yemeni proverb says {Eid is the wellbeing.} We will endure this as long as we are confronting the aggression. We will remain steadfast for the sake of the nation."

Another colleague, Khaled, commented on the matter as saying: "They wanted to break our will and humiliate us by delaying our salaries. They wanted us to submit but we will keep enduring and confronting the aggression. It is enough to buy the children's clothes and the basic needs."

The same issue is for Um Ousama [50 years], ana academic who describes the Eid as featureless and lacks the true meaning of joy.

"We, the unpaid employee, didn't buy new clothes or good sweets. I just bought new outfits for my little children so that they can feel some happiness," she said.

However, she noted that despite everything, Yemenis are determined to feel the Eid, draw a smile, and continue the path for achieving victory and liberating Yemen from the Al Saud and the US grip that is abusing the country's wealth and resources. Only then, Eid's joy will be doubled.

Gaza... A test to the conscience of humanity!

Meanwhile in central Gaza, a young girl received her Eid treat. Unlike other places, where in the background children hear songs and laughter, she went to spend her treat playing with the swing, with bombardment in the background. An 'Israeli' rocket hit the place. Yes, the rocket targeted the place where she was swinging with her fellows.

While people prepare for Eid by cleaning their houses for visitors to come and bake Eid delights, another heartbreaking scene showed a few-years-old boy cleaning stains of thick blood from the floor... Why on earth would children experience such monstrous incidents while the rest of the world is busy with the most superficial lifestyles!?

When an adult die, we usually avoid letting children be present at the scenes of funerals, but in Palestine the children are the ones that bid farewell to their martyred parents. The Palestinian children acquire the concept of death even before they learn to speak. But they are also the ones who lecture the world how on earth dignity is felt, nations are protected, and blood can be an offering they willfully sacrifice.

Like Yemen like Palestine, the lands where mothers give birth to heroes and heroes not only make history but also shape the crystal-clear future: Justice to prevail, injustice to fade forever...