Jun 28 2001
Quiet Beit Jala
Twelve-year old Firas El Yateem is negotiating the string of his kite around an electric line. A few days ago Firas feeling that things have gotten quite yet unable to go places with his family because of the Israeli siege, decided to begin making and flying kites. Within days the skies of Beit Jala, where he lives with his extended family, has been filled with kites of all shapes and sizes. When I saw the scene during a visit to his family, who are relatives, I remembered how many Palestinians drew the Palestinian flag on kites as a sign of Palestinian nationalism. “There is no more need to do that.†Firas’ mother told me. The Palestinian flag is no longer illegal and therefore kids don’t feel the need to fly kites with the national flag. Continue Reading »