Monday, September 17, 2007

9/16/1970

A dark day in the history of both sides of the Jordanian river. Many of us were too young, or not even yet born to live such era. However, this era left few black dots on our lives. We hope that we have overcome the typical instigating questions of why it happened and who was the aggressor. We are beyond that. We should be beyond that. We ought to be beyond that. Darn it, you need to be beyond that.

Nevertheless, one can not forget how such bad days affected his/her life. We shouldn’t forget. Yes we should forgive, but please don’t ask us to forget. True that the battles lasted for 10 days, but those days were enough to leave such marks.

I sometimes try to drag my father to tell me more about what happened in those 10 days. He always leans back and tells me that he took them off his memory. I don’t buy that at all. I know. I then try the same with my mom. She tells me few details here and there. But not enough to draw a detailed picture of what happened.

The one story that they both tell always, is the attempt on his life on Feb of 1971. Well, they can’t lie about it, as the evidence are still clear in our old house on the edges of tabarboor. Bullet holes on the walls are witness of what happened that day.

As he was driving home one day, two PLO fighters were waiting by our house. As the car approached the home, bullets started flying. The driver was killed instantly. Dad ran to the house, with the two fighters chasing him. They finally got to him, and took away his gun. One of them was waiting by the door guarding the door. The other one demanded that my father kneel down on his knees in the front yard. He put the AK47 to his head. Mom screaming begging for them to let him live. I was one and a half years old in her hands. The fighter was yelling at my mom to shut up. Then suddenly, a bullet hits the fighter guarding the door. A Jordanian army sniper on one of the roof tops got to him. In the panic, the other fighter started shooting in all directions hoping to get the sniper. My father quickly ran inside to his other gun. Bullets allover the place. In the end, two bullets hit my father, one in the leg and one in the stomach. The second fighter was killed.

Sadly, the above incident left a bad reaction on my father. I remember when I left and came to America, dad portrayed Palestinians to be evils. He himself is Palestinian by origin, even though he was born in Jordan. But after maturing, I questioned his feelings toward his own people. He was always angry at the note of me mentioning that not all fingers are alike.

35 years later, he himself matured in this issue. Now, finally, acknowledged that not all fingers are alike.

So, whatever those days left on you, maybe it’s time to reach out to the other side for some reconciliation. War is over. Peace roots are strong in our land….hopefully.

I hope that you folks don’t misunderstand this post to be instigation of an old wound..no ladies and gentlemen. It’s an attempt to acknowledge the past, build on it, and look for a brighter future.

10 comments:

Amer said...

you're right. some of us are PE and others are PP. In the End we are all Polymers with very strong chains of Carbon. forgive me for the metaphor, but it is true. may be because all I do these days has something to do with polymers.

Anonymous said...

تذكر الماضي يكون بالنظر إليه بموضوعية تامة، لا من زاوية ضيقة مبنية على أحكام مسبقة

الملك حسين كان خائنا والأردن لها تاريخ طويل في الخيانة، ومن غير المنصف أن نراك تسترجع ذكرى أيلول الأسود مع تجاهل تام للحقائق التي أدت إليه

الأردن كانت أول بلد عربي استباح دم الفلسطينيين

هنيئا لهم بأيلول الأسود
وهنيئا لهم بالتعتيم الإعلامي وتزوير التاريخ

لكن في النهاية لا يصح إلا الصحيح
والكل عارف مين هو الخاين والعميل ومين هو الأصيل

Bo3Bo3 said...

Globalroma
looool...u too into polymers?

ba6rash
7aram 3aleek. The events that led to the war are documented, and it's because of the guns roaming the streets of amman, and the state within state thing. Jordan opened borders for many palestinians, and thats why half the population is from west of the river.

mosh khayen..ra7mato allah 3aleeh.

Anonymous said...

Wow.. I dont blame him for trying to put it behind. Did the two bullets keep any ongoing complications for him? May God protect our beloved lands.

Me said...

I posted about black september also, not too many bloggers seem to remember it (most of them are much younger than the event itself) but when one lived it and went through it, it was hell on earth!! thanks for recognizing the date and talking about it. check it out:
http://summers57.blogspot.com/2007/09/september-anniversaries.html

Anonymous said...

Botros :

I would suggest that you go and burn your self ,and the trash is who left not who sold,aND BY THE WAY ITS WHITE sEP. NOT BLACK,AT LEAST WE HAD A CHANCE TO BURN PEOPLE LIKE YOU TRASH.

Anonymous said...

Botros and Anonymous ...

fi kteer 3ahaat zayko ..both sides have two different understanding of the whole situation ...both sides have committed big mistakes which memories is still harassing us until now…Jordanians of both sides…

speaking about burning and white September only shows a big deal of grudge and hate …blaming the late king Hussein “ allah yer7amo w yer7am abu 3ammar” for what happened without searching for reasons and without understanding Jordan’s critical situation as a small country and the US role is kind of silly …

King Hussein “ whether you like him or not “ was a smart , cunning and pragmatic man…he often took decisions that wasn’t in harmony with most Arabs but nevertheless right and far away from the emotional outburst they mastered in that era …

Abu 3ammar bless his soul was a zealot revolutionist. a loyal servant of the cause …sincere and brave …

Both men were great in their own way ..but both took the opposite track that could never meet ….both had his reasons and believes ….

Both men regretted that era ….things could have been different but this is what happened and we have to live with the consequences ….

Wade3 w entaha …both sides of the Jordanian identity should adapt to the fact that “ you are a Siamese twin that cannot live if separated “ ..ya3ni mlazgeen b ba3ath ..fa keno w en6azzo w t3allamo t3eesho meshaan omoor el balad temshi …

Guevara …yes the same GUGU……

Me said...

wishing you and your loved ones a very happy 2008...not as busy as 2007, because we miss reading from you.

Anonymous said...

Blessed Thankgiving, Happy Eid, Merry xmas, Happy New Year. umm where have you been? Missed your posts. salamz:)

Anonymous said...

anonymous 1:
معلش الحقيقة مؤلمة
وفي النهاية لا يصح إلا الصحيح

anonymous 2
العاهة هو من ينكر التاريخ

لا احترام للملك حسن عندي، فهمو عميل والأدرن بلد صنعت من أجل حماية إسرائيل

بس في ناس بتحب تدفن راسها بالرمل