Rafah, Ghazza and West Bank in Iraq

An Iraqi flag and the spiral minaret of Samarra are painted on a concrete security 'blast wall,' on 7 November 2007, in Baghdad, Iraq.

Commentary

26 July 2008

by Laith

One of the gifts of God to Iraqis is their ability to make fun of everything. Without this great gift, I think there would be no Iraqi people because we are the nation that has the best relation with Sadness and pain.

Four days ago, I came to work around 10:00 a.m. I had to go an area known as Aden Intersection as a first step. When I reached the intersection, I had to pass through the blast wall that separates the residence area from the main street. There was a very small space between two concrete blocs. Only one person can go through this space. So you can imagine two long lines of old and young men and women waiting for their turn to pass. In fact, there were two groups of people not lines because each one wants to pass without even thinking about the others. I waited for about a minute. I was only three steps away from the gap but I didn't want to pass because I kept listening to the funny comments of the young men. A group of young men started talking as if we are in Palestine passing through the big blast wall that was made the Israeli authorities.

Young man 1:- "how is the situation in Gaza?"

Young man 2:-"It's very bad. The Israeli tanks surround the city and bothering the civilians (referring to the American Humvees which we saw near the main residence area.

Young man 3 "I don't know about that. I just came from Rafah and everything was fine."

I started laughing in pain. We make fun of our pains always but that was never the solution for the big problem of occupation. I'm afraid that one we would envy the People in Palestine because in spite of the improvement of the security situation, the Iraqi authorities insist on putting more blast walls. I'm afraid that I might wake up one day and I find an Iraqi checkpoint near my room's door searching me evey time I get in and out. I think at that time, I would be happy if I can travel to Gaza (the real Gaza in Palestine) for some peace.