Muhammad Haninun, an 80-year-old man living in northwestern Syria, is saddened by the latest Israeli attacks in Gaza. He is reminded of his own displacement during the Nakba in 1948 when over 750,000 Palestinians were uprooted from their land and thousands were killed. He feels that the Palestinian tragedy is happening again as he watches the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
Haninun recalls the British military support for Zionists and the displacement of Palestinians from their homes in the 20th century, as well as the bombing of his own family home in Tarshiha. He and his family were forced to flee to a refugee camp in Aleppo, living in poor conditions with little hope of returning.
Despite the difficult economic and security conditions in Idlib, members of the Palestinian community and Syrian supporters have collected donations for Gaza and participated in demonstrations in support of Palestine. Syrians in Idlib also supported Gaza despite being targeted by government forces and Russian warplanes.
Haninun believes that the Syrian revolution and the Palestinian cause are now inseparable for Palestinians living in northern Syria. He hopes for victory for both causes and insists that the right will not be lost as long as they continue to demand it.