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Palestine
Catastrophe
Gather ye 'round this cold night, sit here by our fires light. The evening stars will not pale, take your rest and hear our tale. Of our struggle, our lost land, Jerusalem! our city grand. Our desperate days, our unheard plea; our Palestine Catastrophe. i Our people here five hundred score, in sand and stone this land adore. In ancient age, with no home, a nomad's life condemned to roam. Then we found by trading fair with camel trains were riches there. We built homes, village and town, were merchants then and settled down. Gambling, whoredom and much worse, sinful drinking was our curse. Great God above saw our pain, sent us one His love explained. In century six our Prophet came to lead us out of sin and shame. Of justice, mercy, gift and love, great words he spoke from God above. The crescent moon our holy sign, the Prophets voice from God's design. He told us live a simple way, with goat and lamb God's law obey. He said I've come for Arab sons, others come for other ones. Live here in this desert land, love your God stay close at hand. The Middle Ages came to bear with kissing ring and Papal Chair. In Europe's glens, pristine and fine, are landless sons with too much time. "Look down there." The nobles say. "Our holy land is in decay." "The Eastern Pope asks for cash to fight the heathen Arab rash." "Knight and soldier, strong and bold, we'll send these instead of gold." "With our 'Crusade' right and grand, we shall have this Arab land." Ten ninety-nine they breached the wall, into Jerusalem they did crawl. Two hundred years they sat inside. Two hundred years did we bide. Time and numbers was our fate to turn them out back through the gate. Two hundred years was not enough to keep us out we are too tough. ii For centuries long our land enslaved by Turkish kings with sharpened blade. We prayed to end the Sultan's curse, the British came and spoke a verse. "It's World War One, if you agree to fight with us we'll set you free." The war we fought at Britain's side, our blood was shed for Arab pride. At wars end Turks were smitten, our only gain, the lies of Britain. "You are not fit to rule your own, we must stay on and watch your home." "You'll never guess what we've found a precious oil flows from your ground." "The League of Nations bids us wait, and hold you down with our Mandate." "So you don't feel all alone our puppet kings will warm your throne." "Our Lord Balfour is quite a man, an English 'gent' who has a plan." "He has made it his priority to help out Europe's old minority." "Not in England sure to say, but somewhere else that's far away." "The British Empire has much land, the sons of Zion can have our sand." "There's nothing here quite anyway, just you Arabs who have no say." Lord Balfour signed his declaration, the Zionists came with a celebration Bag in hand, a dirty lot, looked like beggars the world forgot. As the British held the door, in they came more by more. So the English, snakes they are, forced on us the Zion star. Now with all this Europe's rubble, not too long was brewing trouble. It was clear from the start they would live from us apart. They who had been so despised looked on us not otherwise. Like moving into a new house, they found pests, the Arab mouse. They so wanted their own autonomy to keep us out of their economy. None would shop at Arab stalls, or hire us at union halls. In thirty-five came the spike, we went out on General Strike. In thirty-six rebellion started, to the hills our men departed. Five thousand Arabs armed with guns, a holy army of homeland sons. A terrorist war the British fought, with modern guns their horror wrought Much easier then to fight men stout, on village folk they took it out. They leveled homes our livestock seize. They shot civilians with English ease. Then from London, with a vision, came prancing in the "Peel Commission". "Here we are from the Crown to see about this hallowed ground." "With Arab here and Zionist there, just one land they must share." "And no love not a flicker, all they do is fight and bicker." "We'll move Arabs off their land, leave the Zionist where they stand." "It won't be a true contrition, it's more like A big partition." Back at Whitehall they did "smirk". "This partition will will never work." "Perhaps Lord Balfour was quite wrong, his vision flawed now all along." "They can't live side by side, they will fight 'till all have died." "Now we'll stop the Zionist flood before the place is deep in blood." "We will reverse our old directions, the Arabs now shall have elections." "Write it down too be safer. We will issue our White Paper." iii Back in Europe things were grim, war was over and money slim. The Germans lost the Great World War, so many dead they must pay more. At old Versailles a treaty signed, who should pay was well defined. The Brits and France took such a slice, they had to fight the same war twice. This time around an extra cost, it all came down in a Holocausts. In Europe's Sky the peace dove flew, one hundred thousand no home knew. "Displaced Persons" was the label, none were welcome at Europe's table. "Divide them up." Said General Glub. "All take some to the Allied hub." The American staff in a high falsetto. "We want no trash from the Warsaw Ghetto." "This Europe land came at a cost of Christian blood, none must be lost." "Much too expensive." They all agreed, for such as them we have no need." "Send them down to Palestine, change the name, it will all be fine." Those that Europe did not need kept flooding in despite our heed. After the war the Zionists said. "We must look at what's ahead" "This White Paper the British tout gives the Arabs too much clout." "Stops our migration, would this plan. Stops us buying more Arab land." "And to calm these Arab fears, their independence within ten years." "The numbers show our true relation is thirty percent of the population." "To keep on with our direction we can't stand a fair election." Worst of dogs with teeth white will not on their masters bite. But the Zionists did just that, turned on Britain in nothing flat. Acts of terror with wild boasts, shed the blood of their hosts. And Mister Begin, so they tell, he blew up King Dave's Hotel. Said the British. "There's no hope, with this place we can't cope." "This last bit of Empire land to the U.N. we will hand." Seems the British weren't so tough, turned and fled when things got rough. iv If Harry Truman had been stronger, not so weak, with more honor. He would not trade, for New York votes, our precious land and cut our throats. In forty-seven, it was November, we were betrayed, we still remember. The U.N. members, their arms twisted with U.S. strength, the "Yanks" insisted. "We have the power, we are the one, to say that this shall be done." "We do demand you give away this holy land to whom we say." "Now these Arabs must all submit to U.N. wishes without a fit." "Any who say 'it's not right' shall be denounced Anti-Semite." "You will vote a new land, from the old two will stand." "One with treasures of all sorts, groves of oranges, coast and ports." "The other bare, with thermal heat where squalid towns live in defeat." "It shall be so very fashionable that Jerusalem be international." So the west, with stick in hand, drew a line through our land. "For our crimes." They all did say. "With Arab land we shall pay." Though no one said in public quotes. "Our Mr. Truman needs those votes." v The Zionist had a secret plan. It would involve lots more land. More than they said they need, more than even the west believed. "We will need." They all foresaw. "A secret army; the Haganah." Smugglers brought in there new guns from Europe's plants with New York funds. On that dark November day the United Nations had its say. When we heard what they'd done we took up arms, sword and gun. "Take our land that we adore!" The flames arose of civil war. All the while the British "Gawked" drinking gin and watched the clock "Soon we'll be on our way, May fifteenth is our last day." The civil war was burning hot, the Zionist leaders had a thought. "What a stroke of good luck, with this partition we're not stuck." "Since the Arabs start the war the U.N. deal is 'out the door'." "We're not obliged by any plan except our own for more land." "Our ancient scrolls when unrolled say Jerusalem is ours to hold." "Our Haganah cannot wait to crash through that ancient gate." "Grab it back in short time, save it from the Arab grime." "So very long two thousand years, all that time lived with fears." Poland, Russia, Spain and Greece, always turmoil and never peace." "Never did we have our nation, forced to live in humiliation." "This last decade was the worst, six million gone in one burst." "Ten million prayers on every night, for Jerusalem our home by right." "Now it's come by God's hand, our peoples home, the promised land!" "All we've suffered, tears and pain, two thousand years, we're back again!" "All we need God has supplied, whatever we do is justified." "Some dirty Arabs in our way, push them out, it is 'our' day!" vi Our fire now is growing low, the flames subside the embers glow. Our story is not yet complete, stay on awhile, keep your seat. Some more sticks of burning wood we'll throw on our fire good. Now I'll describe our terrible fate. It was nineteen and forty-eight. You will hear of terror nights, of Barrel Bombs, and bitter flight. Of peaceful folk made to flee; our Palestine Catastrophe. vii Dave Ben-Gurion, their great ruler, was the junior Schicklgruber. Their secret plan for our removal was all begun with his approval. The Zionists wanted the Holy Jewel, Jerusalem, for them to rule. For this conquest to achieve they need a road from Tel-Aviv. Many a village and Arab town lay in between and all around. On April ninth all seemed well, on quiet streets, a starlit spell. A clean-up crew came sneaking in the Arab town of Deir Yassin. Doors broken down, men dragged outside, shot in the street. Small children cried Crisis and terror, screaming for breath, whole families fell machine gunned to death Young girls raped, mutilated with knives, horribly came the end of their lives. With cutlass swords others were hacked in little pieces, body parts stacked. Women and children gruesomely died, hand grenades blasted old folks beside. Rivers of souls to heaven ascend, laying in death one hundred-ten. The Jerusalem gate sight was within, just a short way from Deir Yassin. From every voice to every ear, the story spread for all to hear. Whispers in corners, emotions of dread, none dared believe all that was said. Children were frightened, hardly one slept, into their dreams the horror crept. Huddled in groups, fear from within. "Will our fate be as Deir Yassin?" From early April until middle May, only six weeks, almost to the day. The Haganah started their evil plan, empty the towns down to the man. "It must be done all quite before the 'Stupid Brits' fall out the door." "Inside our scrolls, our written deed, this promised land God us decreed." "Surely our God would never feel these Arabs were part of the deal." "It's God's will, and truly right, to get these Arabs out of our sight." "Our Haganah, God's righteous hand, to push these Arabs off our land."< viii Picture a barrel with tires around, on it's side rolled on the ground. Inside the drum is gasoline, bomb and a fuse all quite unseen. Rolled down streets, alley or path, their "Barrel Bomb" the Zionist wrath. Into each village the Haganah came, with one idea always the same. Barrel bombs blasting, loudspeakers blare, villagers forced too flee then and there. Mothers with babies clutching them tight running in terror, fleeing in fright. From the trucks loudspeaker sounds of wailing women and panic abound. Over the speakers a frightened man shouting in Arabic. "Run if you can!" "The Zionists come with poison gas, nuclear weapons, ready to pass!" "In God's name, hurry you fast, grab the children before the blast!" To every home the Haganah came. "Get out now!" The troopers exclaim. Some wouldn't leave, preferring to stay, they wouldn't move out of their way. At rifles point they were evicted, removed by force by pain inflicted. Everyone feared from deep within. "Will our fate be as Deir Yassin?" Families with children, old people too, left with nothing to see them through. Still the Haganah "Storm Troopers" came breaking down doors acting with shame. From early April until middle May the Haganah kept evicting this way. Western Palestine, all Arab towns, robbed of their homes, buildings and grounds. "Leave behind everything!" Townsfolk were told. "All your money treasure and gold." "Take no water or bread at all, nothing to eat walk 'till you fall." Families were moved in buses at night, abandon in wilderness nothing in sight. Others just walked to the next town, women with babies and children around. Telling the folks what had befell, begging for food and water as well. In a short time the Haganah came evicting them all, sick and the lame. In three directions the refugees roam, masses of people without a home. Some to Gaza thronged for relief, racked with despair huddled in grief. Up to Lebanon others took flight, held in disdain, regarded as blight. The worst trip, for swollen feet, the walk to Jordan in hellish heat. From early April until middle May thousands evicted on every day. Back in the towns the Zionists plundered, filling their bags, looking, they wondered. "Money and gems some furniture too, we'll have it all before we're through." "Mighty fine land these Arabs "left", our homeland now truly is cleft." "They didn't deserve such excellent soil, now it'll bloom with work and toil." From early April until middle May, it went on. What's that you say? Where were the British all this time? Didn't they stop this inhumane crime? Those who swore by their King's crown, promised us freedom protection on down. The noble British, who's governing skill assured us order by strength of will. "We are concerned for civilian lives if we intervene and anyone dies." "Besides, Mr. Truman, pervader of right, secretly has a dog in this fight." So it continued, Ben-Gurion's campaign, forced eviction like orphans in rain. All Arab countries that circled around, herd the Exodus shaking the ground. "SAVE PALESTINE!" Was the roar. "Whatever it takes even if war!" Then the British piped up again, looking quite stern, drinking their gin. "We can't allow outside interference, our image demands we keep up appearance." "On May fifteenth our Mandate over, you can invade shoulder to shoulder." "But until then we must insist from saving Palestine you must resist." From early April until middle May, no one would stop the Zionist fray. ix A tattered lace of broken soles. A scattered spread of burned out coals. As birds sore through the sky, they look below and give a cry. They see waves of moving shapes, in branding heat that none escapes. A panoramic scene so wide, are people viewed on every side. All moving East like swarms of bees, a human sea of refugees. A terrible race to Jordan reach, lest their bones in sunlight bleach. Bleeding feet with every tread, in powered dust their journey spread. Men would lead their families on, so many died their hope all gone. Children cried with hunger first, then they choked with dieing thirst. For every day they traveled on fewer saw the next day's dawn. Old folks fell like human rain though never to get up again. Tears were shed of every kind with trails of bodies left far behind. Three quarter million had to see our Palestine Catastrophe. x To the north a placid sea, the quiet lake of Galilee. Further south a deathly sea with no fish or shading tree. Two hundred miles a languid sliver, between the two the Jordan River. Two more days still further on the ancient city of Amman. A simple town of Bedouin folk, unprepared for the coming choke. In the city tired refugees walked in starving with forlorn pleas. Having reached Jordan their return forbade, the U.N. came with emergency aid. But only enough just to survive, fend off starvation and stay alive. Old canvas tents without any lamps, rose all around as refugee camps. Also in Gaza tent cities sprung, perched on cliffs they narrowly hung. Up in Lebanon unwelcome guests, living on charity at U.N. behest. Huddled in camps with no sanitation, diseases raged through without hesitation. Children that lived the journey through, now passed away from pneumonia and flu. Old people also perished this way, struggle to breath, dead the next day. Every morning a truck came around picking up bodies to lay underground. xi The day arrived, a stroke of fate, fourteenth of May nineteen forty-eight. White billowed clouds, a blue spring sky, the Herald Angels sung on high. Dave Ben-Gurion took the stand and he proclaimed a "just" new land. A land for those who've been oppressed, where evils done will be redressed. A land where "all" who live within have freedoms breath to breathe again The British now on their way, our sincere hope, one day they'll "pay". An hour later, to none's surprise the Yankees said they'd recognize. After a toast for their celebration, on the next day came the invasion. The Arab states came rushing through to save the land the Prophet knew. Iraq was there and Syria's crew, the King of Jordan and Egypt too. "None for all!" their strategy, each fought alone with no "esprit". Without a plan 'twas a route, they fell to bits and turned about. The setting sun saw shadows fall, the noble war was through for all. The flames of war soon died away, our wretched camps there to stay. The springtime passed, then summer too, as autumn fell our hatred grew. November came and we recall the U.N. vote that brought our fall. President Truman was re-elected, just squeaked by, but still selected. Won his office with our blood, those that lived now dwell in mud. The world went on with none amiss, our world stopped in dark abyss. The years passed by without decree. The camps remain and so do we. xii Peace to you who sit tonight and hear our tale by fires light. The cracking flames all but gone, yet coals remain and heat goes on. Look you deep the embers glow, hear my voice that you may know. Let me ask you question one, give your answer when I'm done. If one steals your sheep at night, are they his at mornings light. Or can you not get them back with armed force and swift attack. Long it's been our warrior's wealth, with soft steps, to fight with stealth. To us our land shall come again, our battle cry "Deir Yassin!" And when one among us dies up to Heaven shall he rise. By U.S. strength does Zion stand, with only this they keep our land. But over time "Yanks" will fade like old men who sit in shade. Time and numbers is our fate our victory sure, "God is great!" A hundred years we'll wage our war, if need be a hundred more. Two hundred years is not enough to keep us out we are too tough. Thanks to you who listen well, hear the story that I tell. The terrible crime that need not be; our Palestine Catastrophe. Stephen Ostrander | 
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