AMMAN – Palestinian documenter
and researcher Mr. Tariq Al-Bakri, with his wife, had visited HE Dr. Talal
Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global Digital
(TAG.GD) and brought to him, as a present, four oranges from his hometown Yafa,
in Palestine.
The presented oranges were
from the orange trees grown on the land of Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh’s father that the
family was forced to leave as a result of the Zionist invasion of Palestine
more than 70 years ago.
The four oranges reminded Dr.
Abu-Ghazaleh, though he has never forgotten, of the memories of his childhood
and the smell of the orange orchards in the land of his father and ancestors.
These were not just oranges;
but a meaningful message from the deeply rooted memories of a Palestinian
refugee who was displaced with his family because of the Zionist occupation of
their country.
Upon receiving the oranges,
Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh was deeply affected and he expressed his profound emotions;
the nostalgia to his childhood, his father's laughter, and the unforgettable
stories of the land.
“For me, these are not just
oranges; they embody my father's story, the dream of my childhood, and the
memories of my homeland. No matter the distance, no matter the place, our
homeland will be in our hearts,” he said, adding while gently holding the
oranges in his hands: “These blessed fruits continue to carry the voices of the
people; their joys, their sorrows, and their aspirations. They also embody the
unwavering story of a homeland that, despite all distances and challenges,
remains alive in our hearts.”
The four oranges have become a
living proof and a symbol of Palestine’s memory and its people. Even though
Palestine remains under Zionist occupation, it will continue to beat in the
hearts of its rightful owners until liberation.