Not too late to include Mahmoud Darwish poems

Not too late to include poems of Mahmoud Darwish in the school curriculum

Mahmoud Darwish's death – a big loss for the Palestinian people as well as for peace seeking Israelis

Darwish's memory should be honoured by the inclusion of his poems in the curriculum of Israeli schools

"At his gravesite we salute Mahmoud Darwish, son of Galilee, conscience of the Palestinian people, poet of anger and hope, partner in the struggle for peace between the two peoples of this land" says the Gush Shalom movement. Many of us knew and cherished Mahmoud Darwish, the man and the poet. His untimely death is a great loss and a difficult one for the Palestinian people, and also for peace seeking Israelis.

In a telegram to Education Minister Yuli Tamir Gush Shalom calls for honouring the memory of Mahmoud Darwish by including some of his poems in the curriculum of of the Israeli schools. "Mahmoud Darwish was born between us, and grew up as an Israeli citizen, not more and not less. The fact that the State of Israel was unable to give this great creative talent a feeling of belonging, pushing him into decades of exile – isn't that our badge of infamy? The least what we can still do after his death is including his poems in the school curriculum presented to Israeli pupils – to the Arab pupils, in order to let them become acquainted with one of the great creative talents of their own culture, but not less important: to the Jewish pupils – to learn through it a bit about the suffering and aspirations of those with whom we can and should make peace."

ENDS

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