JERUSALEM-WEDDING PROCESSION Palestinian wedding procession highlights forced departures

Record ID: 145451

  • Title: JERUSALEM-WEDDING PROCESSION Palestinian wedding procession highlights forced departures
  • Date: 30th July 2015
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN GROOM, MOHAMMAD ODEH, SAYING: "Firstly, my grandfathers were from here, originally from Lefta. We came today to challenge the occupation to prove that this is our land and to revive our heritage again."
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jerusalem
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABS7ILKLWJ7IY8OB6Q2KW03OOZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A Palestinian couple have held a wedding procession in Lefta on the outskirts of Jerusalem - the village where the groom's grandfather was forced to leave almost 70 years ago.
    Mohammad Odeh and his bride Miral Malookh were joined by their families as they walked, danced and sang through the village in celebration of their big day.
    The groom's grandfather was forced out of Lefta during the 1948 war that followed the founding of the state of Israel, and lead to some 750,000 Palestinians losing their homes, according to the UN.
    The newly weds said they intended the procession to be a statement.
    "Firstly, my grandfathers were from here, originally from Lefta. We came today to challenge the occupation to prove that this is our land and to revive our heritage again," said Mohammad, the groom.
    Bride Miral added that she hoped others would follow in their footsteps.
    "For sure there are other couples that would continue what we started in this procession and we are going to be very happy that we started it and that they are going to continue with it, because this is the way we prove that this country belongs to us and will stay for us and all the lands and old buildings also proves that we are Palestinians and this country belongs to us," she said.
    The couple and their families wore traditional outfits during the procession and sang traditional wedding songs.
    One of Mohammad's relatives, Omar Odeh, said the land they are celebrating on should be returned.
    "We are reviving the heritage of our fathers and grandfathers. We came back to Lefta with happiness, we came back to tell all the world that this is our land, this is our country, this is our homeland. We were born here and grown up here and there will come a day that the occupier will go out of our country."
    In May 1948, Jews living in Palestine declared the establishment of the state of Israel.
    Five Arab countries invaded immediately, and in the ensuing conflict some 750,000 Palestinians fled the fighting or were forced to leave their homes. A similar number of Jews migrated to Israel from their homes in Arab states amid fears of a backlash against them.
    Many Jews saw the creation of Israel as the embodiment of their long-held aspiration for a land of their own, but for Palestinians the loss of their homes and land in 1948 became known as "al Nakba" - the catastrophe.
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