“DOWN WITH OSLO”

The day the Oslo-accords were signed I took a walk around the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, when I discover hundreds of young Palestinian men gathering with slogans written on posters. The biggest poster of them all the slogan “The Oslo-Accords is a poisonous dagger created to be plated in a Palestinian’s back

Back then I couldn’t understand the meaning of these words back then. The two large counter-demonstration just a couple of blocks away from each other, who could have known the size of the political spillover effect this would have in the future. I ended up with the group demonstrating against the Oslo-Accords, I saw some familiar faces in the group, and I guess that was the insurance I needed to act.

I won’t forget how we were met by the Israeli Army. Teargas flying over our heads like heavy rain clouds, and the shot that was fired, even if we had a peaceful approach. My story about the Oslo-Accords isn’t ending here though. On my way to the Dahisheh school in the middle of our refugee camp, I passed the words “Down with Oslo”, and the words was of course in reference to the newly signed agreement, not the city.

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“Down with Oslo” was written in both Arabic and English, they had been tagged on walls all over camp, and was quite an attractive photo object. I have to admit I wasn’t quite sure why they were written, or why it was so important the agreement was rejected.

It’s a bit like poetic justice that I ended up in Norway, and that Oslo is the city I live in today. I’ve gotten to know this beautiful city that was on everyone’s tong back then. The friendliness I met and the smiles I received was a surprise, and I started to wonder why they used such negative slogans against this beautiful city up North.

Decades have passed since they signed the agreement, and I’ve spent decades in Oslo, this town is a part of me now, as I am of it. Nevertheless, I’ll never be able to get passed the fact that this city, is such a big part of the reason for the constant occupation of my homeland.

How will I ever be able to tell my family that my city created a deal, that resulted in the loss of 240% Palestinian territory, that the settlement has had a 5-time increase, since they signed in Oslo. In addition to this they’ve been building a wall separating agricultural land, farmers losing their life foundation, wives losing their husbands and children losing their relatives.

hares-1-660x330 And let’s not forget the thousands of innocent women and children in jail or killed by the occupation’s forces. And to top it off unemployment is soaring and rising at a record pace, and an economy that is misguided and faltering.

How do I explain that we’re still stateless, 20 years after the agreement was signed?

Shortly after the new “blue-blue” government won the election last year, our new Prime Minister got a question about where Norway stood in on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Whereupon the Prime Minister gave in response:

We will continue to work in support of Israel’s right to self-defense”.

Without a flinch the Prime Minister announce that out nation will step in and defend an occupant right to occupy illegal territory. Did it ever cross her mind, that by doing this Norway would be an accomplice in the act of occupation that has resulted in multiple deaths and loss off land?

So, dear PM! The Norwegian government need to take a stand against the occupation, not support it! I wish that you, my honorable PM and your government would recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, and denounce the ongoing occupation that with unjust reason spoil and grab land.

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I hope that you can stand side by side with a suppressed population. I believe that I will be a proud Palestinian living in Oslo, some day…
 I want to tell my friends and family and friends that you held your ground against the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, and with proud when I announce that you fought for their independence. Then history will show that the nation aiding an occupant with “heavy-water” showed regret and that it would be impossible to let the crimes against humanity continue.

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