French la Vie

An old miniature painting surfaced today—a woman kneeling beside an olive tree—and the image immediately evoked Gaza, especially now, in the season when olives should be gathered with eagerness and reassurance of livelihood. The scene carried grief of knowing how many olive trees are being uprooted or burned by the IOF. Their ancient roots severed to prevent Palestinians from harvesting the crop their families have tended for generations.

A memory rose of a video I saw in which a Palestinian woman clung fiercely to a olive tree in her orchard while IOF soldiers tried to rip it from the earth. Her embrace held courage, resilience!

Looking at the little painting, a stillness settles in—a reminder of the beauty nestled within Palestinian land, sacred in its endurance. The olive tree beside the kneeling figure feels like a testament to a people whose connection to their land remains unbroken, even when it is being destroyed beyond recognition.