Handala

"Handala" is a cartoon drawing done by a famous Palestinian cartoonist called Naji Al Ali. Naji Al Ali was evacuated from his home town in Palestine when he was 10 years old. He then moved to Lebanon to live in a refugee camp, as a cartoonist, Naji tried his best to show the suffering of the Palestinian refugees who lost their homes, land and identity. to Naji the little kid on the left who was named "Handala" was always 10 years old and never grew older, as this kid resembled Naji as a little kid when he had to leave his home in Palestine, and Handala is always giving his back to the photo as it resembles loss of hope and identity, as well as the international neglecting to the Palestinian case. Although Naji Al Ali was assassinated on the 29th of August 1987, Handala still stands as a great symbol to the Palestinian people, as it stands for the case in general..... handala also reflects deeply on my life, as growing up outside of palestine, i was not granted citizenship where i was born. My passport consisted of a Palestinian refugee document that had so many restrictions that i could not travel anywhere, especially palestine. Therefore, "Handala" always represented me in a way, a lost soul desperate to go home,and even though that dream is faced with so many challenges, I will never stop dreaming. Some people might find that weird as i have never been in Palestine, but the way i see it is, I dont live in Palestine, but Palestine is aways alive within me and everything i do!