Zaman Darwish

Text in Arabic. In his collection of stories, Atef Abuseif tells the story of Darwish, a refugee in Gaza, born after the 1948 Palestinian nakba. Tragic circumstances make him a widower and guardian to three children: a young son in elementary school, a daughter studying in university and his eldest son who has been captured and imprisoned by the occupying Israeli forces. Their story unfolds in the post-Oslo era, highlighting the challenges of the time including the Palestinian vs. Palestinian tensions, the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, and Gazans inability to communicate with their fellow refugees and the rest of the world. Darwish is looking to feel happiness in these troubled times, and more importantly, he is looking for things that give him hope. He wishes to enjoy simple things: a pleasant walk with his daughter and his little boy under heavy rain; witnessing the birth of a rainbow after sunrise; maintaining his precious little garden on the roof of his house; going fishing in the sea if only the Israeli Forces would let him.