The Scholars Have Spoken

And so the scholars have spoken. (I have no financial relation whatsoever with The Survivor TV series).

Few weeks ago, I had a dream. Prior to that, I watched Paradise Now until late (ran it couple of times). Thanks to my interest in photography (eventhough that I feel my skill is pretty bad), I dreamt of being a photojournalist on a assignment in Nablus, West Bank, Palestine - what a really weird dream!

And so, on a fine clear morning, I went out and start exploring around with my driver. I passed checkpoints after checkpoints, snapping photos and all from the car. Feeling that better shots could be of my collection if I blend in with the Palestinians more, I decided to get off and walk instead, and arrange for my driver for pickup later in the afternoon.

Deep in my heart, I hope that out of hundreds of photos taken, a few could win the heart of the editors at NYT, Guardian, Haaretz (not Jpost, blatantly pro-Israel) or at least NST or Harakah (Utusan? Errr... not interested). If they don't care (like many other big newspapers), I am going to donate rights to my photos to Amal or MERCY or something like that back home.

It all started when I was walking down a busy street, armed with a camera on my left hand and a bag of pita bread on my right; I heard a loud bang from a few blocks away. It must a shell. Seconds after, gunfires and shouting reverbrates here and then. The crowd suddenly shaken, went panic and ran away elsewhere seeking for cover, who knows the next shell might drops right in front of you!

"Apa jadi ni?"
(What happened?)
"Ada zionis tak guna tembak kedai runcit dengan kereta kebal! Habis semua bersepai!"
(There's zionist's tank shelled a shop just now. Everyone's dead)
"Hah gila apa?"
(What? Are they out of their mind?)
"Memang gila!"
(They're all madmen!)
"Jom duk sini, selamat sket!"
(Let's hide for your life)
"Ok ok, tak guna nye penyangak!"
(Alright, damn you! - referring to the occupying forces)

(I had this funny and weird feeling - how come I could understand their Arabic? I am dreaming of being an Arab photojournalist or what?)

Boom! The second shell hit the bakery that I went in and bought the pita bread beforehand, which is about 30 metres away from my hiding, leaving it ablaze and the whole section of the shoplot begins to collapse. Pieces of bodies is everywhere. Nearby, I saw a little girl, sprawled on the ground, probably aged 8, crying for help as the blood trickling down her cheek. Must be a head wound. I snapped a few shots (less than a sec to do all this).

I rushed to her rescue and did not realise that a sniper is already aiming on her, trying to finish it her off. When I hold her up, a crackle of gunfire went aloud from distant, and within a blink of an eye, her neck burst out with blood - a bullet streaked in through, and she couldn't even cried for her pain. That left me redness all over me, with all the rage and hatred and anger in the world burning inside me. Argh!

Later on I was awaken by a thud on the window - must be a cat or something, and I realised that its 2 am in the morning. What a dream it was!

So folks, back to the topic - The Scholars Have Spoken

More photos here:
http://alsaher.com/boycott/crimesgallery.htm
http://www.abeling.nl