Adam, Fatima and my Dad by Father Labib Kobti

I am angry at my Dad!
He is not fair!
He does not see …
He does not want to see.

Dad always takes the side of my brother.
Adam can do anything at home.
Dad will never say anything to him.
No one can say anything to Adam.
If anybody dares…
Dad will be angry against that person.
Worse he will punish him.

When I asked my angry brother Adam
“Why did you break the three Barbies of Fatima
And spill black ink on her beautiful white clothes.”
He said: “Because Fatima hit me twice”.
He screamed at me and said: “Just look what she did to me,
Fatima is a monster.”

Adam showed me his arms and feet.
I could not see any scratch on Adam’s arms or feet.
Fatima’s hands were so small to leave any mark on Adam’s.

Adam said you cannot see because the pain is under the skin.

Fatima was weeping like any child who weeps.
Fatima was holding her dear Barbies without heads and arms.
Fatima had her hands and face filled with black ink.
She was weeping, she moved me to weep.

When I complained to Dad.
Dad was angry at me.
He said “Fatima hit him.
She deserves all this and more.
And I forbid you to wash her.
She should learn by now …
That she should never hurt Adam anymore.”

I cannot understand Dad.
How can one compare the three year old Fatima …
With Adam who was big, tall and strong,
Who at 12 years old …
Many can think he’s 18.

Fatima was also a big girl …
She was very smart for her age …
She could understand everything,
And appeciate the good done to her.
She felt always ignored by Dad …
And by all my family!
She felt that Adam was taking all her toys!

To calm the anger of Adam
Dear Dad took Adam to lunch.
Dad promised to buy him a gift.
He left me and Fatima at home and said:
“If I come back and see that you washed her,
I will punish you both.”

I closed my eyes and saw the Palestinians.

With their classical weapon,
Palestinians did not destroy any Israeli house in Gilo,
Or in any Settlement at the Occupied Territories.
In Gaza as in all Palestine, they have lost,
Their houses, farms and buried their children.

When Palestinian houses were destroyed by the Israeli gunships, tanks.
When the Israeli Occupation army and the Settlers are uprooting …
The symbol of peace, the Palestinain olive trees.

No Israelis live in tents.
On the other hand, Palestinians live in tents …
And at times on the open land …
Beside the ruins of their bombed houses.

While Israelis have water for their swimming pools,
Palestinians do not have water to drink.

While the Israelis have electricity for their computers and Satellite TVs,
Palestinians do not have electrcity.

And the USA Administration is pointing the finger …
Blaming the Palestinians, forbidding the UN ….
To wash Palestinain human wounds with peace forces.

I told Fatima that she should not hit her beloved brother Adam.
That brothers and sisters should love, share and cooperate …

I am against any kind of violence.
It is unfair to do violence to anybody.
Violence engenders violence.
Peace and love bring peace and love …
In the heart of humankind.

Dad has never said to Adam that he should stop mistreating Fatima,
Or he is using excessive violence against his little sister.

Will anyone join me in telling Dad …
That he is destroying the future of Adam,
And the future of Fatima?

Will anyone help me show Dad ..
How abusive and dishonest he have been so far?

I cannot stop Fatima from weeping,
I do not have money to buy my Sister a Barbie.