In the post Palestine march rally in Hyde Park this afternoon Juliet Stevenson, the actor, paid tribute to Refaat Alareer, the Palestinain poet and academic (the Voice of Gaza) killed with members of his family in an Israeli airstike on Gaza City in December.

She read his most famous poem, addressed to his daughter, just before he was murdered by the IDF:

“IF I MUST DIE” - REFAAT ALAREER

If I must die,

you must live

to tell my story

to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth

and some strings,

(make it white with a long tail)

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza

while looking heaven in the eye

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze—

and bid no one farewell

not even to his flesh

not even to himself—

sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above

and thinks for a moment an angel is there

bringing back love

If I must die

let it bring hope

let it be a tale


Yesterday his daughter, her husband, and their new born baby were killed in an Israeli airstrike!

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20...trike-in-gaza/