‘We still adhere to our religion and our heritage,’ says Umm Suhail Butto Israel’s attempts to isolate Palestinian Arab community have failed, researcher tells Arab News PALESTINE: Two million Palestinians, the majority of whom are Muslims, live inside Israel. They were displaced from their towns in 1948, but moved to live in neighboring areas. Israel calls them “Israeli Arabs,” while they are described by Palestinians as “the Palestinians of ‘48” or “Palestinians of ‘48 occupied land.” During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims living in predominantly Arab areas maintain Ramadan traditions. On the other hand, those who live in areas with a Jewish majority find it difficult to observe Ramadan in public places, but manage to keep it indoors. Umm Suhail Butto, an 85-year-old refugee living in Israel, serves as a unique model. When the Nakba occurred and she was 12 years old, her family was forced to migrate from her village, Al-Mujaidil, to the neighboring city of Nazareth. Umm Suhail left school before completing the primary stage, but she is fluent in three languages — Arabic, Hebrew and English — and has memorized the entire Holy Qur’an. “The majority of us here are Muslims, and our behavior, customs and traditions have not been affected in the long years since the Nakba, and we still adhere to our religion and our heritage,” she said. Ramadan comes with rituals for Palestinians inside Israel. They are inherited from generation to generation, includes religious rites and the establishment of the imposed prayers and Tarawih in mosques, or social customs, and the establishment of banquets and iftar tables. “Ramadan is the month of goodness and blessings. We fast during the day, stay at night in our villages and cities, and exchange invitations for iftar,” Butto said. “The children are happy with the musaharati. On some days of Ramadan we intensify our journey to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to perform prayers in it, seeking the great reward,” she added. The preparation for Ramadan begins weeks in advance for Palestinians inside Israel. Markets and shops witness a surge in activity, and in the final days, clothes and gifts are bought ahead of Eid Al-Fitr. Umm Suhail maintains special Ramadan rituals. She reads the Qur’an daily throughout the year, but during the holy month intensifies her efforts. She also hosts religious lessons in the Salam Mosque near her home, especially for women. As part of the lessons, she teaches the proper recitation and intonation of the Qur’an. Despite her age, Umm Suhail remains active, taking part in the preparation of iftar and sahoor meals using fresh seasonal vegetables. “Ramadan is a month with a special flavor, and we are interested in decorating homes, streets and shops, and you find lanterns and colored lights everywhere,” said Nawal, 66, the only daughter of Umm Suhail among four male siblings. FASTFACT Jamal Amr, a researcher specializing in Palestinians in Israel, said that the Palestinian Arab community ‘is an integral part of the Palestinian people, with whom it shares religion, customs and traditions, and Israel’s attempts to strip it of its identity and beliefs have not succeeded.’ Mohammed Watd, a Palestinian journalist who resides in an Arab town, Umm Al-Fahm, said that “Ramadan is no different here at home than in the West Bank and Gaza. Our table is one and we eat molokhia, and our customs and traditions are all one.” In the evening hours, after performing Tarawih prayers in the mosque, Watd and the town’s youth gather in cafes to watch football matches or follow Ramadan TV programs. In the town where Watd lives, there are about six mosques that are crowded with worshipers during the month of Ramadan, as more care is taken to perform the five prayers and Tarawih prayers inside the mosques. Jamal Amr, a researcher specializing in Palestinians in Israel, said that the Palestinian Arab community “is an integral part of the Palestinian people, with whom it shares religion, customs and traditions, and Israel’s attempts to strip it of its identity and beliefs have not succeeded.” He stressed that Israel’s attempts are “counterproductive,” as they “awaken consciences, increase the awareness of the Arab masses at home, stir feelings, and enhance adherence to national and religious identities.” Palestinians, especially the younger generation, are facing great challenges as a result of extended Israeli policies since the Nakba, Amr added. Israel is attempting to isolate them from their Palestinian and Arab surroundings, affecting their religion, customs and traditions, he said.