Checkpoint
© 1994-2010 Miguel CruzCheckpoint
Someone had assailed your home, ethnically cleansed its people, annexed its land, exhausted its bounteous resources, and decimated its geographical characteristics?

Someone had denied you your inalienable right of defending your home and self, and mendaciously accused you of being "terrorist", justifying crimes and oppression by "self-defense"?

Someone, by using humiliation and most degrading ways, had gotten in your way when you are dying and desperately in need of medical treatment?

Someone had taken away your most beloved ones and incarcerated them in a non-human environment?

Someone has inflicted an impermeable blockade upon your people and land.

Someone has incredibly blocked the only crossings to your land, preventing food, medications, building materials, stationery and also life...?

Someone has built a massive wall on your land, splitting your family property into two pieces you can't see your family members on the other side of the wall, and if you are allowed to see them, you must take a day-long walk to a military checkpoint to cross, but most often, your ID card may be taken away from you and you are told to come next day, and when you are almost back, a soldier calls you to go back for ID, and again a new journey of one-day walk?

Someone has kept you waiting for long hours until your patient dies?

Someone has broken in your house after midnight, spreading terror among your children, before arresting some ones and forcing them away, and, of course all under the pretext of "security"?

Someone who is an excellent war criminal has allegedly said to you "let's talk peace", although the plate on the negotiation table is already empty?

Someone has desecrated your Holy Places by digging tunnels underneath and preventing people from practicing their freedom of worship, all in a tireless attempt to obliterate your unquestionable identity?

Someone has robbed your right to free movement due to an all-out siege?

Someone has controlled your access to the sea and driven you to risk your own life, where getting to be shot at is very likely, simply trying to make a hand-to-mouth living?

Someone has cut the electricity off your house, factory, shop, or, most importantly hospital, if you are dying and looking vacantly at the blank kidney-dialysis machine?

Someone has assailed your ears and scared you to death by the thundering sound of Apaches and F-16s which constantly canopy the earth?

Someone has kept his gun pointed to your head, and you have no idea when you will be shot?

Someone has banned a certain formula needed for your ill child, and then your baby dies in front of your eyes because you can't go out for proper medical attention?

Someone has mocked all norms of international law and flagrantly continued committing massacres and violating human rights against you and your civilian people?

Someone has coerced you to live in a technologically controlled prison without means of survival, and sentenced you to slow-motion genocide?

Note: Before you even think of any answer, just please put yourself in the shoes of one of these people living in such circumstances.

Mohammed Said AlNadi, 23, lives in Gaza and is an English literature graduate. He works as translator and freelance journalist.