Having lived in Germany for five years now, I am no stranger to political repression and censorship. As a Palestinian journalist advocating for Palestine, I have faced repeated harassment from German authorities.
My husband, a German citizen, and I, an American citizen, have become accustomed to being detained for hours, interrogated about our travels, and having our belongings searched without clear justification. However, it was shocking to see these tactics being used by the United States against Palestinians during the ongoing genocide.
Despite knowing that citizenship only provides limited protection, I believed that freedom of speech meant something in my home country. Unfortunately, the harassment we faced upon arriving in the US on March 24 shattered that belief.
Prior to departure from Frankfurt airport, we were approached by four agents from the US Department of Homeland Security, who specifically targeted my husband. We were interrogated about our visit to Gaza in 2022, and it was evident that we were being singled out for our Palestinian identity and political work.
Upon arrival at Newark airport, my husband and I were separated and individually questioned about our trip and connections to Gaza. The officers asked intrusive questions, including whether any of our family members were affiliated with Hamas.
They also inquired about my journalism work and demanded access to my email and social media accounts. Our phones were confiscated, and we were warned to stay away from political activities during our stay in the US.
Despite the intimidation and surveillance we faced, we refuse to be silenced. The goal of such tactics is to make us feel isolated and afraid, but we will not bow down to fear.
Our experience at the airport was intentional and meant to scare us into compliance. However, we will continue to speak out and bear witness to the injustices faced by Palestinians, despite the risks involved.
While we were advised not to share our story, we believe it is important to shed light on the ongoing oppression and violence faced by Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. Our passports and phones may be taken from us, but our voices and determination cannot be silenced.
Tapi mereka tidak bisa mengambil suara kita, kenangan kita, dan komitmen kita untuk keadilan.
Saat kami akan pergi, petugas bertanya kepada suami saya satu pertanyaan terakhir: “Apa pendapatmu tentang Hamas? Apakah mereka baik?”
Dia menjawab: “Kekhawatiran saya adalah melawan genosida yang telah merenggut nyawa dan kebebasan keluarga dan bangsaku. Hal lainnya, saya tidak tertarik untuk menjawab.”
Itu seharusnya menjadi kekhawatiran kita semua. Tidak ada yang boleh mengalihkan perhatian kita dari kebenaran yang mendesak dan tak terbantahkan: sebuah bangsa sedang dibantai, dan tanggung jawab kita adalah berdiri bersama mereka.
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