Although he is a very serene man, the face of the young Palestinian Wadee Mustafa reflects sadness and concern, because “we are very hurt by what the Israeli government is doing against our noble people, with total disrespect for international norms and the just right we have to live in peace”.
Coming from Ramallah -a city located about 15 kilometers northwest of Jerusalem, in the West Bank-, Wadee came to Cuba 14 years ago to study Medicine, like many other young Palestinians, and after graduating, he began the specialty of Dermatology at the University of Medical Sciences Mariana Grajales, in this city of Holguin, together with his compatriot Tareq Toame (Ophthalmology).
Young Palestinian doctor thanks Cuba’s solidarity
Both agree that “what we do, thanks to Cuba’s solidarity, is to serve our long-suffering and noble people and being so far away, away from our land and family, we are overcome with pain, in the face of so many dead, injured, missing and evicted; in the face of so much destruction of everything we love”.
In view of this unfortunate reality, the young Palestinian expresses that “the only and best way to help our people at this time is to become doctors of science and conscience, as Fidel Castro proposed, since, by specializing, we will be able to devote ourselves completely to providing better medical care to those who need us so much”.
Dr. Mustafa told me that there are doctors trained in Cuba, working under terrible conditions in hospitals in Gaza Strip, whose health institutions are also bombed without contemplation, the main victims being children, women and the elderly. The genocidal escalation also affects doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and family members.
Young Palestinian doctor thanks Cuba’s solidarity
He said that, among the dead ones, there are 35 journalists and media workers. According to data provided by the union, 50 media offices have also been destroyed in Gaza, and the families of journalists have not escaped the barbarity.
Such is the case of Wael Dahdouh, correspondent of Al Jazeera, who lost his wife, two children and a small grandchild; as well as Mohammad Abu Hatab, from Palestine TV channel, killed along with 11 members of his family, in the south of the Gaza Strip, where they lived.
“The Palestinian is born and grows in an environment of Israeli aggression, whose government has occupied a large part of our territory, in a conflict that has nothing to do with religious issues, as they try to justify. We are against Zionism and against the Israeli military forces, armed and encouraged by the government of the United States of America”.
Young Palestinian doctor thanks Cuba’s solidarity
“Israelis pretend to convince the world that they are victims, rather than victimizers. We have heard that since before 1948 when, at the proposal of Great Britain, the State of Israel was established on Palestinian land, resulting in the occupation of most of our lands, destroying facilities, murdering innocent people and expelling many others. Criminal actions that have been increasing since last October 7th to date”.
Paradoxically, there are people and governments that support Israel’s hostilities and this inhuman propaganda campaign against a people, who only want to live in peace, in total harmony with the world.
Gratitude to Cuba
Cuba is present and future; it is an example of struggle to sustain the sovereignty conquered and sustained against the Yankee empire and has been in solidarity with all the just causes of the world, recognizes Dr. Mustafa.
“In these anguishing days, due to the Israeli aggressiveness against the Gaza Strip, we have shared many moments of solidarity with the people of Holguin, in morning and afternoon events and other meetings, organized by the provincial delegation of ICAP in different agencies, organizations, entities and institutions, where, my colleague Tareq Toame and I, have provided information to the participants about our history, as well as the causes and consequences of the conflict with Israel.
What do you think about your return?
“It will be very difficult for us to return to the land we love so much, knowing the disaster caused by the aggressors, but aware of the usefulness of the time we have lived among you, as Cubans and the professional preparation received by the University of Medical Sciences which, in addition to making us doctors, gave us the possibility of doing the specialties that we will soon overcome, in order to serve, as best as possible, our people, who have suffered so much for the ambition and arrogance of a government, armed and encouraged by the United States of America.
Young Palestinian doctor thanks Cuba’s solidarity
We are Palestinians and we also feel Cuban, because these 14 years have strengthened us as human beings, as defenders of peace and we admire the Cubans for their values and the tranquility they enjoy. We admire how they grow in the face of the cruelty of a blockade that is more than 60 years old and is intensifying with new measures.
“Of course it will be difficult for us to return to our land, which is suffering a merciless war to appropriate what belongs to us, but it is our duty to return, to share with our people and to serve them in everything within our reach. That is what we will do.”
Do you trust in the longed-for peace?
“Yes, we have that hope and we will fight day by day to achieve it. What we want is to be able to wake up every morning with the will to live, not with the fear of being hit by a shell, a missile, a bomb. We only want to see our children grow up in absolute peace; to share life with family, friends; to work, to serve the people and to share life with love, peace and harmony. That is what we want and we will fight to achieve it.”
Young Palestinian doctor thanks Cuba’s solidarity
Together with his friend Tareq Toame, Mustafa gave me historical facts about the conflict and other details about the destruction of the Gaza Strip, inhabited by more than two million people. Both embraced their flag and explained to me the meaning of the colors that compose it, starting with red, referring to the blood shed since colonial times; black, the permanent mourning for the fallen; white represents the peace to which we aspire and green symbolizes the color of the land and the hope that, someday, it will be recovered.
Relations between Cuba and Palestine have historically been fraternal and about such a long-suffering people, Fidel said: “… deprived of their lands, expelled from their own homeland, dispersed throughout the world, persecuted and murdered, the heroic Palestinians are an impressive example of abnegation and patriotism, and are the living symbol of the greatest crime of our time”.
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