Sometimes I can write very angry columns, but I know that it doesn't work. Sayed Kashua More Quotes by Sayed Kashua More Quotes From Sayed Kashua If there was genuine desire on the Israeli side, even without a solution, it would be possible to solve a large percentage of the problems between Israelis and Palestinians by means of simple statements from the Israelis. Sayed Kashua solutionproblemssimpledesire Thanksgiving is the only day of the year when most of the stores here are closed during the day and reopen after midnight. Even restaurants shut down for the holiday, except for the fast-food chains. Sayed Kashua downdayholidaythanksgiving Well, you can't say you are lucky to live in Champaign, but I was lucky to be at the University of Illinois. It's a very international cosmopolitan community. That's very helpful. Sayed Kashua liveyoucommunitylucky Americans like to add the word 'super' when they're describing things. Sayed Kashua superwordthingslike Back in Israel, I would spend much effort and plenty of money on presents when I went abroad, even if it was only for two days. Sayed Kashua onlybackeffortmoney The truth is, I never travel without cash. I always take a few tens with me in case of an emergency. There's never been an emergency, and in time, I realized that Americans don't want to touch customers' dirty bills. They also don't want to touch your credit card: you have to put it through the machine yourself, with your own fingers. Sayed Kashua meyoutruthtime Christmas is relentless. It's around the clock. I sit with my little ones in front of the TV screen, and we watch movie after movie after movie. Sayed Kashua watchsitclockchristmas Sometimes I wonder: What are the children thinking? And sometimes I wonder why the hell I'm not buying a tree like the other neighbors. After all, there is no mention in Christianity of Christmas trees, and even if there were - is there any good reason why I shouldn't be buying some red stockings? Sayed Kashua goodchristmastreechildren When I was 14, I saw a library for the first time. Sayed Kashua firstlibraryfirst-timetime I once wrote that the first week in Jerusalem was the hardest week of my life. I was different, other; my clothes were different, as was my language. All of the classes were in Hebrew - science, bible, literature. I sat there not understanding one word. When I tried to speak, everyone would laugh at me. Sayed Kashua my-lifemelifescience I began to write, believing that all I had to do to change things would be to write the other side, to tell the stories that I heard from my grandmother. Sayed Kashua thingstellgrandmotherchange I wanted to tell, in Hebrew, about my father who sat in jail for long years, with no trial, for his political ideas. I wanted to tell the Israelis a story, the Palestinian story. Sayed Kashua politicallongfatherideas For one moment, after I left Jerusalem with my family for life in Illinois, I thought that maybe there's still a chance: maybe there are still enough people in Israel who refuse to rule and oppress another nation. Sayed Kashua momentfamilylifepeople What kind of people will these ghettos of Palestinians produce? What form of morality, national consciousness and hope will people be left with after so many years of stifling occupation and a sense of hopelessness? Sayed Kashua willmoralityhopepeople It sometimes seems that the only plan the Israeli government has for the Palestinians is for them to sit quietly while Israel does whatever takes its fancy, equipped with its army, with laws it promulgated, and with courts it established. Sayed Kashua planarmygovernmentsometimes The Palestinians have tried everything, and by God, it's Israel's governments that taught us that the only thing the Israelis appreciate is force. Sayed Kashua everythingforceappreciategod
