Local Palestinian woman decries violence in Israel | CPT PPP Coverage

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The Israel-Hamas war continues to rage on in the Middle East and the longer it continues, the more of a divide it seems to create all around the world.

For Palestinians here in the United States, many are starting to feel misunderstood and frustrated, like Dina Najjar, a Palestinian American who says what’s happening right now is atrocious.

“This is a horrible and horrific act of terrorism that I do not condone any way,” she said. “I do not condone the killing of innocent people, any people, all ethnicity, all lives matter.”

Najjar is a proud Palestinian American — her father is buried in Palestine and his family still lives there — who enjoys showcasing her culture. But she’s also passionate about educating people on her culture’s history — her mother’s family are Palestinian refugees who lost their homes and businesses and now live in Jordan after being displaced by Israeli forces in the Nakba of 1948.

“Hamas is not Palestine, Palestinians are not terrorists, they are a peaceful people who have been exiled and ethnically cleansed since 1948, the Nakba of 1948,” Najjar said.

While her family’s history has a dark past, Najjar said she wants to use love and compassion to educate those who don’t know much about the history between the two countries.

“A lot of people are pitting this as Jewish versus Palestinians,” she said. “That’s not it. We love our Jewish brothers and sisters. I dated a Jewish guy, I have Jewish friends, their religion is a beautiful religion. This is not what their religion stands for, this is all political hiding it behind it being Jewish against Palestinians, so you’re called antisemitic if you are pro-Palestine, that’s what’s happening.”

Najjar said she sees the divide and at times it can make her feel very alone. But she says the best way to bring people together is to talk, sit down with one another, have an open mind and a willingness to learn new things.

“I hear a lot of people saying you don’t have to be Jewish to support Jewish people,” she said. “You also don’t have to be Palestinian to support Palestinians. Jewish lives matter, Palestinian lives matter, and if you really and truly want peace … there is only one thing you can say, free Palestine.”