Palestine Speaks: Narratives of Life Under Occupation

Malek and Hoke spent nearly four years interviewing more than 50 individuals while working on this compilation. Their focus is on the experiences of Palestinian people. Those interviewed—16 of whom were chosen to be represented in this collection—narrate their stories, offering their experiences living, working, and struggling to survive in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Two of the accounts are offered by Israeli citizens, who comprise roughly ten percent of the population in the occupied territories. Each person's narrative shows pervasive exposure to ongoing violence. A common theme throughout the Palestinians' heartbreaking descriptions is a lack of optimism or hope for an improved future while currently surviving on exiguous means. In some cases, these voices suggest fighting for the future but ultimately speak as though failure is inevitable. In contrast, both Israeli citizens indicate that they see the situation improving and believe that there is hope ahead. The stark differences in the citizens' lives that develop these opposite mind-sets is made clear as these people share their most intimate struggles.