Palestinian lawmaker Ahmad Tibi has urged Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to show political courage and work with Arab parties to end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule.

In an interview with Middle East Eye on Friday, Tibi called on Eisenkot to summon “the courage of [former prime minister] Yitzhak Rabin”. 

In 1993, Rabin’s minority government of 56 seats relied on Palestinian-led parties for parliamentary support, amid the push to advance the Oslo Accords.

Tibi, founder and leader of the Ta’al party (Arab Movement for Renewal), said there was no democratic justification for ruling out cooperation with Palestinian representatives in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, this time around. 

“I hope Eisenkot will be courageous enough to go forward and form a minority government, which will end this government of Netanyahu immediately,” Tibi said.

A minority government occurs when the ruling coalition holds fewer than 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats. It survives by securing a “safety net” agreement, relying on outside parties to vote against opposition no-confidence motions without officially joining the cabinet.

Tibi’s party is part of the Joint List, alongside two other Palestinian-led parties, Hadash and Balad. Together, they won 11 seats. Another Palestinian party, Ra’am, secured eight, giving the two slates a combined 19 seats – a record for Palestinian parties in parliament.

The results mean that neither a Netanyahu-led nor an Eisenkot-led bloc can secure a 61-seat majority without Palestinian parties.

Tibi said the Joint List’s strategy was to support anyone willing to remove Netanyahu from office and pave the way for an alternative government.

The veteran politician dismissed proposals for a national unity government. Such an arrangement could bring Netanyahu’s Likud, the largest party in parliament, together with opposition parties to secure a majority, while excluding far-right figures such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.

Tibi argued that this would allow Netanyahu’s policies to continue while giving another political leader the task of presenting them more favourably to Western governments.

“We don’t like a unity government, because one side will continue his brutal policy and the second will help him market this policy,” he said.

“We prefer a new government by Eisenkot, as a minority government, and we are ready to help,” he added.

Tibi hailed the Palestinian vote as decisive, saying unprecedented turnout had prevented Netanyahu from securing another majority. 

Netanyahu’s bloc won 64 seats in 2022, paving the way for what was widely described as one of the most right-wing governments in Israel’s history. It won 53 seats in Tuesday’s elections. 

The outgoing government oversaw the genocide in Gaza, mass displacement and violence in the occupied West Bank, as well as a series of regional wars. Its tenure also saw a surge in discrimination and incitement against Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Palestinian citizens of Israel are descendants of the indigenous Arab population of historic Palestine. Their families survived the mass expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Zionist militia in 1948 and remained within the territory that became Israel.

Today, they number around two million, accounting for roughly a fifth of Israel’s population. 

Tibi praised Palestinian citizens who turned out to vote despite old age, illness and mobility difficulties. He described their participation as a historic achievement.

He said the immediate priority was to use these electoral gains to bring down what he called Netanyahu’s criminal government and improve the status of Palestinian citizens.

Tibi also dismissed allegations that Qatar had financed efforts to boost turnout among Palestinian citizens. He described the claims as politically motivated and predicted the controversy would quickly collapse, with no impact on the election results.

“Two, three, four, five days, everything will be relieved. It will be a minor issue; it will have zero effect on the results and on the process,” he said.

He accused Netanyahu of using the allegations to intimidate Palestinian voters and discourage Eisenkot from cooperating with Palestinian parties.

Tibi defended the high turnout as an act of political self-defence against racism and incitement.

He also rejected Netanyahu’s attempts to question the legitimacy of the Arab vote, pointing instead to allegations of foreign financing surrounding the prime minister’s own office.

“The only corrupted party here is the prime minister and the prime minister’s office,” he said.

Tibi also called on opposition parties to move quickly to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Likud lawmaker. He accused Ohana of turning parliament into a racist institution and fuelling hostility towards Palestinian lawmakers. 

Netanyahu is going nowhere until Israel’s Palestinians are taken seriously

“Amir Ohana made the Knesset racist,” Tibi said, describing him as a major factor in the deterioration of relations, particularly over Palestinian representation and its treatment in parliament.

He urged opposition parties to nominate a replacement, pledging that Palestinian lawmakers would support their candidate. 

“The best practical step should be removing Amir Ohana, the speaker of the parliament, and voting for the candidate of the opposition. It should be done, no hesitation,” he said.

Tibi said the opposition’s 67 seats – including those of the Palestinian parties – represented a democratic majority. 

He argued that Palestinian citizens, who make up around 20 percent of Israel’s population, had a legitimate right to help determine the country’s next government. – Middle East Eye

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Every year, 27 October is observed as Kashmir Black Day by Pakistan and Kashmiris around the world to remember the events of 1947 and highlight the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute. For Kashmiris, the day symbolises decades of political uncertainty, human suffering and the continuing struggle for dignity, fundamental rights and the opportunity to determine their own future.

On 27 October 1947, Indian troops landed in Srinagar following the signing of the Instrument of Accession by Maharaja Hari Singh. While India maintains that the accession was legally valid, Pakistan and many Kashmiri representatives dispute its legitimacy and argue that the wishes of the Kashmiri people were not adequately considered. The dispute subsequently became a major source of tension between India and Pakistan.

The Kashmir question was brought before the United Nations in 1948, and several UN Security Council resolutions addressed the conflict, including Resolution 47, which proposed measures involving a plebiscite under specified conditions. However, no plebiscite has taken place, and the dispute remains unresolved. For many Kashmiris, the right to participate meaningfully in determining their political future remains a central concern.

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Over the decades, the region has experienced conflict, political unrest, security restrictions and allegations of human rights violations. Reports by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2018 and 2019 raised concerns about alleged abuses, arbitrary detention, restrictions on freedom of expression and accountability. These concerns underline the need to protect civilians, uphold the rule of law and ensure impartial investigations into credible allegations of violations.

Kashmir Black Day is not merely a remembrance of historical events; it is also a call for renewed international attention, peaceful dialogue and a just resolution. India and Pakistan should pursue diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, while the international community should encourage respect for human rights, accountability and meaningful consideration of the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

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The people of Kashmir deserve a future defined by peace, dignity, security and respect for their fundamental rights. Lasting stability in South Asia requires constructive engagement, adherence to international law and a peaceful approach to long standing disputes. As 27 October is observed, the message remains clear: remembrance must lead to action, human rights must be protected, and the voices and aspirations of Kashmiris must remain central to the search for a lasting and peaceful settlement.

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Bangladesh is seeking answers on why Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshi nationals in the holy city of Mecca without telling Dhaka.

Last week, Saudi Arabia executed a male and a female Bangladeshi national after they were convicted of committing “indecent acts” inside a mosque.

Riyadh did not provide further details on the acts the two Bangladeshi nationals allegedly committed or whether they had legal representation in the Gulf kingdom, according to local media reports.

Reacting to the incident, Bangladesh’s minister for foreign affairs, Humaiun Kobir, told reporters that he was “very disappointed” by the lack of communication and that Dhaka was seeking an explanation on why they were executed and not informed beforehand about the execution.

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“We have sought an explanation from our friendly bilateral partner to look into the matter and know why the gap in information sharing and exchanges happened here. We are in discussions,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Earlier, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry said that it was waiting for a copy of the full verdict and the circumstances that led to the execution.

The official added that the two executed Bangladeshis were included in a list of prisoners that Saudi Arabia had shared with Bangladesh but did not indicate that they had planned to execute them.

Last week, Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of a Sri Lankan national after he allegedly insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra confirmed that Riyadh had overturned the death sentence of Anojan Sivarasa.

The 27-year-old remains imprisoned after he was sentenced to five years in prison and fined three million Saudi Riyals ($800,000).

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The court handed down the sentence amid intense criticism of Riyadh’s legal system.

Saudi Arabia relies on interpretations of Islamic law, alongside cybercrime and counterterror legislation, to target online expression under the guise of protecting “public morals”.

This has resulted in a surge of decades-long prison terms for social media users and an increased use of capital punishment.

At least 175 people have been executed so far this year, the majority of whom are foreign nationals.

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When Palestinian and Syrian children – broken by war – first entered the doors of the AMAN School of Excellence in Lebanon, they found stability, safety, and most of all hope, for their futures.

The school, started by Africa Muslims Agency (AMA) five years ago to cater to refugee children (excluded by mainstream schooling system), has since shown phenomenal results for both the learners, and also their families, thanks to your donations.

From those first uncertain days, the AMAN School has developed into a structured learning community spanning through years of deliberate care: stronger academic departments, dedicated Heads of Departments, and real systems for tracking every child’s progress, behaviour and wellbeing.

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Over the past five years, roughly 100 young people have completed their journey at AMAN and stepped confidently into their next chapter. This past academic year, the school achieved a 92.7% final pass rate. But the deeper story lives beneath the numbers: a child who once depended on a teacher for every task now works independently. A student once afraid to speak now raises a hand without hesitation. A few recognised words become a sentence, then a paragraph, then a young person ready for what comes next.

This progress has not come easily. Lebanon and the region have lived through conflict, displacement and profound uncertainty — and each time, AMAN refused to let education disappear. When classrooms closed, teachers reached students through online lessons, WhatsApp materials and recorded explanations, keeping every child connected to learning and to each other. When students returned, teachers didn’t simply resume the syllabus — they identified what was missed and rebuilt from there. Because during times of crisis, school offers children something beyond lessons: routine, familiar faces, and the reassurance that their future still matters.

One AMAN teacher said: “I often ask myself ‘did every child learn — and what can I do differently for the one who did not?’”

An AMA spokesperson said: “None of this would exist without the donors who believed in AMAN from Day One. Your support has never simply paid for books or buildings. It has protected something far more precious — a child’s right to keep learning, and to keep believing in tomorrow. Every word read independently, every exam passed, every one of those 100 graduates carries a part of what you have given.

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“For every child who walks through AMAN’s doors with uncertainty – and then leaves confidently, your continued generosity makes the difference. Your ongoing support is sadaqah jariyah. As Lebanon’s families continue to face real hardship, AMAN’s mission is far from finished, and we remain committed to bringing the education and safety promised to these children for many years to come, insha’Allah.”

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Every year, 5 August is observed as Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation) to commemorate the unilateral actions taken by the Government of India on 5 August 2019, when it revoked the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. This move was widely criticized for being implemented without the consent of the Kashmiri people and under an unprecedented military lockdown, communication blackout, and severe restrictions on civil liberties.

From a South African perspective, the Kashmir issue resonates deeply with the historical struggle against apartheid, political exclusion, and the denial of a people’s right to determine their own future. South Africans understand that lasting peace cannot be built through force, demographic engineering, or the suppression of political voices. The principles of justice, equality, and self-determination that guided South Africa’s liberation struggle remain equally relevant to Kashmir today.

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The constitutional amendments of 5 August 2019 altered the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir. Critics argue that these measures violated the spirit of United Nations Security Council resolutions which recognize Kashmir as a disputed territory whose future should be determined through the will of its people. Furthermore, the subsequent changes to domicile and land laws have raised concerns regarding demographic transformation and the erosion of the region’s political and cultural identity.

International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over restrictions on freedom of expression, arbitrary detentions, media censorship, and limitations on political activity in the region. Such measures undermine fundamental rights protected under international human rights law and democratic norms.

On Youm-e-Istehsal, people around the world reaffirm their solidarity with the people of Kashmir and call for a peaceful, just, and durable resolution of the dispute in accordance with international law and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The observance serves as a reminder that peace is inseparable from justice, and that the voices of oppressed communities must never be silenced.

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A United Nations inquiry commission has called for Israel to immediately release a Palestinian doctor it has jailed without charge for more than 18 months.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry ⁠on the Occupied Palestinian Territory made the appeal on Wednesday for Hussam Abu Safia, the 52-year-old director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, saying there are credible reports he has faced “continued and severe abuse”.

Abu Safia’s lawyer, Nasser Odeh, has warned that the doctor’s health is in ⁠⁠grave danger as he faces daily abuse. Rights groups and his family say he shows signs of having been regularly tortured.

During a recent visit, Abu Safia was found so severely wounded that Odeh struggled to recognise him, according to the rights group Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

Last month, footage of Abu Safia appearing via videolink before an Israeli court showed him looking noticeably thinner in his face and around his abdomen.

“The Commission calls for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of Dr. Abu Safiya and of all medical personnel held in arbitrary detention by Israel,” the commission said in a statement, using a slightly different spelling of the doctor’s name. “It also urges the Israeli authorities to provide immediate independent medical care for Dr. Abu Safiya.”

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Israeli authorities detained Abu Safia along with other medical staff and patients in December 2024. They classified him as an “unlawful combatant”, a designation Israel has used to hold Palestinians for prolonged periods without trial.

In the statement urging his release, the commission said Israeli authorities’ reported conduct towards Abu Safia reflects a broader pattern of violations that it identified in previous reports.

“The actions of the Israeli Prison Service guards towards Palestinian detainees raise grave concerns of violations of international law that ‌ likely amount to international crimes. Dr. Abu Safiya’s medical condition is the direct result of these actions.”

The Reuters news agency quoted an Israel Prison Service (IPS) spokesperson as rejecting the inquiry commission’s claims as “false, outrageous, and entirely without factual basis”.

The spokesperson did not specifically mention Abu Safia, although the IPS has previously rejected allegations that he or other doctors have faced mistreatment in prison.

In September 2025, the commission said ⁠Israeli authorities had committed genocide by targeting the healthcare system ⁠and medical professionals in Gaza since October 2023.

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On Monday, a separate UN rights body termed Abu Safia’s detention “arbitrary” and called for his immediate release. In its finding, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ‌said Israel’s ‌actions contravened multiple articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Abu Safia is one of 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza currently held by Israel without charge.

Prior to his detention, he had been a prominent voice highlighting Gaza’s decimated healthcare sector and continued to work despite the death of one of his sons in an Israeli drone attack.

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In the months since the ceasefire, Israeli attacks have killed 1,084 people, including nine killed by strikes and gunfire across Gaza on Wednesday, according to local health officials. Among the dead were two children, as well as a truck driver who was gunned down at a roadblock along the Philadelphi Corridor, an Israeli-controlled strip of land that runs along Gaza’s border with Egypt.

The Israeli military said it shot the truck driver after he “ran towards the troops.” Another man was killed on the street by a drone in Gaza City.

The strike that killed Wahidi on Tuesday hit a car in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City at dusk, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital. He said three others were killed in the attack, including the driver, Ahmed Daghmush, 33, and two brothers, 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri and 8-year-old Fari.

The Israeli military said Wahidi, who helped organize the soccer screenings in Gaza on Tuesday, was not a target of the strike. It said the attack was aimed at a Hamas militant and that it was checking whether Daghmush was the target. Abu Selmiya said he was a taxi driver without any known links to militant groups.

The committee for which Wahidi worked is the relief arm of the Egyptian government, which provides food, shelter and other assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.

Many in the Palestinian diaspora live across the border in Egypt, which was a key mediator of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.Team Egypt’s Gaza fan base has only grown since the start of the tournament, with coach Hossam Hassan spotlighting the plight of the Palestinian people in press briefings and on the pitch. He dedicated his team’s victory over Australia on Friday to both Egyptians and Palestinians and waved a Palestinian flag.

AP NEWS.

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The Commission, which concluded last year that Israel had committed genocide against the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip, found that the intense scale and systematic nature of the Israeli military operations have continued – resulting in unprecedented death, injury and trauma of Palestinian children.

The Commission reiterates that the deliberate targeting of children is one of the key elements establishing the genocidal intent of the Israeli authorities and security forces to destroy the Palestinian group, in whole or in part, in Gaza.

“The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces,” said Srinivasan Muralidhar, Chair of the Commission. “Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law.”

Severe physical and mental injuries, mass trauma, orphanhood, separation, disability, repeated displacements, starvation, and the collapse of education and healthcare have erased childhood and will continue to affect children in Gaza throughout their lives.

Palestinian children have been arrested and subjected to torture and other severe forms of mistreatment in Israeli prisons and detention facilities, with no information on their whereabouts. Israeli security forces have also used sexual violence against children as part of the collective shaming and oppression, entrenched within a prolonged, ethnic, gendered, and intergenerational pattern of Israeli occupation and hostilities.

Israel’s targeting of neonatal and maternity care centres in Gaza have directly harmed the survival of newborns and Palestinians’ reproductive future, including rises in miscarriages, birth defects and lasting vulnerabilities among newborns, resulting in the destruction of Palestinian newborn life and the population’s continuity. Starvation imposed by Israel through blockade and siege have further caused the death of Palestinian children and severely impacted the health of many others, depriving them of essential nutrition and increasing disease risks amid reduced immunization, food insecurity and destroyed health services.

In parallel, the dismantling and destruction of orphanages and education facilities in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have obstructed children’s cognitive, social and emotional care and development and disrupted the foundations of Palestinian society.

“Even if the bombs and guns fall silent in Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian children will not simply recover overnight,” said Muralidhar. “The destruction of their health, education and development is irreversible.”

Palestinian children have suffered immense psychological harm, having been stripped of any sense of safety and future. Mental harm is an intergenerational condition, producing a distinctive “occupied psyche” in which the freedom to play, imagine, hope, and develop an identity has been eroded.

By targeting children, Israel is eroding the foundational structure of Palestinian society, weakening the demographic vitality, and overall capacity of the Palestinian people to sustain and exercise its right to determine its future as a people, the report said.

“The protection, care and survival of Palestinian children are inseparable from the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” said Muralidhar. “By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future.”

The Commission calls for Israel to cease committing violations and crimes against and affecting Palestinian children. The Commission further calls for the end of Israel’s continuing presence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in compliance with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

The Commission has identified military units within the Israeli security forces responsible for killing and injuring of Palestinian children and makes recommendations to Israel and to all Member States to ensure accountability for such crimes.

The international community as a whole must uphold their international legal obligations and call for an end to the hostilities, for Israel to end its occupation and to prioritize accountability and access to justice for victims as an integral component of any political process, grounded in the meaningful participation of Palestinians, including children. UN Human Rights Commission

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Palestinian activists worldwide have launched a campaign to call on the breakaway East Libyan government to free the 10 Samud Land Convoy participants it arrested while they were trying to negotiate safe passage through its territory to deliver tons of aid to Gaza.

While the majority of the Samud Land Convoy participants have returned to their respective countries, the 10 – who were acting as negotiators – were arrested and charged with illegal entry – there is limited consular access to establish the status of their detention.

On her return to Cape Town, activist Fatima Hendricks said their travel through Libya was difficult. Their convoy had faced insurmountable hurdles as they travelled with 10 containers of food and medicine, ambulances, vehicles and mobile homes.

“But what did the military do? They (the East Libyan forces) came in their might to squash us. Our comrades are being held with very limited access. We demand their immediate release,” she said.

Meanwhile, Feroza Mayet, a spokesperson for the Samud Land Convoy, told Al-Qalam that aid for Gaza is in storage in East Libya, and negotiations are ongoing to have it transferred to Gaza.

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She said all of the 200 participants had Libyan visas and they were working with the Red Crescent to facilitate the convoy’s passage across Libya, with their final destination being Gaza.

She called on people of conscience to stand up and call for the release of the 10 negotiators.

Meanwhile, in a statement, human rights organisation Amnesty International said the 10 participants – four men and six women – were arrested while en route to Sirte to negotiate with local authorities to allow safe passage for the convoy to pass through.

“The Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) must ensure the immediate release of 10 members of the Global Sumud Land Convoy who have been arbitrarily detained for over two weeks in eastern Libya solely for attempting to deliver aid to Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing genocide, Amnesty International said today. 

Following periods of enforced disappearance ranging from two to nine days, prosecutors interrogated them before ordering their pretrial detention pending investigations into charges of “assembly without authorisation.” If convicted, they face up to six months in prison and/or a fine. 

“At a time when Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are grappling with Israel’s ongoing genocide and catastrophic humanitarian conditions, it is utterly disgraceful that individuals seeking to deliver humanitarian assistance and end Israel’s unlawful blockade have been met with arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and prosecution on bogus charges in Libya,” said Mahmoud Shalaby, Regional Researcher at Amnesty International. 

“No one should be punished for undertaking peaceful humanitarian action and trying to stop human rights abuses. The Libyan Arab Armed Forces must ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the activists, and in the meantime ensure that they have prompt and regular access to their families, consular representatives, lawyers and any medical care they require.” 

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“From 1 June and at least until 4 June 2026, the detainees, whose ages range from 30 to 70 and who are nationals of Argentina, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Uruguay, and the USA, went on hunger strike to protest their detention and denial of access to their lawyers and families.  

The 10 are Achraf Khoja (Tunisia); Lucas Aquilera (Argentina); Maria Gimenez (Argentina); Ana Franca Baptista (Portugal); Leornarda Alberizia (Italy); Jenelle Jones (United States); Matias Alvarez (Uruguay); Laura Alsubaih (Poland); Alicia Armesto (Spain) and Domenico Centrone (Italy).

The statement added: “On 17 May 2026, the convoy comprising more than 200 participants who had intended to drive to Gaza over land halted its journey and camped at a location approximately 9km from Sirte due to security concerns about the concentration of armed men nearby. One week later, on 24 May 2026, a delegation of 10 convoy participants proceeded toward Sirte to seek permission from the local authorities for the convoy to continue its journey. An armed group affiliated with the LAAF arrested the group at a security checkpoint near Sirte, without informing them of the reasons for their arrest.  

“The 10 were then escorted into unmarked white vans and forced onto a plane to Benghazi, where they were held in an unknown detention facility without allowing them to contact their lawyers or families.”

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A Palestinian mother of two who fled the Zionist genocide together with a plane load of other refugees late last year says she is most grateful to have been warmly welcomed to South Africa, but she yearns for the soil of Gaza.

Many of those who arrived have had to do so quietly, relying on community networks, particularly from within South Africa’s Muslim community.

Al-Qalam spoke to one Palestinian woman who requested to remain anonymous. Let’s call her Nadira.

Nadira says her life, despite hardships, was rooted in purpose and identity.

“I am Palestinian from the Gaza Strip. I grew up there and experienced everyday life filled with resilience and challenges. I studied journalism, got married, and have two children. I carry with me a deep connection to the place, my family, and the memories that have shaped a large part of my identity and who I am.”

Leaving, she explains, was not a decision made freely.

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“The circumstances that forced me to leave Palestine were difficult and complex. It was the war of genocide, the constant fear of death, and the absence of all basic conditions for life. It was a painful decision, but it came in search of safety and an opportunity for a new beginning where I could continue and build a future for myself and my children.”

For many Palestinians in Gaza, daily life has been shaped by ongoing conflict, uncertainty, and the erosion of basic living conditions. For civilians, particularly families, the decision to leave is often not about choice, but survival.

Arrival in South Africa brought both relief and emotional strain. “The moment I arrived in South Africa was a mix of conflicting emotions. I felt relief at being in a safe place, but at the same time, there was deep sadness and longing for everything I had left behind. My first impression was that the country is diverse, culturally rich, developed, and its people are kind, but I felt a sense of alienation at first.”

Adjusting to a new country, she says, has been neither quick nor easy. “Adjusting to life here has been gradual and not easy. The hardest part has been being away from my family and sometimes feeling lonely, as well as trying to integrate into a new society with different customs. Over time, I began to understand the environment better and gradually adapted.”

Separation from loved ones remains one of the most difficult aspects of rebuilding life in a new country.

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At the same time, support from local communities has played a meaningful role in easing that transition. “Yes, I have received beautiful support from the local community, especially the Muslim community, psychological, moral, and also guidance to better understand the nature of the country. This has helped me continue and feel that I am not alone.”

Across South Africa, similar acts of support have helped many who arrived begin to find stability, even in the absence of formal systems.

For Nadira, that sense of belonging is still taking shape.“I do feel that I am gradually developing a sense of belonging here. The country is kind and its people are welcoming, but it does not take away my original belonging to Palestine, my homeland. I hope people understand that behind every migrant there is a story full of challenges and sacrifices, and that the journey was not an easy choice but a necessity imposed by the harsh conditions in my country. South Africa has been a safe haven and a place of refuge for me, and I hold it in great appreciation 

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