Jerusalem - Blog Posts

Bulbul with Palestinian Flag

When I asked my friend about birds from his home the first thing that came to mind for him was the bulbul.

This little guy is the white-spectacled bulbul, a medium-sized passerine described as "conspicuous and noisy". They're common around Palestine, my friend has many fond memories of them. I have just added this drawing of one holding a Palestinian flag to my shop.

As usual ALL PROCEEDS from this design will go to my Palestinian best friend to help him afford to bring his girlfriend over to America and to help his other loved ones around the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. You can find the design here printed on a lot of different products.

You can find all my designs here. Redbubble will display with a random product, click on it to see all product options (shirts, stickers, notebooks, etc).

Also funny story when I first looked up bulbuls my friend wasn't checking too closely what photo I had up on my phone and I spent a long time believing the red-whiskered bulbul was from Palestine (it's not, it's from south Asia). So much so that I actually drew the wrong bird at first. Oops. So, I probably won't sell this guy because he doesn't make a lot of sense as a symbol for Palestine (maybe I'll repurpose him into an unrelated design after the war) but here you go, solidarity for Palestine from this lovely little tropical frugivore:

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped out so far, I really appreciate you. My friend is hunting now for a new living space to accommodate his partner when she gets here. Housing as a grad student is always a nightmare, I'm so grateful that you all are helping with the deposit. My friend is also doing his best to figure out help for his family back home (a chaotic situation, just getting in contact with some relatives has been a mess so far). I'll try to add some updates as things progress (as usual, vague to protect their privacy).

A minimal poppy design, just an open source image with some lettering I thought would make for a nice water bottle sticker. This flower is common in Palestine and is often used as a symbol, representing the colors of the flag and blood shed upon the land.

As usual, ALL PROCEEDS from this design are for my Palestinian best friend, to help his girlfriend afford to join him safely in America and to help his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries.

You can buy this designs on various products (shirts, stickers, etc) here. All designs found here (Redbubble will show you a random product, click on each to see more product options). Thank you to everyone who has helped out so far!

A friend recommended I add more "cute" designs to appeal to a broader audience. So, here is a little cartoon kitten in a keffiyeh:

As usual, ALL PROCEEDS from this guy are for my Palestinian best friend, to help his girlfriend afford to join him safely in America and to help his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. You can find this design on many products (shirts, stickers, mugs, etc) here.

Also if you're looking for cute designs I would recommend my most popular work so far and its several variants, a little dove wrapped in a keffiyeh:

All designs found here (Redbubble will show you a random product, click on each to see more product options). Thank you to everyone who has supported so far!

Wildcat Wearing Keffiyeh

This one was inspired directly by my Palestinian friend, he's a labor activist and he has done some incredible work in various unions (and non-union movements) over the years. He's nice enough to have put some serious time into labor organizing for free for employees of organizations he doesn't even work for just because he hates seeing people being treated unfairly. When I tell you he is the nicest person I have EVER met I really mean it. I actually met him through his labor activism.

As usual ALL PROCEEDS from these will go to this wonderful man to help him afford to bring his girlfriend over to America and to help his other loved ones around the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. The cat is found here and here (on shirts, stickers, notebooks, etc). All designs found HERE (click on each to see more product options).

For those not familiar, this is the black cat/wildcat/sabo-tabby, an old union symbol likely designed by IWW member Ralph Chaplin. It is associated with sabotage, wildcat (unprotected) strikes and other radical labor actions.

By the way, did you know that Israeli trade unions have historically fought against the Arab workforce?

Palestine Bird Designs

One of the first times I spoke with my friend (the one I am fundraising for) about Palestine he spoke so passionately about how birds represent freedom to him, as they come and go over the walls at will. Israel has caused absolute devastation to Palestine's wildlife, cutting off migratory pathways for land animals and destroying habitats. Birds (though still hurt by habitat loss of course) can pass over the barriers. Watching them fly across the walls is a bittersweet thing for those trapped within them. The flight of birds has represented freedom to so many cultures, but there's a certain extra emotional poignancy that comes with the symbolism for people who are trapped by the same barriers that the birds traverse with ease.

Of course this is not the only reason I make so many bird designs, doves are a standard symbol for peace and I'm also absolutely obsessed with birds in general, but the way my friend told it was very touching and I wanted to share. My various bird designs have gotten a lot of attention the last few days, so I'll compile all my birds so far in one place here:

You can find all my designs here. Redbubble will show you a random product, click on it to see all product options (shirts, stickers, notebooks, etc). ALL PROCEEDS will go to my Palestinian best friend to help him afford to bring his girlfriend over to America and to help his other loved ones around the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries.

Sticker Designs for Palestine

For those who haven't seen my posts yet, I am raising money for my Palestinian best friend. ALL PROCEEDS will go to help his loved ones through this war and to help his girlfriend afford to join him safely in America. He is the sweetest person in the world (and a truly brilliant scientist, like an actual genius) and he deserves so much better than this. All designs found here.

I'd like to point out now that my stickers generally have the highest profit margin, and if you buy 10+ you get half off all of them but I still receive the same amount (edit: nevermind, I think I still get a flat percentage but also the 50% sale is less than 50% if Redbubble is running another sale at the same time. Still, bulk always costs you less and I make a high percentage on stickers!). Here is a small sample of my stickers (including 3 I haven't posted here before):

All 66 and counting of my designs are available on stickers (among many other things) so check out the collection! Click on whatever product Redbubble shows you to see more product options. Thank you so much to the people who made purchases yesterday, and to everyone who helped share my work around! It was exciting seeing the shop get so much attention!

Honestly I am stressing the fuck out worrying about my friend and you all make me feel like I'm being useful so thank you, sincerely.

Palestine Sunbird

As usual ALL PROCEEDS will go to my Palestinian best friend to help his loved ones through this war and help his girlfriend afford to join him in America. He is the sweetest person in the world (and a truly brilliant scientist) and he deserves to be able to focus on grad school as best he can through this awful genocide without financial stress on top of the emotional toll. I just added a few new versions of my Palestine sunbird:

The keffiyeh is borrowed from my dove drawing:

This is what the real bird looks like:

The Palestine sunbird is a beautiful little passerine found around parts of the Middle East and Africa. They look somewhat like giant hummingbirds (though that is entirely convergent evolution, hummingbirds are actually in the same clade (Strisores) as potoos and frogmouths and stuff, which I find very surprising). These little guys were adopted as Palestine's national bird in 2015. My designs are available on shirts, stickers, mugs and more, here is the link to my collection (click on a design and scroll down to see more product options). Thank you to everyone who has helped so far!

The tatreez (Palestinian embroidery) pattern I made has been more popular as a sticker than I expected, so I have just added the top two versions designed primarily to be used as stickers (also available as pins and magnets).

As usual, ALL PROCEEDS from this design are for my Palestinian best friend, to help his girlfriend afford to join him safely in America and to help his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries.

These designs and a bunch more are found here (Redbubble will show you a random product, click on each to see more product options). Thank you to everyone who has helped out so far!

New Dove Design

I am absolutely in love with the Reem Kufi font (on the left), it's a beautiful blend of historical and modern design (though a little hard to read if you're still new to Arabic, haha). The Arabic characters were designed by Khaled Hosny if you want to check out the artist. I've used it for a bunch of simpler designs as well on my Redbubble recently.

As usual, ALL PROCEEDS from these designs are for my Palestinian best friend, to help his girlfriend afford to join him safely in America and to help his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. He is a brilliant scientist and the kindest man I have ever known, I hate seeing him suffer like this and want to help in whatever small way I can.

The designs above (and a bunch more) can be found here. Available on stickers, shirts, pins, notebooks, etc (click on each to see more product options).

Also check out my most popular designs so far (also doves):

Thank you to everyone who has helped so far!

New Palestine Designs

I made a few designs this weekend with some open source patterns and a tatreez design I drew in FlossCross. Mostly made with clothing prints in mind, but also available on stickers, notebooks, phone cases, mugs, etc.

My best friend is Palestinian, and a lot of his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. ALL PROCEEDS from these designs will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

All designs found here (Redbubble will randomize what it shows the print on, click on each product to see more options). I'm adding new ones roughly daily. Thank you to everyone who has helped so far!

Palestinian Flag - NASA Photos

I wanted to share this one again while I wait for all my weekend designs to be approved. I colored this Palestinian flag with open source NASA photos.

My best friend is Palestinian, and a lot of his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. ALL PROCEEDS from these designs will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

Available here on shirts, stickers, hats, masks, etc.

All designs available here (click on each to see the design on other products as well). Adding new designs about daily.

Palestine Brushstroke Designs

Three brushstroke overlay photos, two of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound's Dome of the Rock and one of the Palestinian flag (edited to add "compound", the dome is not the main prayer hall in  المسجد الأقصى, thank you to @freepalestine-believer for pointing out the possible confusion).

For those who haven't seen my posts yet, my best friend (the nicest person I have EVER met, hands down) is Palestinian, and a lot of his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the increasing Israeli raids in the the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries. ALL PROCEEDS from these designs will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

These designs are found in my collection here on stickers, shirts, mugs, etc, along with all of my other work. New stuff being added pretty much daily. The first two should be live now, the last is waiting for approval and will probably be up by tomorrow.

I'd also like to point out the three designs that have received the most attention on Redbubble so far:

Thank you to everyone who has helped out!

Palestine Designs

A selection from the things I have made these past couple weeks. My best friend is Palestinian and ALL PROCEEDS from these designs will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

All these and a few more available here. All designs are available on multiple products (shirts, notebooks, pins, etc), the ones shown are just examples. Anything not showing up in the shop is being reviewed by Redbubble and should be up soon.

Thank you to everyone who has helped so far. This friend means a lot to me and anything to make this horrible situation a little easier for him is greatly appreciated.

Palestine Designs

My Palestinian best friend is an absolutely brilliant scientist and all around amazing person. He genuinely tries to help everyone he meets. It is heartbreaking seeing my dearest friend in so much pain. I wish there was more I could do to help.

A lot of his friends and family all around the Levant are being hurt directly and/or financially by the war. ALL PROCEEDS from the Palestine designs I have been selling will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

I know it's not much but my hope is to at least ease the financial toll this will take on him, grad students don't have much to begin with and having to stretch what he does have to protect those he loves is going to be really tough as this conflict drags on. I don't want him to have to leave his research, I can't tell you much for his privacy but I assure you it is brilliant work and he loves it so much. No scientist should have to choose between their passion and the safety of their family.

Above is the latest design, found here. Mostly made with stickers in mind, though you can also find it on shirts, notebooks, hats, etc. There are 5 more versions of a map with a keffiyeh pattern waiting for Redbubble's approval now. Full collection can be found here, with new designs being added pretty much daily in a variety of styles.

This has been the favorite and best seller so far:

Thank you to everyone who has helped out.

Dove Wearing Keffiyeh

Thank you so much to the anonymous customer from Dublin who bought this keffiyeh-wearing dove on a shirt yesterday!

ALL PROCEEDS from Palestine related sales through my Redbubble shop will go to my Palestinian best friend (the most amazing person I've ever known) to help him bring his girlfriend over to America. Any left over will be used to help his family/other loved ones affected by the war.

Design found here, all Palestine designs found here. Available on shirts, stickers, hats, notebooks, mugs, pins, etc. New designs being added pretty much daily.

Palestine Designs

My best friend is an absolutely brilliant scientist and all around amazing person. He genuinely tries to help everyone he meets. He'll interrupt a lunch to go buy lunch for the homeless people too. He's been involved in activism for more causes than I can count, often for things (like LGBTQ+ issues) that don't affect him personally, just because it's the right thing to do. He takes care of everyone else even when he doesn't have much for himself.

He is Palestinian, and a lot of his friends and family all around the Levant are being hurt either directly or financially by the war. Those of you who have been following this account know that for a little over a week now I have been adding Palestine related designs to my Redbubble shop. ALL PROCEEDS from these will go first and foremost to helping his girlfriend afford to join him in America safely, and after that helping his other loved ones weather this war.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out so far!

Click Here to See All Designs

(available on shirts, bags, stickers, pins, etc.)

Thank you so much to whoever just bought my dove wrapped in a keffiyeh drawing on a mug! Also available on shirts, stickers, etc.

I have also added a new minimal right of return key (حق العودة) design.

ALL PROCEEDS from Palestine related sales through my Redbubble shop will go to my Palestinian best friend to help him bring his girlfriend over to America. Any left over will be used to help his family/other loved ones affected by the war.

(Collection here)

“Free Palestine” shirts and other products styled like an old black metal album. The friend I am raising this for loves that music. The photo is from a protest in Jerusalem.

ALL PROCEEDS from Palestine related sales through my Redbubble shop will go to my Palestinian best friend to help him bring his girlfriend over to America. Any left over will be used to help his family/other loved ones affected by the war. 

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/154436126

Yet each man kills the thing he loves,

By each let this be heard: Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a flattering word, The coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with a sword! Some kill their love when they are young, And some when they are old; Some strangle with the hands of Gold: The kindest use a knife, because The dead so soon grow cold. Some love too little, some too long, Some sell and others buy; Some do the deed with many tears, And some without a sigh: For each man kills the thing he loves, Yet each man does not die.

Oscar Wilde

The occupation of Palestine documented in photographs

Proclamation of Marshall Law in Jerusalem by General Allenby. 1917

British forces enter Jerusalem, December 9, 1917 with Brig. Gen. Watson and Col. Bailey at the Jaffa Gate.

British occupying army in Jerusalem. 1929

Palestinian leaders meet to discuss the 1929 revolt against British occupation. 1929

Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian leaders at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem. 1921–1937

Palestinian delegation in London to demand Palestinian independence. 1929

Palestinian citizens searched during the uprising of August 23 to 31 at Jaffa Gate. 1929

Palestinian women’s delegation demonstrating against British policies outside of the high commissioner’s residency. 1929

Palestinians demonstrating against the occupying British army at Jaffa Gate. 1933

Palestinians protesting British occupation, Jerusalem. 1933

Palestinians at Abou Ghosh take oath of allegiance to protest British occupation and reject Zionist immigration. 1936

Fire scorched the Armenian Quarter in the old City. 1936

British occupation soldiers stand witness to their destruction in the City of Jenin. 1938

Jenin after British occupying soldiers destroyed a quarter of the city with dynamite. 1938

Palestinians lined up by British occupying police for identity card check. 1939

Australian soldiers marching down Jaffa Road. 1940–1946

British military recruits parade across Jaffa Gate. 1941

Photographs published by: https://www.palestinephotoproject.org/Gallery-Folder/Occupation-and-Resistence/i-3bPjRwR

We are accused of terrorism

We are accused of terrorism If we dare to write about the remains of a homeland That is scattered in pieces and in decay In decadence and disarray About a homeland that is searching for a place And about a nation that no longer has a face

About a homeland that has nothing left of its great ancient verse But that of wailing and eulogy

About a homeland that has nothing in its horizons Of freedoms of different types and ideology

About a homeland that forbids us from buying a newspaper Or listen to anything About a homeland where all birds are always not allowed to sing About a homeland that out of horror, its writers are using invisible ink

About a homeland that resembles poetry in our country Improvised, imported, loose and of no boundaries Of foreign tongue and soul Detached from Man and Land, ignoring their plight as a whole

About a homeland to the negotiating table moves Without a dignity or shoes

About a homeland That no more has steadfast men With only women therein

Bitterness is in our mouthsin our talkin our eyes Will draught also plague our souls as a legacy passed to us from ancient times?

Our nation has nobody left, even the less glorified No one to say "NO" in the face of those who gave up our homebread and butter Turning our colorful history into a circus

We have not a single honest poem That has not lost its virginity in a ruler's Harem

We grew accustomed to humiliation Then what is left of Man If he is comfortable with that?

I search the books of history For men of greatness to deliver us from darkness To save our women from fires' brutality

I search for men of yesterday But all I find is frightened cats Fearing for their souls From the authority of rats

Are we hit by national blindness Or are we suffering from color blindness

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to perish Under Israeli tyranny That is hampering our unity Our history Our Bible and our Quran Our prophets' land If that is our sin and crime Then terrorism is fine

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to be wiped out By barbarians, the Mongols or the Jews If we choose to stone the fragile security council Which was sacked by the king of caesuras

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse to negotiate the wolf And reach out for a whore

America is fighting the cultures of Man Because it lacks one And against the civilizations because it needs one It is a gigantic structure but without a wall

We are accused of terrorism If we refuse current times Where America  the arrogant the mighty the rich Became a sworn interpreter of Hebrew.

-Nizar Qabbani

Qana

The face of Qana Pale, like that of Jesus and the sea breeze of April… Rains of blood.. and tears.. They entered Qana stepping on our charred bodies Raising a Nazi flag in the lands of the South and rehearsing its stormy chapters   Hitler cremated them in the gas chambers   and they came after him to burn us Hitler kicked them out of Eastern Europe and they kicked us out of our lands They entered Qana Like hungry wolves Putting to fire the house of the Messiah Stepping on the dress of Hussain and the dear land of the South We saw the tears in Ali's eyes We heard his voice as he prayed under the rain of bloody skies Qana unveiled what was hidden We saw America Wearing the old coat of a Jewish Rabbi Leading the slaughter Blasting our children for no reason Blasting our wives for no reason Blasting our trees for no reason Blasting our thoughts for no reason Has it been decreed in her constitution, She, America, mistress of the world, In Hebrew .. that she should humble us al-Arabs? Has it been decreed that each time a ruler in America wants to win the presidency that he should kill us... We al Arabs?

-Nizar Qabbani

Jerusalem

I wept until my tears were dry I prayed until the candles flickered I knelt until the floor creaked I asked about Mohammed and Christ Oh Jerusalem, the fragrance of prophets The shortest path between earth and sky Oh Jerusalem, the citadel of laws A beautiful child with fingers charred and downcast eyes You are the shady oasis passed by the Prophet Your streets are melancholy Your minarets are mourning You, the young maiden dressed in black Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow A big tear wandering in the eye Who will halt the aggression On you, the pearl of religions? Who will wash your bloody walls? Who will safeguard the Bible? Who will rescue the Quran? Who will save Christ? Who will save man? Oh Jerusalem my town Oh Jerusalem my love Tomorrow the lemon trees will blossom And the olive trees will rejoice Your eyes will dance The migrant pigeons will return To your sacred roofs And your children will play again And fathers and sons will meet On your rosy hills My town The town of peace and olives.

-Nizar Qabbani