"And I too, Love Jerusalem “: Voices from Al Nakba
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This episode of 'This Is Palestine' centers on the life and memories of George Mikhail Bahou, a Palestinian refugee born in Jerusalem in 1935, who recounts his childhood in the Al-Baq'a al-Fu'a neighborhood during the British Mandate. Through vivid recollections of school, playing with friends, riding bus number 6, and visiting the Regent Cinema, George paints a poignant picture of a vibrant Palestinian life before the Nakba. He shares the trauma of witnessing the 1946 King David Hotel bombing, the escalating violence following the UN Partition Plan, and the forced displacement of his family in 1948—believing they would return within months. Decades later, visiting his childhood home in Ramallah, he finds it transformed into a sports hall, symbolizing the erasure of Palestinian presence. Despite exile, George remains deeply connected to Jerusalem, carrying the keys, memories, and dreams of returning. His story is both a personal testament and a collective memory of the Palestinian experience of loss, resilience, and enduring hope for return. The episode underscores the lasting impact of the Nakba and the importance of preserving identity across generations.
The Nakba was not a single event but a prolonged process of displacement, violence, and erasure that began in 1947 and continues today.
Palestinian identity and belonging are deeply tied to land, memory, and daily rituals—like riding bus number 6 or visiting the Regent Cinema.
Many Palestinians, like George, carry physical and emotional keys to their homes, symbolizing both loss and the unwavering hope for return.
The destruction of Palestinian homes and neighborhoods was systematic, with Israeli authorities and settlers often prioritizing the seizure of Palestinian property.
Children’s lives were deeply affected by political violence, even when they didn’t understand the causes—yet their memories remain vivid and formative.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Childhood in Al-Baq'a al-Fu'a: The Heart of Jerusalem
“I dream of going back to bus six. I dream of being a line, of running line number six by myself.”
The Rise of the National Bus Company and the Shadow of Violence
George shares the story of his father’s pioneering role in founding the National Bus Company, a major Palestinian transportation enterprise, while also recounting the increasing violence, including the 1946 King David Hotel bombing.
The Partition Plan and the Onset of the Nakba
“We'd gone thinking we'd be back within two months, but that never happened.”
Return and Erasure: The Dream of Home
“I stood there taking in everything that had changed. I looked out the bathroom window... and thought, there, that's where my mother left her jewelry.”
Legacy and the Dream of Return
“My whole life is just line number six, running the route my father started from Al-Baq'a al-Fu'a to Bab Al-Khalil, that I would operate it myself, that I would be there standing in it.”
“I dream of going back to bus six. I dream of being a line, of running line number six by myself.”
“We'd gone thinking we'd be back within two months, but that never happened.”
“I stood there taking in everything that had changed. I looked out the bathroom window... and thought, there, that's where my mother left her jewelry.”
Host
Guest
George Mikhail Bahou
person
Al-Baq'a al-Fu'a
place
Bus Number 6
other
National Bus Company
organization
Regent Cinema
other
King David Hotel Bombing
other
Zionist Militant Groups
organization
British Mandate
organization
UN Resolution 181
other
Talbiyya
place
There are No Innocents: Beita 1988 and the Logic of Collective Punishment
This Is Palestine • 37m • 4/2/2026
The Law of the Noose: Israel’s Discriminatory Execution Bill Targeting Palestinians
This Is Palestine • 19m • 4/20/2026
Inside Israeli Prison Walls: A Palestinian Prisoner’s Testimony
This Is Palestine • 26m • 4/30/2026
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