One Gaza family celebrates Palestinian statehood bid despite Hamas ban
| Gaza City, Gaza
When Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas went to the United Nations to ask for recognition of a Palestinian state Friday, Gaza residents weren鈥檛 allowed to celebrate in the streets like Palestinians in the West Bank.
Yet one Gazan family found its own way to celebrate. They named their newborn daughter after the occasion. Ayloul Abu Asser was born Sept. 21, as the UN General Assembly was preparing for Mr. Abbas鈥檚 request. It was also the same day that Gaza鈥檚 Hamas government, a political rival of Mr. Abbas鈥檚 Fatah faction, announced that public celebrations of the statehood bid were forbidden.
That didn鈥檛 stop Hamad Nasr Abu Asser and Reda Abu Asser from naming their daughter after the month during which Abbas presented his request. Ayloul is the Arabic name for September.
鈥淗amas prevented any action in the street, so we decided to celebrate in our own way,鈥� says Hamad, Ayloul鈥檚 father. The couple supports Fatah, and are were hopeful that Abbas鈥檚 speech may bring their dream of statehood closer.
And their daughter鈥檚 unusual name is not just a celebration of the occasion, but also a reminder. They hope that Ayloul will be able to grow up in an independent Palestinian state. But if that doesn鈥檛 happen, she will keep the dream alive for the next generation.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 establish a state, her generation will carry on the project,鈥� says Reda, Ayloul鈥檚 mother. Her baby is wrapped in a Palestinian kuffeiyah, and wears a headband in the black, white, and green of the Palestinian flag.
鈥淥ne day she will ask why her name is Ayloul,鈥� says her father. 鈥淪o the movement will go on with her.鈥�
Ayloul is the fifth child for Hamad and Reda. Relatives and family were surprised by the name they picked, but support them wholeheartedly.
On the night that Abbas delivered his request to the UN, the couple invited friends and family to their modest home in the Shejaeya neighborhood of Gaza City to celebrate with two-day-old Ayloul. Gazan families often celebrate by slaughtering a sheep when a boy is born. A girl doesn鈥檛 usually merit such celebration. But for Ayloul, the family slaughtered two sheep and feasted with the family.
