Nothing I write could do him justice or communicate how great of a teacher, friend, poet, and activist he was. He was very strong and very stubborn. I always believed that people like him never die . . .they somehow transcend death and pain and come back to us as a source of hope, strength, and belief. In a way, we already see how far-reaching his words are now. His poem “If I Must Die” has being translated into more than two hundred and fifty languages, and his verses are chanted at protests all around the world. As we navigate the waves of sorrow at losing him, it is important for us to remember that he was targeted because of his words and his message and that it is our duty to carry it and amplify it. After all, he told us: “If I must die,/ You must live,/ to tell my story.”

Nadya Siyam, from "Remembering Dr. Refaat Alareer", published in Words Without Borders, January 29, 2024.

Life in Gaza: Diary of a Survivor

Life in Gaza: Diary of a Survivor https://theimeu.medium.com/life-in-gaza-diary-of-a-survivor-8f8d9d94236b

For Refaat, teaching was more than just a job; it was a dynamic and transformative experience for himself and for his students. He wanted us to leave the classroom with a new pair of eyes, and with an exciting idea that we could take home and and contemplate for hours and days. He always encouraged us to share our newly developed thoughts with our friends and family, and to make note of their responses and counterarguments. One of his favorite activities at the beginning of each course was to rewrite a short story from the perspective of a different character, preferably the antagonist, or the least likable figure. In addition to achieving teaching outcomes like stirring the imagination and improving creative writing skills, this activity helped us deconstruct dominant narratives. It allowed us to extend our empathy, and to see the human in the outcast and the villain. Refaat was very biased in his love for Shakespeare; he read him with the passion and enthusiasm of a stage actor and he encouraged us to do the same. He particularly liked Shylock’s soliloquy, from The Merchant of Venice,and used to hold a competition for students to perform it: “Hath not a Jew eyes?” “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” He used to ask us if we, as Palestinians, identified more with Shylock, the oppressed Jew, or the Christian characters. Our answer was always Shylock. Refaat taught us about the Holocaust and the danger of anti-Semitism. He wanted us to be aware of the struggle of different oppressed nations and extend our solidarity to them. He always asked us to correct ourselves when we confused Zionism with Judaism. 

Nadya Siyam, from "Remembering Dr. Refaat Alareer", published in Words Without Borders, January 29, 2024.