Mornings in Jenin

Amal is shot by a sniper and dies with the words “I love you” on her lips. Sara reflects Amal was happy to have saved her daughter’s life; the sniper had intended to kill Sara. The soldier who held the gun to Amal’s head tries to lift Sara away from Amal’s body, but she begs him to shoot her so she can stay. He drags Sara to Huda’s home and gives them his water supply. Two days later, he tells them where Amal’s body is hidden so they can retrieve it. Huda, David, and Ari attend Amal’s burial. Huda has now lost Jamil as well, and Haj Salem was buried alive in the attack. Many women and children were killed in Jenin, yet the US press is reporting Israel’s claims that there was no massacre and only militants were killed.

Sara dreams often of her mother’s death, her parents, and all her ancestors in Ein Hod and Jenin. She writes letters to her mother and publishes them on a website for the world to read. She plans to return to Pennsylvania, even though her name is on a list of Israeli “security threats” (318).