Rain season and the rituals of predicting the rain in Palestinian heritage

In my village of Qira near Salfit, as in many Palestinian villages, we wait for the first drops of rain with a mixture of longing and unease. Rain is not only the beginning of the agricultural season; it is a reassurance that life can continue despite everything happening around us. In a time of land fragmentation, restricted water sources, and daily obstacles faced by farmers, the coming of al-ghayth feels like both mercy and quiet resistance—a subtle reminder that life and hope persist despite oppression. Every October, when the sky softens and the earth begins to breathe again, I am reminded that no matter how heavy the burdens of occupation become, the cycle of seasons remains one certainty Israel cannot […]