"What would you do if you grew up repeatedly seeing your home raided? Your parents arrested? Your mother shot? Your uncle killed? Imagine this was your life. How would you want the world to react?" Ahed Tamimi's life has been profoundly shaped by the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, which began in 1967, the year her father was born. Among her earliest memories is visiting her father in prison, reaching through the fence to touch his hand. Security checkpoints and armed guards permeated her childhood, influencing her play and stories. Instead of traditional nursery rhymes, her grandmother shared family sagas filled with tragedy. While other children played cops and robbers, Ahed and her friends enacted scenarios of Israeli soldiers confronting Palestinian communities. In her compelling memoir, she offers a firsthand account of life under occupation, illustrating the personal impact beyond mere geography or policy. Ahed invites readers into her world as a young woman viewed by some as a freedom-fighting hero and by others as a naïve agitator. Her narrative extends beyond her well-known encounters with Israeli soldiers, showcasing her unwavering commitment to family and her courageous voice amidst threats, intimidation, and incarceration.
