'Wish They Could Eat': Palestinian Expats In UAE Spend Eid Praying For Relatives, Donating

Muslims across the UAE, like many others around the world, began their Eid Al Adha festivities on Friday, June 6, with early morning prayers in mosques and open prayer grounds.

But for Palestinians expats, the celebration carries a complex and bittersweet weight. While the festivities unfold in the UAE , the place they now call home, many still carry the burden of loved ones living in Gaza, where destruction and hardship have cast a shadow over what should be a day of joy.

For Jana A, a 24-year-old Dubai-based Palestinian, "celebrating Eid this year was bleak, marked by grotesque scenes of death, suffering and destruction aired on TV and our social media platforms.

"It's impossible to go about celebrating Eid after seeing these images," she said. The young UAE resident said she has "not been to Palestine for 7 years mainly because of increasing settler violence in our village's area".

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A.H. (name withheld on request), a Dubai resident originally from Palestine, shared her thoughts on the matter.“My parents and relatives are fine. But just because everyone at home is safe doesn't mean that we don't know what's happening in Gaza. It's hard, especially during Eid .”

The 32-year-old copywriter, along with her brother, took part in a fundraiser to support those in Gaza who couldn't afford the festivities.“It's one of the best experiences I've had,” she said, reflecting on the solidarity and connection she felt with those in need back home.

For some Palestinians in the country, this Eid was not just about prayers and donations - it was a reminder of the resilience of their people, the hardships their loved ones face, and the deep connection that extends beyond borders, even in the darkest times.

“We've been living in Dubai for almost 10 years now, and it never gets easier seeing our brothers and sisters in Gaza, scraping by and barely having enough to eat," A.H.'s brother, M.A.H said.

"Eid should be a time for celebratio , but it's hard to feel that joy when you know what's happening back home. Still, we made the most of it, meeting with family here and donating to our friend's fundraiser. That's how we found some peace," the 36-year-old software engineer added.

For Zain, a 21-year-old Palestinian from Sharjah, Eid in UAE starkly contrasts celebrations "back home."

In Palestine, the festivities are never-ending; for 3 days, families go door-to-door, exchanging greetings with relatives. In UAE, the celebrations are shorter for Eid, as the number of relatives in the country are less, with most of her extended family staying in Palestine, Zain added.

For this Eid, Zain's wish is heart-wrenchingly simple. She wishes her aunt in Palestine can eat. "I wish they can get food. It's not that they can't afford it, it's that there is simply nothing available."

Jana fondly remembered the "tight-knit community" in Palestine; "the smell of soil, the taste of fruits that my family has planted and harvested for years, the warmth of the breeze traveling all the way from the Mediterranean."

For Eid, her wish is to "go home; for all Palestinians to go home" and experience "the feeling of belonging [that] only lays in Palestine".

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