A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy

At the hospital, Abed looks frantically for Milad but cannot find him. Rumors are buzzing around, such as a second bus transporting children safe and sound to a different hospital. Milad’s brother and half-sisters learn of the accident, as does Abed’s cousin Abu Jihad, who is able to locate his niece and nephew among the hospitalized. The Palestinian leadership visit with promises of help, but Abu Jihad (who was part of the militant group Islamic Jihad) is deeply skeptical. As hours went by without more information, Abed “confront[s] the very real possibility that Milad’s body was in the room, burned beyond recognition” (171), and DNA is collected from some of the charred corpses. Abed goes home for an interminable wait, breaking into tears at the sight of Milad’s empty bed.

Nansy Qawasme is a young mother who had an arranged marriage at 17 years old. Her husband, Azzam, was not what she had hoped for, but she obeyed her parents and not only married him but also had children very quickly. Their neighborhood had become dangerous, and she worried for her children. A class trip to Kids Land for her five-year-old son Salaah was a rare opportunity for enjoyment, and after some hesitation, Nansy caved and signed his permission slip, sending him off with a brand-new Spider-Man backpack.