Abu al-Halawi and the 'Bread and Work!' Demonstration
A short story about Salim Abu al-Halawi, a farmer from Ar'ara, who led the 'Bread and Work' demonstration at the beginning of the Nakba after his land was confiscated and authorities refused to grant him a work permit. The demonstration turned into a popular uprising that besieged the police station, and Abu al-Halawi was killed by army fire. The village commemorates him as a hero.
The short story, written by Youssef Jammal, recounts the tale of Salim Abu al-Halawi, a Palestinian farmer from the village of Ar'ara, who led the 'Bread and Work' demonstration at the start of the Nakba. The narrator, through his uncle Abu Zuhair, relates that the authorities confiscated Abu al-Halawi's land, forcing him to farm on others' land, and then he failed in the halva-selling business. After a police officer disdainfully refused to grant him a work permit, Abu al-Halawi exploded in anger and began shouting 'Bread and Work' in the police station square. A huge crowd from neighboring villages joined him and besieged the station. The army and police intervened, shooting Abu al-Halawi while he was held aloft on shoulders, killing him. The village commemorates him with a shrine inscribed: 'Here sleeps the hero, leader of the Bread and Work demonstration.' The article presents this narrative as the basis for subsequent demonstrations that forced authorities to issue work permits.