News agences : Iconic Gaza bookstore reopens

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Iconic Gaza bookstore reopens

2022-02-23

News agences

515

Palestinian Literature & Art & cultural

An iconic Gaza bookstore destroyed in an Israeli airstrike, in May 2021, was reopened nine months after its targeting.

The incident lifted the spirits of its ecstatic owner and a large crowd of well-wishers celebrating the moment.

The two-story building, that housed Samir Mansour’s bookstore, was reduced to rubble during the Israeli 11-day aggression.

The 100,000 books at the shop became piles of torn papers mired in ash and dust.

With the help of generous donations, the store was reopened in a nearby three-story building, this time on 300-sq area and a larger, diverse inventory.

“I was devastated when the shop was destroyed, and our friends and loved ones have boosted my morale. But today I was born again, today is a new birthday for me,” Mohammed, the son of the owner Samir Mansour, told the PIC reporter.

Opened in 2000 on a busy Gaza City block near three universities, Mansour’s bookstore was popular with students and general readers alike. What made it special was that Mansour could acquire any book on demand if it was unavailable in Gaza’s few libraries.

Mohammed said donations came mostly from foreign activists, who launched worldwide fundraising campaigns and secured a book collection larger than the one that was destroyed.

Beams from spotlights in the ceiling gave a glossy look to the books that stood on premium wood shelving. The three-story bookstore showcases children’s books, novels by local, Arab, and international authors, and business and programming guides, among other entries. In total, the new store has a collection of 300,000 books.

“Destruction didn’t hurt us. Instead, it made us strong,” Mohammed said as dozens of people crowded the entrance of the store during the opening ceremony.

For Yara Eid, who was born the same year the store opened, the bookstore has provided a glimpse of life beyond Gaza. The blockade makes it extremely difficult for Gazans to travel abroad.

“Samir Mansour Bookstore means a lot to me,” said Eid, who added she plans to study for a master’s degree in Britain. “Without this bookstore, I would not have known life outside Gaza because we are under a blockade.”

“As a child,” she added, “my imagination was built from these books, which gave me hope that there is another life, not only wars and bloodshed.”

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