Upon the fractured hills of the West Bank, the ancient olive tree stands not merely as vegetation, but as a sentinel of history. Its gnarled bark carries the script of centuries, and its roots are clenched deep within the scorched earth, acting as an anchor that refuses to drift in the violent tides of conflict. This is the living embodiment of sumud—steadfastness in the face of erasure.

For countless generations, families have sought solace beneath its silver-green canopy, weaving the tapestry of their lives between its boughs. Now, however, the air grows thick with ash. Flames lick hungrily at its edges, threatening the sanctuary it provides. Yet, the tree does not crumble; instead, it weeps. Under the intense heat of dispossession, it releases not fruit, but pure oil—a golden, silent sacrifice seeping into the soil to keep the land fertile with hope. It offers its own lifeblood to ensure the earth remembers those it sustains.

Its charred branches stretch skyward, piercing the suffocating smoke like a desperate prayer. Through the crackle of fire, a defiant promise is whispered to the wind: We remain. Standing as an eternal witness to tragedy, it endures the burning present, waiting with infinite patience for the cooling rain of justice to finally wash over the land.