14/01/25 سراب / Sarab – Ali Asfour
In these horrific times, when the weight of loss and oppression feels unbearable, this mix stands as a sonic vigil, an offering—a space to mourn, grief, to remember and to resist. It is a lament for those who have ascended to their eternal liberation, whether to the heavens or the liberated homeland they dreamed of—a dream deferred but never extinguished.
May these sonic rhythms serve as both a memorial and a promise.
Ali Asfour, a Palestinian, Ramallah-based analog film photographer currently in Amman, who skillfully balances exposing the Palestinian existence with preserving the beauty of its roots, culture, and traditions. His work embodies the resilience of a people striving to thrive despite adversity, inviting reflection and action toward justice.
Through his art, he revives the silent narratives of Palestinian life, weaving visual stories that evoke both longing and nostalgia. His cinematic imagery and exploration of everyday moments stand as powerful testimonies to the humanity of the Palestinian people, resisting erasure and revealing the complex layers of their experience. Asfour’s photography was recently showcased in a solo exhibition at New York’s Institute of Arab and Islamic Art and has been featured in notable publications, including GQ Middle East, Atmos, and The New Arab, as well as pages such as Waastaa and Nowness Asia. In addition to his work in photography. He is a DJ and music selector with a deep passion for exploring diverse musical landscapes. His sets are inspired by various sounds and scenes, embracing rhythms and influences from different cultures and collectives worldwide. He also hosts a monthly show on Mutant Radio, SADAA: Echoes of the MENA, where he delves into the vibrant musical tapestry of the MENA region, connecting listeners to its rich, ever-evolving sound.
Tracklist:
Rabbi aaron cohen judaism vs zionism(produced_by_wissam)
Plastic Wound Records - Unsanitary Napkin - I Riro Whenua Atu, Me Hoki Whenua Mai
Radwan Satellite – The Bedouin Lobby
Firas Shehadeh - Gaza, Hole in the Heart
Unkown - Mujahadeen
Sheida Gharachedaghi & Mohammad Reza Aslani - The Dream of Death
A Culture Of Killing - Denouncing The Violence Of The Oppressed And Colonized Is Not Just Immoral, But Racist
Kirdec - It's Genocide - Resist To Exist قاوم لِوجودك [Avon Terror Corps, 2021]
Abdullah Miniawy - Half a year نصف عام
Mental Jewelry + Dali De Saint Paul - RESIST COLONIAL POWER BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY - Resist My People, Resist Them - Dareen Tatour
Firas Shehadeh - Shallalat Al Dam شلالات الدم
Meira Asher - Shahid 1 - Resist To Exist قاوم لِوجودك [Avon Terror Corps, 2021]
Tati au Miel - RESIST COLONIAL POWER BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY - Le Voyage
Long War - Kamrat - Never A Land Without People
Saint Abdullah - Children at war - Stars Have Eyes
Firas Shehadeh - Al Janoub الجنوب
Firas Shehadeh - End-To-End Encryption
Firas Shehadeh - Al Urwah Al Wuthqa العروة الوثقى
Muslimgauze - Hezbollah Radio Advert - Hamas Cinema Gaza
Various Artists - C01 - Ali Aghili - Death is Standing Above the Skies - Noise A Noise
Firas Shehadeh - Sharqan Hatta Al Maut 2 - Entiqam إنتقام
Saint Abdullah - Broke My Heart in '52 - Where Do We Go, Now
Shatr Collective - Kafas - قفص - Poppies in October / شقائق النعمان في تشرين
7orz - 7
Photo: Collective Punishment, taken by Ali Asfour in Jalazone refugee camp located on the outskirts of Ramallah on October 28th, 2023.
Story of the image:
Collective Punishment: At 2:00 a.m., the Israeli regime stormed the Jalazon refugee camp with 200 heavily armed soldiers and a bulldozer, ruthlessly demolishing the three-story home of Sheikh Nakhleh. This was not just a building; it was a sanctuary for six families and three generations of Palestinian refugees who had already endured a lifetime of displacement and oppression.
This home was not a weapon, nor was it a political symbol. It was a place of safety, a source of stability in the midst of relentless turmoil. And yet, for 13 long years, it stood under the looming shadow of demolition orders—a constant reminder of the regime’s systematic efforts to erase Palestinian existence.
Two weeks prior to this act of collective punishment, Sheikh Nakhleh was forcibly removed from his home by the Israeli authorities. Without charge, without trial, he was thrown into his "second home"—an Israeli prison, where he has spent over two decades of his life in and out of captivity. The message delivered to his family was chillingly clear: their home was next, a calculated act of vengeance intended to collectively punish and break the spirit of a family and a community.
The destruction of Sheikh Nakhleh’s home is not an isolated incident; it is part of a wider strategy of ethnic cleansing, land theft, and collective punishment that targets Palestinians at every level of their existence. The act is a brutal reminder that in the eyes of the occupier, even the simplest aspects of life—a home, a family, a childhood—are not spared from destruction.
This is not just the story of one family. It is the story of countless Palestinians who have been subjected to the same violent uprooting, the same systematic cruelty, and the same relentless attempts to erase their presence and identity. Yet, despite the bulldozers, the soldiers, and the prisons, the spirit of resistance persists. It is a spirit rooted in the belief that no occupation, no matter how oppressive, can extinguish the enduring Palestinian right to freedom, dignity, and the land they call home.
