Politics

Mary Turfah

Samar says that she too used to have a heart of stone

Tagreed Darghouth, Strange Fruits . 2018-2019, acrylic on canvas. 63 × 46". Photo by Agop Kanledjian. Courtesy of the artist and Tabari Artspace, Dubai.

April 27, 2026

The Middle East Airlines flight to Beirut forecasts a reality different from the one I anticipate based on what I’ve seen online over the past several weeks: many times, concrete collapsing; once, a mother hugging her son’s shrouded body six feet underground and refusing to let go; every day, paramedics searching for signs of life or for remains, often those of their own colleagues. Instead, the flight-safety video shows people dancing past Lebanon’s landmarks. I watch as an iPhone kerplunks into Jeita’s icy waters and a flight attendant announces that all phones should be turned off. The video is old; I’ve seen it on previous trips.…