Yarmouk Camp
by IHMAYED ALI
Yarmouk Camp is not an ordinary camp like the other Palestinian camps spread across the world. It was a small homeland for the poor, embracing Palestine with the names of its villages, cities, mountains, plains, geography, and history, all within an area of just 2 square kilometers south of Damascus. Established in 1954, Yarmouk Camp is classified by UNRWA as an urban area rather than an official camp, and it is the largest gathering of Palestinian refugees in Syria, located only 8 kilometers from the Syrian capital. No matter where you look, you will find signs of historic Palestine—there are streets named Lubieh, Palestine, Yarmouk, Safad, Fawzi al-Qawuqji, Safourieh, Jaaouna, Lod, Haifa, Acre, Jerusalem, Beersheba, as well as the Abdel Qader al-Husseini Mosque and the Faloujah School, among others.
The camp is home to the largest cemetery for martyrs, where prominent leaders rest, such as the martyr Abu Jihad al-Wazir, martyr Saad Sayel (Abu al-Walid), martyr Mamdouh Saidam (Abu Sabri), the symbolic grave of martyr Abu Ali Iyad, martyr Zuhair Mohsen, martyr Abu al-Jafra, martyr Talat Yaqub, Abu al-Abbas, and others.
The camp is rich with stories of struggle and resilience; every home has its own story and martyr. It served as a school of resistance in every sense of the word. The number of martyrs from the camp exceeded hundreds, especially during the Lebanese Civil War and the subsequent Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982. The youth of the camp were a vital resource for the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the camp was a true reservoir for the modern Palestinian revolution.
In 1972, my family, the Abu Farhat family, moved to the outskirts of Yarmouk Camp, specifically to Thalith Street, which separates the camp from the Hajar al-Aswad area. Social relations in the neighborhood were tightly knit and supportive. The neighborhood felt like a large home, accommodating a significant number of families. Everyone was cooperative, offering help to those in need both openly and discreetly.
In the early morning, you would wake to the sounds of street vendors, foremost among them the diesel seller with his familiar call of “Mazoooot, Mazoooot.” At night, you could hear the songs of Umm Kulthum, Abdel Wahab, and Abdel Halim from the radios of neighbors in all directions. The camp is home to intellectuals, university students, leftists, Islamists, engineers, doctors, teachers, drunks, drug users, sheikhs, policemen, and intelligence officers—a mix of all kinds of people. There are shops of all types, delicious restaurants, and places selling hummus, falafel, shawarma, and grilled meats. Bakeries are scattered throughout the streets, preparing trays of kofta, chicken, and various pastries.
On Yarmouk Street, which is considered the largest and longest street in the camp, you can find all kinds of grocery stores, clothing shops, bookstores, educational centers, hospitals, health clinics, mosques, and schools of various types and forms. You will also find coffee roasters, household goods stores, flower shops, furniture outlets, and much more.
In the evenings, young men and women stroll back and forth in the streets and markets of the camp, not for any particular reason but to spend time and steal a glance here or a wink there, or to dream of a fictional love story reminiscent of tales from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The girls gather in groups or alone in the markets, exchanging glances and remarks—this one is tall, that one is short, and that one is handsome, etc.
Thousands of people traverse the bustling streets, alive with all the reasons for life and survival. This street is unlike any other in all Syrian cities and villages. Prominent merchants from Damascus have left their mark in this place. The most famous shops and well-known brands opened branches in the camp.
Palestine Street, parallel to Yarmouk Street, is the second longest street in the camp and is equally important. Here, you will find the municipal building, the main square (Palestine Square), and the roundabout. It hosts the largest vegetable market in the camp and the building of the Palestinian Refugees Foundation. In its center stands the cinema that has witnessed major national and pan-Arab events. This modest place has been visited by many leaders, including Yasser Arafat, George Habash, Nayef Hawatmeh, Ahmad Jibril, Abu al-Abbas, and other leaders of global liberation movements. Also, at the center of the street is the Fifth Complex, a medical center donated by King Mohammed V to the camp’s residents. At the intersection of Palestine and Yarmouk Streets near the camp’s entrance, you will find the police station, Al-Rahma Hospital, and the roundabout known as “the watermelon.”
Lubieh Street, connecting Palestine and Yarmouk Streets, is considered one of the most important and expensive streets in the camp. It features high-quality clothing shops and international brands, named after the displaced village of Lubieh. It has the largest gold market frequented by residents for various occasions to buy gifts. The famous Abu Hashish butcher shop is also located here, along with Abu Hashish café, where young people gather at night to enjoy shisha with a cup of tea or herbal tea, cumin, or perhaps a cup of coffee with extra sugar.
Parallel to Lubieh Street is School Street, named for housing the largest complex of UNRWA schools. It is less famous than the previously mentioned streets. This street connects Yarmouk Street on one side and Safad Street on the opposite side.
Safad Street, linking School Street to Yarmouk Street and always bustling with street vendors, is a destination for local residents looking for relatively cheaper goods. You will find all kinds of children’s, women’s, and men’s clothing, as well as women’s accessories and more. It is a relatively narrow street filled with carts, stalls, and some small shops selling perfumes and household goods—essentially a street for those with relatively limited incomes.
In Yarmouk Camp, you can find everything your eyes desire, your heart loves, and your lungs breathe, as well as all that a home needs. It has all the essentials for life and the secret of eternal love in the hearts of its inhabitants. There is no place under the sun that resembles this spot in the eyes of Palestinians in general and Palestinian Syrians in particular, except for Palestine itself.
In summary, Yarmouk Camp was a vibrant place, alive day and night in an unparalleled frenzy. It was a place full of joy, brilliance, and revolutionary spirit, like a volcano that erupts and simmers to the point of intoxication.
—
IHMAYED ALI
Motreal
