Palestinian children invited to New Year Eve's performance in Minsk

Children from Palestine were invited to the New Year Eve's children's performance in the Palace of the Republic attended by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA learned.

“We came to Belarus with five kids. They have been to the circus and the New Year's performance, which was their first ever experience. Their impressions are unforgettable," mother Elena Shaat said.

Her children do not speak Russian and were a little shy to talk to journalists. The conversation continued with their mother and touched on serious matters. Her husband is still in the Gaza Strip. Elena, a native of Belarus, managed to evacuate with her children away from the conflict zone. The family has now settled in Grodno Oblast and is trying to organize their life in the absence of husband and father.

“I have one wish (for the New Year). The only wish is to take my husband out of the Gaza Strip. To be honest, I have no other wishes. We have been here for a month and a half, without my husband. I came with five kids. We are slowly settling in, getting used to life here. But, of course, it's very hard for us without dad. I wish we could take him out of the Gaza Strip. Things have not worked out so far. We applied to the Red Cross and the Foreign Affairs Ministry,” Elena Shaat stated. “Israel did not approve the lists and did not allow both of us to cross the border. Of course, it is very difficult for me with five children here. The kids will start school after the New Year. My fifth child is disabled. He has cerebral palsy.”

“All our thoughts are in Gaza. We are worried about military events. Taking our father out of there is the most important thing for us," Elena added.

She met her husband in Belarus. He studied at the medical university in Minsk in the 1990s. Then they went to Palestine where they had been living for about 20 years.

A girl from another family, Nakhet, on the contrary, speaks Russian quite fluently, although she is not yet confident. She is 12 years old, and she shared her impressions of the New Year's performance. “I am happy. There was a very funny robot. I love to be in Belarus,” she said.

It was the first such performance for Nakhet. She would like to get a flower for the New Year, and to celebrate the holiday with her parents so that it would be fun all around. She wishes peace and goodness to all people.

Written by belta.by