By Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri. Published by Penguin Random House 2022 (USD 27). Reviewed by Lois Griffiths

"We have a school, a mosque, a little market and a gas station. Most important, we have each other. The 600 residents of my village are all related by blood or marriage, part of the extended Tamimi family." So begins Ahed Tamimi's story of growing up in Nabi Saleh under Israeli occupation. The occupation forces Palestinian children to grow up early. Ahed’s father was often away, under arrest for protesting an illegal Zionist settlement on the village's land and water resources. He organised weekly non-violent protest marches which received media attention and grew. The Israeli Defence Forces reacted violently, even breaking into houses and throwing tear gas into them. Ahed's 15-year-old cousin was shot in the head at close range. When two soldiers started to break into her family's property, Ahed stood up to them telling them to go away and she hit one of them. Ahed, just 16, was arrested, tried and imprisoned. However, the “slap” was caught on video and went viral and the incident became a cause célèbre.

They Called Me a Lioness is more than the story of one person. It’s the story of a people who love life and who want to live in freedom from occupation. It’s well worth reading. 

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 281 May 2023: 27