SCOTTISH actor Brian Cox has paid tribute to a Palestinian poet and teacher who was killed amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a video posted on Twitter/X by the Palestine Festival of Literature, Cox read the “last poem” by respected academic and writer Refaat Alareer.
Alareer was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on December 6 along with his brother, sister and her four children, according to reports.
He had posted his poem "If I Must Die" on social media on November 1.
If I must die, let it be a tale. #FreePalestine #Gaza pic.twitter.com/ODPx3TiH1a
— Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 (@itranslate123) November 1, 2023
On December 12, the Palestine Festival of Literature posted a video of Cox reading the " last poem he [Alareer] published".
The video then showed Cox reading the poem aloud.
“If I must die, you must live to tell my story, to sell my things, to buy a piece of cloth and some strings," it runs.
Brian Cox reads If I Must Die, by beloved Palestinian poet, teacher and martyr Refaat Alareer. Refaat was killed on December 7th by an Israeli airstrike. This was the last poem he published. pic.twitter.com/sMVocn3nGA
— Palestine Festival of Literature (@PalFest) December 12, 2023
“(Make it white with a long tail) so that a child somewhere in Gaza while looking heaven in the eye awaiting his dad who left in a blaze and bid no one farewell.
“Not even to his flesh, not even to himself. Sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above and thinks for a moment an angel is there bringing back love.
“If I must die let it bring hope, let it be a tale.”
Many took to the comment section to praise Cox with one saying it was an “excellent reading” while another thanked the actor for “honouring” the poet.
"This left me in tears," one user wrote."
The video was posted just a few days after the Succession star hit out at the UK Government’s “awful” Rwanda scheme.
He was among a number of well-known figures to sign an open letter to political leaders, urging them to “commit to a fair new plan for refugees”.
