The death of Yasser Arafat is seen by many people of good will as a chance to
revive the peace process. Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is hailed as a moderate
leader. A leader who has openly opposed the armed Intifada. The Palestinians
are bathing in the exciting energies of a democratic election campaign just
like a prisoner bathing in a small pool of sun entering his cell through a
tiny skylight. One of the reasons they have elected Abu Mazen was to appease
Bush and Sharon, hoping that in return, the strangling Israeli grip on their
lives will loosen a little. In Israel, too, many are fed up with fighting,
and wish to lead a normal life - only they have their own ideas of what
normality means. Optimism is desirable, filling our sails and motivating us
for action, but we must remain sober, or else the same wind might drive our
fragile boat against the hard rocks of reality...
These are the observations and
analyses of a British doctor who was serving in Palestine as the
'nakba' (catastrophe) emerged. Dr Alick Cameron MB ChB MD DO MRCGP
DHMSA qualified from Edinburgh University in 1946 and spent most of
his medical life as a general practitioner in Britain. ~ David
Halpin.
Of Human Wreckage and Zionists Dreams
Withdrawal from Gaza?
The sea was warm. A kingfisher perched momentarily atop a rusting reinforcing rod with a tiny fish in its bill. Its iridescent beauty was a glistening tear drop on the face of this weeping land. Strings of boats were streaming out of the harbour with the powerful mother ship towing the tiddlers astern. The Prophet in action. Later they would become the long skein of lights lying 5 kilometres from shore all night. They strayed no further mind you because the sea is also occupied in addition to the land and the air.
I am here to advance the work of the charity I founded with the voyage of the Dove and the Dolphin in February last year. The second object of this charity is ‘to relieve poverty, distress and hardship among the Palestinian people and to promote the welfare of Palestinian children’. I was also here to be a witness and to stand with my Palestinian brothers and sisters. I wanted to see this part of Palestine again 2004 years since the birth of the Christ 80 miles away and in the 56th year of the nakba (catastrophe – literally the story of the falling down).
"Truth has to be repeated constantly, because Error also is being preached all the time, and not just by a few, but by the multitude. In the Press and Encyclopaedias, in Schools and Universities, everywhere Error holds sway, feeling happy and comfortable in the knowledge of having Majority on its side."