We're more than a bit surprised that almost no Palestinian women are wearing a veil. For some unknown reason we experience nervous shivers running down our spine when we see a young Palestinian girl meeting a male friend. They kiss each other cheerfully on the cheek. The girl is wearing lots of make-up on her happy looking face and glitter on her clothes, a minimum layer of fabric that leaves more than a bit of her body exposed to the setting sun.
We think we're keen observers when we remark: 'We don't see a lot of foreigners around here'
Our outgoing guide laughs and says: 'Wait and see'
Less than an hour later we're introduced to a merry, bantering company that includes among others a modest Belgian girl, a brazen Irish lass and a very fragile looking, but very talkative and militant French girl. All, Palestinians and foreigners alike, are drinking alcohol.
Is this the mainly Muslim country we set out to visit?
Today we sit in the hotel lobby, reflecting on all this. The hotel owner strikes up conversation and asks if Maryam has roots in the Middle East. A conversation follows out of which the following interview is born.
1 Can you describe me Iran's attitude towards Palestine? What do you think Iran should do?
They play a dirty game. Why did they send fighters to fight the Russians in Afghanistan in the seventies and not here? They think they get more power from supporting Hamas, and they don't care about the Palestinians. They send out a message to Israel: if you ever attack us, we got armies (Hamas and Hezbollah) on your North side and your south side. We don't like Iran's role in our politics at all.
We don't want them to supply us with weapons. If they really want to help us, as they keep claiming, we would like to see them finance the education of our youngsters. Let them build a university here instead of giving money to radicals. Give us money and let us spend it on education and health care. If you do that Palestine people will become stronger in the world economy.
But anyway, Iran is not on my mind, normally I never even think about it. For me, what counts, is that Israel never wanted peace.
2 In your own words, how would you describe the current situation in Palestine?
Jews are greedy. That's why there are so many jokes about them. Why does a Jew have a big nose? Because it's free. The Palestinian territories are occupied by Israel, that's a fact anyone can see. We're not allowed to develop any industry, they try to keep us down any which way they can. The occupation continues and will continue for as long as it is profitable to a lot of people. Israel makes money out of this occupation.
Why would any Jew living abroad want to emigrate to Israel? In Europe and the United States they're a lot better off. The Zionists want the Jews to fear the Arabs. If they feel safe, they would leave. Every ten years they create an Intifadah and the stupid Palestinians fall into this trap.
In the long run it's bad for Israel. The citizens of Israel will pay the price in the end. A father serving at a check point will be more violent when he comes home to his own family. All they long he's been under a lot of stress.
If you give it ten years, to teach the younger generation that we can live together, then there is hope.
But in their hearts the Israeli's don't want peace. Why give up one meter if you have the power to maintain control over it? They don't want to give us a country. They can't explain it to their people if they give up something they can keep controlling.
There is no nation on earth in our entire history that is eternally strong. What goes up must come down.
3 Ramallah is obviously a very unique place. How is it possible so many Palestinians here are driving big, expensive cars? I overheard you saying several times that there are no resources in Palestine, that Palestine is prevented from producing anything by itself.
They don't make their money here, obviously. All of the people you see here, driving a fancy car, have businesses abroad. They just live here. Do you think I earn my bread running this hotel? No, of course not. I have several brothers in the United States. We own liquor stores and gas stations there. That's how we make our money.
4
What does the term 'naqba' mean to you? Did it affect you or your family personnally? In what way?
I'm a refugee here, you know. My grandfather was a farmer, he was so afraid
that one day he took his children by the hand and he walked for three days from
Lud to Ramallah. Part of the Bun Gurion airport belongs to my grand-father,
believe it or not, but we have papers proving it.
The Palestinians didn't have weapons to fight the Israeli's. They were afraid and they fled.
5
How did the people react over here when Israel invaded the Gaza strip?
You feel bad, of course, but it's not only Gaza they invade.
I don't support it. You can't put people in a jail. People in Gaza are not pro-Hamas, they give Hamas the chance to grow stronger. If people had a better life they would never support Hamas, but if you have nothing to lose, yes, then you turn to Hamas for help.
If Iran wants to bomb Israel, we say, fine, kill us both. Nobody wants to see his children get killed, but there's always a boiling point. They support Hamas because there is no other way.
Hamas will never get 5 percent of the vote if the people in Gaza have a good life.
Israel has to understand this. Hamas can always say: Israel doesn't want peace, so join us, we will fight them together.
8 A large picure of Arafat is hanging in the hotel lobby, what's your opinion on him?
I have never been pro Arafat, but in the end I felt that he was sincere. The propaganda of Israel says he didn't want peace. But he Asked for 22 percent and only got 14 percent.
What's happening here, is that we're becoming a new South-Africa. Fortunately, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe 50 years from now things will change. Maybe through war, maybe peacefully, maybe economically, but change it will.
What goes up must come down.
6
When was the last time violence erupted in Ramallah?
Well, the last big eruption of violence took place in 2001. I was here for only four months, tanks were in front of our house, I put my children in the bath tub, I thought they'd be safe there. It was a very scary period, They were bombing a lot of buildings. They even tore up the roads with their tanks. It was awful.
But you ask me about violence. I'll tell you this.
Three months ago I had an American friend over at my place. He stayed till late at night and after that I gave him a ride to the place he was staying. I was driving in my pajama's without my passport. All of a sudden I notice Jewish soldiers appearing right in front of me. They stop my car and they threaten to throw me in jail, because I don't have my passport with me.
Can you imagine? In my own country!
If it had been the police who wanted to give me a ticket. Fine, but why soldiers? Why jail?
7 How do you think will the conflict end?
Look, I'll explain it this way. Suppose I lend you 100 dollars and after a couple years a court ruling says you only have to give me back 22 dollars. A good deal for you right? But you don't accept that you only want to return 14 percent or maybe only 10 percent.
That's what happened here, they took all our land, we'd be happy to get 22 percent of it back, but Israel thinks even that is too much.
I don't understand it, at the moment the United States and Europe back Israel's claims. Now is the time for them to have peace on very favorable terms. I mean, what if in 10 years a new super power arises with different priorities? Or what if the oil runs out and the US says: oh, now we don't need any more bases in the Middle East or what if they develop some super device in space allowing them to fire missiles all over the globe and they no longer need bases on the spot?
If the US stop supporting Israel, the entire country is left in ruins immediately. The Jews will leave. What if the Palestinians become stronger than Israel one day?
Do you think that people who suffered so long will have the least possible doubt when it comes to destroying Israel?
Now's their chance to have peace and to have things settled around here. Even Hamas wants peace if they get the 1967 border
99 percent of our people is ready to accept peace and to live alongside the Jews.
Jews are smart, they have better technology, better living standards, but they want a country from water to water, they are greedy and that's the problem.
History will repeat itself. The Jews will end up scattered across the globe again.
The lion in the jungle doesn't stay strong for ever.
