Some Final thoughts

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As my last post on this trip I thought I should try to draw together some thoughts in three areas covering tourism, politics and Right to Play


Vacationing the Middle East


Excluding Israel people don’t associate the Middle East much with tourism. That’s not surprising given that Lebanon is cleaning up after a long war and the West Bank is occupied by an army. But tourism is the number one industry in (the oil absent ) Jordon. And no wonder. Petra is one of the most spectacular tourist destinations I have ever seen. People who have visited Wadi Rum , also in Jordan ,where Lawrence of Arabia did his thing and where the movie was shot , make the same claim. As Lebanon gets back on its feet, it will surely regain its claim to be the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

When I told my friends and family I was going to the West Bank, they feared for my safety. But we always felt safe . And we read so much about that part of the world, it was great to see it first hand. Particularly the impact on that community of the Occupation. Here in the West one can easily form the impression that the West Bank is populated entirely with terrorists ,extremists and crazy people. But the folks I met were warm ,friendly and possessed of a great sense of humour. Nevertheless, the war consumes them.

Visiting Israel is completely different. It could easily accommodate a week’s visit and has something to offer every tourist. Especially the ones who like world famous historical settings, warm weather, beaches ,night clubs or shopping.

A First Hand look at a Continuing Story.

There is a lot going on in that part of the world and we read about it every day in our press . We all sympathize with Israel a country of 8 million, vastly outnumbered by its Arab neighbors, who for so many years refused to acknowledge that they had any right at all to be in the area.

Less well told is the story of the ten million Palestinians, half of whom live outside what they call home . One and a half million live in Refugee Camps. Those who live in the West Bank feel that they are constantly provoked , and the new settlements are the daily reminder. The brand new homes which leap out incongruously from the country side can be ignored. But the 8m high walls that appear randomly from day to day , make it difficult to move about, , divide communities in half, and generally provide no end of frustration.

We visited five of Palestinian Refugee Camps . Set up in 1948 they were each meant to accommodate about six thousand people on one square kilometre. The camp we could not visit due to an outburst of violence houses 60 000. One we toured held 45 000 and was crowded beyond belief. The residents are mostly unemployable and rely on global charities to feed and clothe their families. In the past these camps have been the breeding ground for violence. This is unlikely to change.

When considering the points of view that swirl around the Middle East, the word “intractable” comes to mind. Each side in this dispute has been taught since birth that their position is the only one which could possibly have any validity. At dinner one night, a diplomat said that for every legitimate truth that could be legitimately made on the subject , there existed an equal but opposite truth.

Sadly , the most likely near term outcome is the status quo.


Right to Play

So is there any hope? If so it must come from the next generation. But only if the cycle of passing intolerance from one generation to another can be broken. During my time in the Middle East we visited more than a dozen schools. I was impressed by the thoughtfulness of the games that RTP had supplied. For example, one taught the importance of a rules based society, another the way to reach out to another person. All stressed the values of community and getting along.


I was also struck with the staff in the field. To a person they were passionate about their work. From the region and country heads to the volunteer coaches all demonstrated a passion for their work with children. One of the managers in Palestine was born in a Refugee Camp. He rose up the RTP ranks from participant to coach and the program changed his life. He used his story to apply for a scholarship in the UK and won. Every Wednesday for three years he, together with three other Palestinians, met with four Israeli students to discuss the conflict and how it could be resolved. Now he has come home to work for RTP to see if he can make a difference.

But most of all I was struck by the kids themselves and how much they enjoyed the programs. The teachers told us repeatedly that this was the highlight of their day. They needn’t have bothered. You could see it in the children’s faces. On more than one occasion we met with parents who always gave the same message. The RTP programs had made a positive difference on their child’s overall attitude and outlook toward life . There was other evidence of this extension. In one class, Right to Play became one of a half dozen rights listed in English on the back of the classroom wall: Right to Learn Right, Right to Live in Peace , or Right to Personal Safety .

If there is a chance for any sort of peace in this area it starts with programs like these.

I am proud to be joining this organization today.

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Comments

[Angus MacLellan]

A wonderful summation of what seems like a life altering adventure. It sure is funny how narrow a perspective the media outlets we are exposed to give us of such a significant and culturally rich part of the world. Very nice to hear from the other side. Thanks for sharing dad!