Saturday, October 30, 2004

Live from Ramallah: “I’ve no idea what I’m talking about, but the BBC pays me a lot of money to say it.”

I love the way this Barbara Plett person solves the riddle of apparent Palestinian indifference to Arafat’s departure and why only the foreign correspondents were shedding tears of sadness.

But as he boarded the helicopter with faltering steps, he also stood for something else: for a people exhausted by war, bereft of hope, abandoned by their brothers, and fearful of the future.

Perhaps that is why so few Palestinians saw him off. In him, still, they see themselves.

Very touching, I'm sure. I even wiped a little tear from the corner of my eye while reading it*. But what does it mean?

[*Ooh you little fibber, Imshin]

I have some alternative suggestions:
How about - many of the Palestinians are relieved to be rid of him.

How about - many of them know only too well that it's his fault that their lives are in such a bloody mess.

How about - maybe you don't actually know what your talking about, you ***** ****** ***** (censored).

Enough said. Ehud Yaari has claimed all along that this has not been a popular uprising.

Thank you, John Williams, for pointing this out. Have I mentioned John’s new book?