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My
next prediction, which is not very original is that the Arab spring is about to
turn very wintry indeed.
I
have been watching another of Aljazeera’s excellent documentaries called ‘Two
Schools in Nablus’, one for senior boys and the other for senior girls.
Two
striking things emerge quickly.
The
first is the absolute dedication, professionalism and competence of the staff.
They behave like teachers, they dress like teachers, and they show great
tolerance to the frequent delays in paying their salaries by their useless
government that would have their British counterparts out on strike instantly.
The headmaster is a figure of great authority that takes me back to my
schooldays. He exercises discipline that was common in my day but almost
certainly unknown in UK schools today.
One
of his problems is at the worst possible moment he had to absorb pupils from
another school who had been evacuated due to yet another outbreak of
unpleasantness between Palestinians and Israelis. One of the new boys, perhaps
used to a more lax regime, threw a punch at another. He was expelled on the
spot (but later allowed back to take his exams).
The
second is that the pupils graft extremely hard in the lead up to their leaving
exams – which include compulsory English and Maths. The Israelis seem to go out
of their way to disrupt all this by raids, imprisonment, strategic road
closures during exams.
So
what has this to do with the Arab spring?
Well,
these kids are struggling to get an education in a climate of constant
violence. The Israelis have no concern for schools as we saw in the intifada
when they not only shelled schools but used phosphorus against civilians – a
dreadful weapon because it slowly burns its victims to death and there is no
immediate way of extinguishing it. It should be banned as weapon of war, (the
Americans also used it in Fallujah, a densely populated area where civilians
were certain to be struck by it).
Whilst
it might be a statement of the bleedin’ obvious that Israelis and Arabs hate
each other, the Israelis give the impression that they actually foster this
hatred by their overbearing behaviour – illegal settlements, disproportionate
use of force, harassment of Arab labour (I understand that it is easier for a
tourist to visit Bethlehem than for an Arab), dispossession of Arab families
who have lived in Old Jerusalem for centuries (do they pay compensation at
market rate, I wonder?), banning the call to prayer by loudspeaker and other
pettiness.
It
seems to be a society fuelled by hatred. Now they have conflict with the
orthodox Jews who are denuding that women ride at the back of the bus (shades
of Alabama 1960) and abuse of an 8 year old girl, all of which has brought the
non-orthodox out on the streets to deliver a bit of retributive justice.
As
for the Arabs, they consistently provoke retaliation from the IDF, confident
that civilians will be killed in the exchanges. If this includes kids, all the
better. It is tantamount to human sacrifice. They are delighted with the
propaganda in the anti-Israel media world-wide. (I was told on good authority
that the film some years ago of a 12-year-old cowering in the street with his
father before being killed by an aimed shot was a fake, but it was great PR for
the Arabs. As Churchill said, a lie can be halfway around the world whilst the
truth is getting its boots on).
Elections
in the ‘liberated’ Arab countries will be hijacked by the Islamist because they
have the organisation. They care nothing for democracy, freedom, jobs
education, the core motivations for revolt. They are single-issue fanatics
obsessed with the destruction of Israel at any cost. Everything achieved by
very brave men and women in overthrowing their tyrants will be sacrificed to
the ambitions of truly evil men who are rooted in the 13th Century
A
plague on both their houses. PJ O’Rourke, in ‘Holidays from Hell’ pointed out
the absurdity that this tiny piece of dust has been a major threat to world
peace for 60 years. He suggested that the proper solution was to nuke it. He
may have been joking but it could come to that.
Faith
and belief are a comfort.
Religion
is a curse.
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