tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66421775252821700392011-11-28T00:42:21.580+01:00This blog provides an account of Egyptian journalist Khaled Diab's trip through Israel and Palestine on a personal quest for peace and understanding between Arabs and Israelis. It also contains reflections and encounters after the event.Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.comBlogger761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-34571658647462889242008-04-24T16:19:00.000+02:002008-04-24T16:20:08.697+02:00

Israel is 60 years old and the conflict still rages on. Can we look forward to peace by the 100th anniversary?http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2008/04/2048_a_peace_odyssey.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-84586889088999683692008-04-24T16:18:00.000+02:002008-04-24T16:19:21.524+02:00

Palestinian and Israeli peace activists have joined forces to demand the lifting of the Gaza blockade.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2008/01/glimmers_of_hope.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-10521255190400356032007-11-22T21:26:00.000+01:002007-11-22T23:29:02.282+01:00

By Khaled DiabAhead of the Annapolis conference, a TV debate in which I appeared was broadcast on Wednesday 22 November. In it, I argued that Annapolis was little more than a photo op and that the hopes it raised would be dashed in a camera flash. If the gathering fails, then the time would be ripe to experiment with creative and radical approaches to peace.Nadia Abu Zahra hosted Middle East

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-20989900261946144472007-11-19T14:46:00.000+01:002007-11-19T14:48:27.130+01:00

If the Annapolis peace conference fails, then Palestinians should abandon their national struggle and demand their civil rights.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/11/a_civil_solution.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-13838223329909585282007-11-17T11:49:00.000+01:002007-11-17T12:14:51.486+01:00

Marhaba Prof Joseph Massad,Allow me to express my deep gratitude for your articles, research and advocacy on behalf of my/our people, the Palestinians. After Edward Said, we do need an advocate for a truly downtrodden people, their shattered identity and a pillaged existence. Whereas we are not the only population to suffer, I am allowing myself a certain selfishness after the thorny mess of the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-43295725233598784972007-10-04T13:37:00.000+02:002007-10-04T13:38:25.024+02:00

With political disillusionment at an all-time high, a certain brand of hardline Middle Eastern leader is being elevated to the status of cult hero. http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/10/middle_eastern_cult_heroes.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-54344349389489686142007-09-20T16:48:00.000+02:002007-09-20T16:49:47.537+02:00

An ageing billionaire falls to his death in Mayfair. Vital evidence disappears. The latest Le Carré novel? No, a real life Middle Eastern spy thriller.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/09/a_perfect_spy.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-40207712830090865542007-09-13T10:08:00.000+02:002007-09-13T10:16:46.031+02:00

By Tom KenisWe’re in a small village called Taibeh, a stone’s throw north of Ramallah. Here, an eponymous brewery was set up in the middle of the nineties by two Palestinian brothers, returning from the United States in the optimistic wake of Oslo. Since then, among connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike, their brew has gained an unshakable reputation. It’s on sale, bottled or draft, in most of

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-9991974267120642412007-09-07T17:22:00.000+02:002007-09-07T17:23:36.391+02:00

Last week, I invited Arabs to come out of their trenches and explore the no-man's-land of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Now it's the turn of the Israelis.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/09/the_art_of_peace_2.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-45961387968245169902007-09-01T09:25:00.000+02:002007-09-01T09:26:38.330+02:00

It is time for Arabs to come out of their trenches and explore the no-man's-land of the Arab-Israeli conflict.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/08/the_art_of_peace.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-53053206016943349732007-08-22T10:44:00.000+02:002007-08-22T12:18:19.281+02:00

By Khaled DiabEarlier this week, the BBC’s Panorama programme featured a depressing episode entitled Return to Gaza in which Jane Corbin bravely returned - six weeks after kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston’s release - to that strip of land forsaken by the entire world .In introducing the episode, Jeremy Vine observed that Gaza “could be a holiday destination like Turkey or Egypt”. And, in an

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-90302048512272013262007-08-22T09:48:00.000+02:002007-08-22T09:50:24.812+02:00

By Tom Kenis I am horrible at time-keeping. It is eight o’clock, and I’m standing at the bar. Muhammad, the bartender, greets me with a smile. “Kif halak?” “I’m fine,” I say, scanning the room. Ol’ Blue Eyes stares down at me from the wall, framed black and white. Welcome to Sinatra’s. On weekdays you can hear The Voice, crackling from a small array of speakers, while you check your Gmail over

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-35924275625016246632007-08-11T12:51:00.001+02:002007-08-11T12:51:58.721+02:00

The spirit of the 1960s touched the Arab world too, but rapidly faded away.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/08/castles_made_of_sand.html

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By Tom KenisAre the Spice Girls in town? No, not really. Lebanese pop-singer Nancy Ajram, then? Or perhaps eighties one-hit-wonder Charles & Eddie? If no one else can help you, and if you can find them,… maybe Palestinians hired the A-Team? Quite unlikely. And yet, the sulphuric tang of ignited powder abounds. There floats an excitement that is difficult to explain otherwise. Today, Ramallah is

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-58843090291200515482007-08-08T09:24:00.000+02:002007-08-08T13:59:44.994+02:00

By Tom KenisI got the job. The phone interview with a crackly connection, one time zone away, had gone well. Belgian development money would pay for me to go and support a small organisation that’s active in the field of women’s rights, youth empowerment, and democracy. As I was packing my bags, TV news blared out the increasingly alarming vital signs of Yasser Arafat. I had just about finished

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-73369223045902833192007-08-07T21:25:00.000+02:002007-08-07T21:26:03.042+02:00

There is no military solution for the Darfur conflict - but peace may be achieved by better management of the region's dwindling natural resources.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/08/darfur_fighting_fire_with_wate.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-1986155279537730672007-08-04T17:30:00.000+02:002007-08-04T17:31:18.759+02:00

In Islam, apostasy and faithlessness are sins, but they are not worldly crimes. Those who claim otherwise are making a mistake.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/08/faith_and_punishment.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-58048051062580691462007-07-28T12:09:00.000+02:002007-07-28T14:50:17.558+02:00

By Khaled DiabUS President George W Bush's call for an international peace conference later this year has rightly been met with greater scepticism than its predecessor, the 1991 Madrid Conference. Although his father seems to be an important role model, when Bush Snr invaded Iraq or called a peace conference he did both as a relatively respected member of the international community.But is

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-84240686471475179012007-07-20T17:27:00.000+02:002007-07-20T17:29:16.322+02:00

I'm sick of hearing the same old tune about how Muslims are silent in their condemnation of terrorism. Time for a song.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/07/song_for_the_deaf.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-46948930350078165262007-07-19T10:01:00.000+02:002007-07-19T10:27:59.051+02:00

Why is it that, no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to be able to share the euphoria at the Blair-Peres-Bush makeover of recent weeks?Perhaps it is because appointing ex-British prime minister Tony Blair as the Quartet's Middle East envoy is one way of making that foursome even more irrelevant than it already is. How can a man reviled as a warmonger in the Middle East and other parts of the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-68791913696801560642007-07-19T10:00:00.000+02:002007-07-19T10:01:35.918+02:00

Many in the west fear the threat posed by political Islam. But there is a more ominous menace closer to home. http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/07/a_christian_jihad.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-8043690129877532322007-07-13T09:48:00.000+02:002007-07-13T10:37:15.935+02:00

Khaled DiabThe time is ripe for a Middle Eastern sexual revolution and there are signs that a quiet one is in progress. But will young Arabs openly stand up for their right to get laid?Arab societies are in desperate need of a sexual revolution. This idea may shock religious conservatives who believe that a righteous stance (moral erectitude, if you like) is the only thing standing between

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-21245116359564068672007-07-06T15:14:00.000+02:002007-07-06T15:15:17.506+02:00

Could a 'one-state' solution end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/take_two/2007/07/uri_avnery_v_khaled_diab.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-17146464743724988612007-07-05T19:57:00.000+02:002007-07-05T19:59:29.521+02:00

British-born 'jihadis' have been wreaking havoc at home and abroad for generations, lured by a heady mix of idealism, romance and rebellion.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/07/a_history_of_violence.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-60497768554864104372007-06-30T14:01:00.000+02:002007-06-30T14:02:38.784+02:00

Ridiculing and questioning Islam, Muhammad, the Qur'an and religion in general is an ancient tradition in Muslim countries.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/06/the_muslim_faithless.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-49871491560053542842007-06-25T14:55:00.001+02:002007-06-25T16:19:02.175+02:00

By Khaled DiabAfter he hands over the reins of the premiership to Gordon Brown, Tony Blair intends to become a Catholic and is prime candidatefor the job of Middle East peace envoy for the largely dormant Quartet (USA, EU, UN and Russia).This is a proposal that is hardly set to get the pulse racing at the exciting possibilities that, through the good offices of Blair, Israelis and Palestinians

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-79201146717827049642007-06-24T12:05:00.000+02:002007-06-24T12:06:19.910+02:00

Palestinians have not been the Middle East's only victims. We Arabs should recall the many Jews who paid the price for the Arab-Israeli conflict. http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/06/the_other_right_of_return.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-85526768294633903072007-06-19T11:12:00.000+02:002007-06-20T20:27:20.575+02:00

Khaled DiabThis weekend I went to London for a mini trip to the Middle East for an encounter with Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian (not to mention Sikh!) intellectuals, as well as a reunion with old friends from Egypt.After a massive delay on the Eurostar owing to a broken rail in one of the tunnels, I arrived in Hackney at around midnight. Hatem, one of my oldest and dearest friends, and I stayed

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-2218975703811505292007-06-10T12:04:00.000+02:002007-06-12T09:36:16.970+02:00

By Khaled DiabThis month, there has been a general preoccupation with the 1967 war and the occupation that started 40 years ago. But all the retrospectives have done little to raise people's optimism that peace is attainable. It might now be worthwhile to cast our sights four decades into the future and consider Israel's first centennial.In 2048, will it depressingly be 'business as usual' - only

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-20978994851229007422007-06-08T10:29:00.000+02:002007-06-08T10:30:15.798+02:00

Across Europe, the real challenge when dealing with minority groups is not integration but marginalisation.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/06/testing_times.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-53472020334928344762007-06-05T10:51:00.000+02:002007-06-05T11:10:10.446+02:00

By Khaled DiabWhile the west was discovering new self-confidence and freedom as it basked in its ‘Summer of Love’, the Arab world was waking up to the winter of its humiliation.Although the eight-year-old Vietnam war was preying on the conscience of western youth, it didn’t spoil the baby boomer party back home. June 1967 saw the world’s first major rock festival, the Monterey Pop Festival. The

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-58187739648451604752007-06-02T15:23:00.000+02:002007-06-02T15:51:15.282+02:00

By Khaled DiabTwo books I read back to back do something that few books about the Israel-Palestinian conflict achieve: they look at the ordinary people, with the politics serving as mere backdrop to their human stories.Since my tour of Israel and Palestine was all about humanising the conflict, I think it would be approporiate to meet the Palestinians and Israelis Suad Amiry and Linda Grant

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-71859261131600866482007-06-01T10:42:00.000+02:002007-06-01T11:01:54.087+02:00

Being gay in most of the Middle East is tough, although the issue is coming out of the closet in several countries, including Lebanon and Egypt. In the case of Palestinian homosexuals, they not only have to deal with conservative traditions but also the politicising of sexuality in the context of attempts to construct false ‘us’ and ‘them’ dichotomies. Lesbians have traditionally been invisible

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-79535744755543531942007-05-30T10:05:00.000+02:002007-05-30T10:39:56.321+02:00

By Khaled DiabHamas's political leader Khaled Mashal must have a death wish. His uncompromising discourse is certainly hurting - even fatally wounding - the Palestinian struggle.In an interview with The Guardian, he said: "Under occupation people don't ask whether their means are effective in hurting the enemy." When I read this, I did a double-take. Surely, that's the first question they should

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-84024305243106072292007-05-27T14:34:00.000+02:002007-05-27T16:17:07.370+02:00

By Khaled DiabThe first days after my return home to Belgium were like a period of decompression following a deep-sea dive. Going from a situation in which even the air I breathed felt politicised and charged with conflicting passions to the more temperate and mild air of Belgium required some readjustment.After all those days during which I tickled the curiosity of everyone I met, it was welcome

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-19609382699214880322007-05-25T14:30:00.000+02:002007-05-25T14:52:05.882+02:00

By Khaled DiabThe violence in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon between the Lebanese Army and Fatah al-Islam fighters raises serious worries about the short-term stability of Lebanon and has been yet another sad episode in the desperation and violence engulfing Palestinians. The fighting also resonates with worrying echoes of 1982.I will not engage in the speculation and

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-25800632003234858722007-05-24T11:11:00.000+02:002007-05-24T11:20:52.564+02:00

By Katleen MaesThere are renewed hopes of an international treaty on cluster munitions - although the only way forward is to ban them.Read more: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/katleen_maes/2007/05/small_bombs_big_trouble.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-44551878097094547252007-05-23T10:02:00.000+02:002007-05-23T10:04:33.973+02:00

It is time to dispel the myths surrounding Muslims - namely, that we are all terrorist anti-feminist teetotallers.Read more: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/05/a_war_on_error.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-70000967474087315812007-05-22T10:22:00.000+02:002007-05-22T10:25:30.067+02:00

By Khaled DiabI finally got round to watching the film version of Borat at the weekend. While the original sketch version was often pretty hilarious, the format did not transfer well to a full-length feature film.The reason I mention it in a blog about Israel and Palestine is that Sasha Baron Cohen purports to have made the film partly to touch upon the issue of anti-Semitism in the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-79324997981678025162007-05-18T13:43:00.000+02:002007-05-18T13:44:13.726+02:00

Palestinians are beginning to discover the value of non-violent resistance.http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/05/a_better_weapon.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-26588302889865271732007-05-16T14:36:00.000+02:002007-05-16T15:05:37.089+02:00

By Khaled DiabMy mother worries about her kids. Despite her commitment to independence, personal choice and individual freedom, she sometimes cannot help herself. Part of the problem is that she’s the proud owner of a fully functioning, top-of-the-range, active imagination (anyone who thinks my solutions to the world’s ills are quirky ain’t met me ol’ mam!).Then, there’s the Egyptian in her. She

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-45629786989615795832007-05-16T09:52:00.000+02:002007-05-16T14:35:54.622+02:00

By Khaled DiabWith the long farewell discussion still buzzing in my head, I sat on the drowsy late-night train to the airport wondering whether my exit would be as tricky as my entry. I had already been warned by some to expect an interrogation on the way out, which was a new policy.Partly to catch the last train and partly to give myself plenty of time for potential delays, I had decided not to

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-48523713677217641812007-05-14T13:38:00.000+02:002007-05-14T13:39:17.114+02:00

Just as Arabs do not realise just how 'Middle Eastern' Israelis are, Israelis don't realise how 'western' millions of Arabs are.Read the rest of this Guardian comment I wrote at: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/khaled_diab/2007/05/behind_the_zion_curtain.html

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-26501867449160357522007-05-12T17:47:00.000+02:002007-05-12T19:57:48.927+02:00

By Khaled DiabAfter an all-night writing spree, in Jerusalem cafes and then in my hotel room, I woke up with a serious intellectual hangover on Sunday morning, so I decided to treat myself to a nice brunch. Before I left, I said goodbye to the incredibly earnest brother of the owner of the hotel, who turned out to be Palestinian.I then caught one of the private minibuses to Tel Aviv. After

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-73991863228502695172007-05-08T22:26:00.000+02:002007-05-09T08:59:05.601+02:00

By Khaled DiabEver since I was introduced to the term ‘peacemonger’ in an article from September last year written by Uri Avnery, Israel’s most famous peacenik, I have quite fancied myself as one of those troublemakers beating courageously on my peace drum.“A terrible enemy is conspiring to impose peace on us. He is advancing against us from two sides, in a giant pincer movement,” he wrote. “

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-28793993558673291832007-05-07T12:07:00.000+02:002007-05-07T12:14:31.201+02:00

Here is an opinion piece about my trip that has just been published in The Guardian's Comment is Free section entitled Pint-sized peace.Watch this space for:* Uri Avnery: Encounter with a peacemonger* Final saloms!* Please open your political baggage* My son, the peace envoy

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-76919456151960880262007-05-04T13:31:00.000+02:002007-05-04T13:38:20.738+02:00

By Khaled DiabHebron, or el-Khalil in Arabic, is one of the most beautiful towns in Palestine and its old city, with its lively kasbah, is first rate… until you get to its latter reaches! Hebron, which began life as a Canaanite royal city, is one of the oldest cities in the world.Rabie and I hooked up with Al Haq’s man in el-Khalil, Zahi, and a group of NGO workers from the UK for the human

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-67062784107179057272007-05-03T12:41:00.000+02:002007-05-03T14:21:52.996+02:00

By Khaled DiabGoing out for a drink is great in and of itself. But boozing for a good cause is a wonderful cocktail of sin and virtue! In fact, I, for one, am willing to pub crawl all the way along the road to peace.While in Jerusalem, I went out with The Guardian's ‘Comment is Free’ contributors Seth Freedman and Alex Stein. Seth even wrote this article about the encounter. And I've been berated

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-52515093425740801492007-05-02T13:28:00.001+02:002010-11-26T09:56:04.547+01:00

By Khaled DiabThe quickest way to get from Ramallah to el-Khalil (Hebron) is via Jerusalem – a journey that should take just over half an hour.But the Israeli occupation in all its infinite wisdom provides Palestinians with the unavoidable opportunity to take the scenic route, along secondary roads, via Bethlehem – a journey which takes two hours, assuming you don’t have to stop long at the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-10931145355338833902007-05-01T17:01:00.000+02:002007-05-02T10:15:42.844+02:00

By Khaled DiabShawan Jabarin, the general director of Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organisation, spoke to me about the human rights situation and prospects for the future.He began by stressing the importance of people going out to see what’s going on on the ground and speaking to ordinary people “because they often have better and more sensible ideas than their leaders”.He believes that '

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-54795590480314999232007-04-30T16:45:00.000+02:002007-04-30T16:47:41.889+02:00

Casting our scepticism about the near-term future aside, please feel free to share your dreams of what kind of Israel and Palestine you would like to see in the more distant peaceful future.

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-62120410922186562502007-04-30T16:24:00.000+02:002007-04-30T16:44:21.281+02:00

My trip is almost at an end but the writing isn't. Travelling around and writing so much has proven quite a daunting challenge. There are still some encounters which I haven't written up yet, but I will do so in the coming days. In addition, 'Without a road map' will not end with my departure, as I intend to pursue further and develop certain avenues - both intellectual and practical - which have

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-52752047712854172242007-04-29T08:39:00.000+02:002007-04-29T09:45:45.976+02:00

By Khaled DiabAll for Peace is the only joint Palestinian-Israeli radio station around. This unique media voice is 50% Israeli and 50% Palestinian. Likewise, the content is also balanced equally, and the gender mix is finely tuned."Our main objective is to disseminate information that does not fall within the agendas of both people's media - which are, on the whole, too nationalistic," Faris

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-42600946906056424652007-04-29T07:30:00.000+02:002007-04-29T08:36:26.525+02:00

By Khaled DiabOn a twilight stroll through the still rather deserted town, everyone we came across was incredibly friendly, warm and welcoming, striking up conversations as we walked past and the children asking me to take photos of them. Our 'outlandish' appearance and my accent meant that our progress through the streets was rather slow at times, as we stopped to chat and press the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-32390552046368843932007-04-29T03:06:00.000+02:002007-04-29T08:38:17.457+02:00

By Khaled DiabOn Friday morning, I set off to Ramallah. While I was waiting for the bus driver to return from Friday prayers, a group of young lads hit off a conversation with me. They had got to Jerusalem by jumping out of the minibus just before the check point and taking back routes. On the journey back, there would be no problem because the Israeli military didn't really care who entered

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-17130174623275727462007-04-29T02:35:00.000+02:002007-04-29T08:38:58.492+02:00

By Khaled DiabEast Jerusalem’s Ambassador Hotel is a favourite gathering point for civil society and that is where I was due to meet with representatives of the fledgling umbrella alliance of Palestinian and Israeli peace NGOs.The Palestinian-Israeli Peace NGO Forum does what the label says: it brings together over 100 Israeli and Palestinian civil society organisations striving, either directly

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-9059472666467582712007-04-27T08:39:00.000+02:002007-04-27T09:49:04.637+02:00

By Khaled DiabIn Jerusalem, within the space of a few hundred metres, you can stroll between the holiest sites of the three monotheistic religions - in a kind of short-distance leap of faith! A couple of friends have referred to my trip as a 'political pilgrimage'. And pilgrim was how I felt negotiating the narrow streets of Jerusalem. Without prior warning, my path crossed that of Christ. You

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-28384201811909981172007-04-26T19:00:00.000+02:002007-04-26T19:54:31.878+02:00

By Khaled DiabIn eastern Jerusalem, I walked into a local cafe in search of locals. I ordered tea and a shisha, or nargela as the Palestinians call it (water pipe). It was the first time I had smoked this particular type of tobacco (me'asel for those in the know) for many long years and it brought back dim memories of misspent afternoons at uni smoking and playing backgammon. But this particular

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-6735370608928619002007-04-26T18:10:00.000+02:002007-04-26T19:56:10.397+02:00

By Khaled DiabYesterday evening, I walked into a shawerma joint, and an accidental 'Aywa' ('Yes' in Egyptian) led the owner to ask me if I spoke Arabic. When I answered in the affirmative, he and his friend sitting by the counter welcomed me warmly. At first, I could not figure out whether these guys were Palestinians or not, until I realised the friend was wearing a kippa or yarmulka.Murad (

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-86333430316845962052007-04-26T08:08:00.000+02:002007-04-26T10:12:13.432+02:00

By Khaled DiabJerusalem is the most potent symbol of the chasm dividing the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Just outside the holy city with its unholy politics, a group of dedicated Israel Jews and Palestinians decided they did not need to wait for their leaders to deliver peace for them to live side by side peacefully in a three-decade-old joint community.When I learnt about the village before

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-90245723435861973292007-04-25T18:52:00.000+02:002007-04-25T18:57:36.285+02:00

For years, everyone has been asking: “Where did peace go?”Well, I think I have been able to locate that elusive creature – but he is not in the best of shape. At this very moment, Shalom/Salaam is stuck at the border, insisting that he is not carrying a bomb.“Are you carrying a weapon?” a string of Israeli officers ask him.“Bro, I come in peace,” replies Peace, with his long, centre-parted hippy

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-90717427126929722972007-04-24T14:20:00.000+02:002007-04-24T14:43:13.372+02:00

Late on Monday evening, Zipora was hosting two good friends whom she described as "very left wing".They had a long series of questions about politics and society in Egypt for me - and since not many Egyptian pass this way, I felt obliged to answer them all conscientiously. However, the question that seemed to trouble them the most was ‘Why do Egyptians never come here now that we have peace?’This

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-78182318557238515152007-04-24T13:41:00.000+02:002007-04-24T15:07:10.074+02:00

Khaled DiabIn a Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song, Anthony Kiedis sings about how he likes pleasure spiked with pain. That crossed my mind as an apt description of this time of year in Israel and Palestine.On Sunday evening and Monday morning is Memorial Day, while on Monday evening and Tuesday morning is Independence Day for the Israelis and the Nakba (Catastrophe) for the Palestinians. On Monday

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-11949659168015905382007-04-23T16:27:00.000+02:002007-04-23T16:35:47.155+02:00

Khaled DiabAfter visiting the elders, we went to a nearby town to meet some of the area's youngest citizens. We visited a joint Jewish-Arab school which Tzachi and Anat were considering sending their children to. The school's head teachers, Yochanan Eschschar and Noha el-Khatieb, kindly gave us a tour of their experimental establishment.The school is still a young one, with only 200 kindergarten

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-87373574983863115762007-04-23T16:09:00.000+02:002007-05-01T19:30:50.775+02:00

Khaled Diab"The Jewish people have suffered for 2,000 years and now we'll make you suffer with us," was Tzachi's friendly introduction to the coming Memorial Day ceremonies that evening.And pain, grief and loss were all around and almost tangible on my second day. In the morning, Amos and I went off to a nearby Arab village, Meyser. There, we met with the town's unofficial council of elders, the

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-73178915198798516822007-04-23T14:49:00.000+02:002007-04-23T14:59:49.503+02:00

By Khaled Diab When I first arrived in Israel, the blue-and-white Star of David flags everyone seemed to be flying on their cars and even their houses for the forthcoming festivities added a touch of the unreal to my surroundings. It was a clear indication, in case I needed one, that I had arrived in Israel – and at a hugely patriotic moment.But that slight sense of oddness was as nothing

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-10095153022467515692007-04-23T12:14:00.001+02:002007-04-23T12:55:45.283+02:00

Khaled DiabWhen I was a young child, I had no conception that teachers had lives outside of the classroom. The idea that they could have a family or go to sleep or to the toilet like us seemed a little far-fetched. To many Arabs, Zionists do not really exist outside the political sphere, which is where they commit a lot of sinister acts.Of course, in the early days of the conflict, it was a

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-67607773847444411162007-04-21T21:32:00.000+02:002007-04-21T21:44:04.759+02:00

The older woman sitting in my row on the plane to Tel Aviv snatched a few glances at me which ranged between the furtive to the curious. She was obviously trying to figure me out. But as the flight progressed and we exchanged a couple of brief pleasantries, she seemed to relax. She settled into her ‘light’ reading for the flight, some book on the global ballistic missile threat, her liver-spotted

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-50127670823019042572007-04-20T13:55:00.000+02:002007-04-20T14:02:00.755+02:00

Khaled DiabMy last hours in Belgium before I depart the calm serenity and measured reserve of this green and temperate land for the intensity, passion and madness of the ‘Holy Land’.Sitting amongst quiet and sleepy commuters on the train this morning, I was struck by the idea that Belgium and Israel-Palestine have quite a lot in common and that the Israelis and Palestinians could learn a lot

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-91617480678508684422007-04-19T08:28:00.000+02:002007-04-19T09:49:36.557+02:00

By Khaled DiabThere is just over a day to go before my great voyage into the well-known yet enigmatic begins! Needless to say, I am incredibly excited about my trip - I'm sure it's going to be intense every step of the way. Climbing down from the ivory tower of political observation and punditry to walk among the flesh-and-blood realities.For me, this trip is special in oh so many ways. This is

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-41538626943546415372007-04-17T20:27:00.000+02:002007-04-19T09:28:56.209+02:00

From Without a roa...Khaled DiabNo, this is not yet another tragic news item about the latest carnage in the Middle East. It is about the man who shot dead 32 people on a US campus before turning the gun on himself. Police are calling it the deadliest shooting rampage of its kind in American history.This massacre has come at an interesting moment for me. Some family and friends have expressed

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-86727974035159662722007-04-16T15:50:00.000+02:002007-04-16T15:52:09.752+02:00

The plans for my trip are really taking shape and it looks like I’ve got a hectic time ahead. Some landmarks to look forward to include:Road to JerusalemMy trip will take me to Tel Aviv and Jaffa, Pardes Hana, Galilee and the Golan, Jerusalem, Ramallah and el-Khalil/Hebron.The real McCohen!Penetrating deep into ‘hostile’ territory, your intrepid journalist will stay for some days with several

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-36890498177908166172007-04-16T13:11:00.000+02:002007-04-16T13:12:35.665+02:00

Khaled DiabAlmost four hundred years before the creation of Israel, Cyprus was on the cards as a Jewish colony and safe haven for Europe's persecuted Jewish minority.I found this little nugget while brushing up on my history in preparation for my trip to Israel and Palestine.The idea was the brainchild of the colourful Jewish financier and statesman Joseph Nasi (1524-1579), one of the 16th

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-16153840135430570062007-04-16T13:09:00.000+02:002007-04-16T13:11:26.134+02:00

Khaled DiabLand, history, ideology, religion - these are what most people associate with the Arab-Israeli conflict. But dive beneath the surface and a whole other barely mentioned conflict is keeping a settlement at bay.According to ancient Arab wisdom, wells are good keepers of secrets. And appropriately water is, and has been for decades, one of the hidden undercurrents driving the conflict

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-78039905743754151192007-04-16T13:05:00.000+02:002007-04-16T13:07:28.305+02:00

By Khaled DiabA set of hitherto unknown ancient toilet rolls were uncovered by archaeologists on Good Friday in the Dead Sea area in what might prove to be the find of the 21st century.The Belgian-Egyptian team admitted that the discovery had taken them by surprise since they had previously assumed that toilet paper was a modern invention. "We'd always assumed that Middle Easterners preferred

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642177525282170039.post-71907864772708790792007-04-16T13:00:00.000+02:002007-04-16T13:05:16.977+02:00

By Khaled DiabI prefer to travel light. After all, if you want to be mobile on holiday, you can't carry around too much luggage. That is why, at the airport, I'm constantly baffled by people who go away with half a dozen, hard-shelled and impractically shaped suitcases.Despite my propensity for minimising luggage, I realise that, for my forthcoming trip to Israel and Palestine, I'll be weighed

Khaled Diabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731069004836274247noreply@blogger.com4