Tuesday, 6 January 2009
By Jihad el-Khazen
Flying on Middle East Airlines between Beirut and London is more than just a trip between two capitals, or a few hours above the clouds. When I get on a plane I always find myself surrounded by a number of friends, with whom I spend the flight visiting and talking. Most passengers must have a similar experience, since we are from a small country where everyone knows each other.
On my flight with my family from London to Beirut during the holiday season, I visited many friends in their seats, and received visits from others. The lovely stewardesses were hospitable and served tea, coffee and sweets.
The talk on the flight to Beirut was full of hope that Lebanon had finally overcome its tribulations. Arab visitors have swooped down on the country from every direction, and those who have found no room in hotels are greeted by people's hospitable hearts.
On the flight back to London, the atmosphere was full of anxiety and sadness. Even though the Lebanese were as hospitable as expected, the calamitous events in Gaza spoiled the joy of the holidays. On the way back, passengers were talking about the barbaric Israeli attacks, and everyone felt that they had not done enough to help the people of Gaza.
I do not know when the cycle of misfortunes will end. We barely exit one crisis or tragedy before we enter a new crisis. Sometimes these crises are of our own making, if Israel is not behind them, and Lebanon has seen enough of them in the last two years, for example.
When my family and I arrived in Beirut, I let my daughter go to the hotel along with the suitcases, to check in. My wife and I went straight from the airport to a dinner hosted by friends where 100 or more people from various Arab countries had gathered; Beirut has returned to being a meeting-point for friends.
On the following day, the Israeli war machine attacked the Gaza Strip and our discussions focused on the misfortunes of its people facing the neo-Nazis. Social occasions turned into forums for unending political debate.
I stayed at the Phoenicia Intercontinental as I always do when visiting Beirut. This year, in order to secure a reservation, I required the help of friends due to the holiday crush. Staying at the Phoenicia was like the flight on MEA; it goes beyond the original purpose and becomes an opportunity to see friends from various Arab countries.
The hotel coffee shop, located around the well-known pool, was full of visitors, day and night. Many were waiting in line for a table to sit and chat. I saw friends from the Gulf and countries in Europe and America, and everywhere in between.
My wife and I were happy to sit with a family of a young friend, Rajaa Saneh, who wrote the novel The Girls of Riyadh. I had exchanged holiday greetings with her in London via email and saw her in Beirut with the rest of the family. Once again, most of the discussion was about Gaza. Rajaa's family is a rare one; she completes her specialization in dentistry in the US and her sisters are dentists, while her brothers are GPs and surgeons. There are enough of them to open a private hospital.
On my last day at the hotel, I saw a dear friend, Ragheb Alama, whose concerts I have attended in Beirut, Amman, Cairo and Monaco. We stood and spoke about Gaza and its misfortunes. He was of the opinion that the Israelis would continue their attack with a ground invasion, while I found this possibility unlikely. We agreed in the end that we had all failed to do enough to help the Gaza Strip and its people.
Between my arrival and departure, I worked as a tour guide for my three children, who were born in capitals in three different continents. They are tourists in Beirut, where every street and corner has a special memory for me. The memories might be the High Gate of what became the entrance of the Lebanese-American University, while we were waiting for the girls who would become our future wives, or the street a few hundred meters away where Israeli terrorists killed three Palestinian leaders in 1973. My home was on the other side of the street, and only a park separates it from where a high-rise construction site is now located.
During the holidays, all of the Arabs expressed their love for Lebanon by visiting the country. All that remains is for the Lebanese to love their country enough to see it remain free and prosperous, a space for freedom amid the Arab problems that surround it, and we hope for better days for Gaza and its people.
