One Arab People

Hamra's popular ta-marbouta cafe hosted an event to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Thursday, 60 years to the day after the United Nations General Assembly approved the partition of Palestine. Organized by the Tourath Baladna Social Communication Center and ta-marbouta, the gathering attracted mostly youth who enjoyed a tasty snack buffet, listened to Palestinian music presented by singer Ashraf, and watch short films by young Palestinian filmmakers.

Anni Kanafani, widow of Palestinian author and journalist Ghassan Kanafani - who was killed by Israeli assassins in 1972 - showed an exhibition of paintings by children from Palestinian refugee camps.

Resolving the plight of the Palestinian people would be best served by "one country with equal rights for everyone" .

Nour, 19, a Lebanese activist from the Palestinian Culture Club at the Shatila refugee camp, said she hoped the evening could help to "revive Palestinian cultural traditions."
She also called for her fellow Lebanese to rethink the prejudices some of them had toward Palestinians and "truly" care for them.
"Most Lebanese are not really interested in the Palestinian cause,. "They just pretend to be."

Manal, 29, said she wanted the evening to be a sign "that we are still here, we can be happy and we are producing things."

Salah, 23, a Lebanese-Palestinian, brought some serious thoughts to the evening while people were clapping to the songs of Ashraf.

"An event like this could create awareness, but only in the long range ... We simply can't afford to stop fighting [for our rights," he said.

Recounting difficulties he has experienced in Lebanon because of his Palestinian roots, he said he could "never forget the look in the eyes of some people when I told them I am Palestinian. It is sad ... and humiliating."

Ziad, 21, had similar experiences to share and blamed biased media for spreading prejudices against Palestinians.
"If we were depicted the way we really are, people would change their minds," he said. "But international media currently shows us as animals."

Ziad described the Palestinian cause as being in a deep crisis and was deeply pessimistic about the future.
"Everyone is against us," he said. "Every attempt to change the situation [for] the better is doomed to fail."

As for this week's international peace conference in the US city of Annapolis, Maryland, Ziad argued that it could only make things worse.
Maureen Murphy,an American activist from electronicintifada.net, a non-profit, independent Web site promoting Palestinian issues, expressed some doubts about the success of the evening.
"Sure, it brings people together," she said, "but Palestine needs more than solidarity."

From: The Daily Star