I know it is not right to deny others the right to do what they want to do. But when what others do is particularly outrageous and contemptible, everyone is entitled to react. The other night I watched the television pictures of the Israeli Army bulldozing Yasser Arafat’s Ramallah compound. I felt sad and angry, seeing death and destruction being inflicted upon a helpless people. At that same moment many Arab satellite channels were broadcasting programs of people singing and dancing.
Despite the bitterness and anger, I was overcome by a feeling of admiration and respect as I watched Palestinian men, women and children pouring out after midnight into the streets of their occupied towns and villages in a show of solidarity with their besieged leader.
Before going to bed I looked through the local papers looking for details of big news stories as I do every night. My attention was attracted unexpectedly by a provocative headline. The article concerned a beauty contest recently held in our country and won by Muneefa.
You will want to know who Muneefa is and how she managed to capture her title. Just to let you know, Muneefa is a female camel who won a competition organized by camel breeders and owners. She won a brand new four-wheel drive vehicle while an infatuated enthusiast offered SR2.2 million for her.
Believe me, I was not hallucinating nor am I telling fairy tales. This is exactly what I read after watching pictures of men, women and children defying a curfew and Israeli tanks.
These are people who have been subjected to a brutal occupation and who have been turned into refugees and prisoners in their homeland.
People are being killed and their homes destroyed with no one giving a damn while someone here offers two million riyals for a camel. Far away, there is Palestine but here, we have Muneefa. What a shame!
