Palestinians

How do. A word on Palestinians (and I am told the Arab world also) - they are in general the friendliest, most welcoming and helpful people you could ever meet. (sometimes overbearingly so, particularly to us western miserablist types)

A person that you have just met on the street is very likely to invite you into their home and give you more than you can ever eat (you have to keep eating) and much more than they can afford. I was reading how the Zionist troops exploited such hospitality back in the early '40s, when invited into Palestinian homes they would use it to stake out the area for future razing to the ground. (Ilan Pappe - The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine) But even this would not deter them! I was told recently in the tiny, impoverished village of Fahmi near Jenin that if Israelis visited they would have to treat them well as their guests.

Most plush Palestinian houses have specific 'guest rooms' with cases full of glasses and silverware to indicate their willingness to serve, and indeed I have eaten very well indeed at their generous hands. A whole other blog could be dedicated to the wonder of Palestinian grub.

But now I am a little ashamed to say it's getting a bit much for me. When you visit friends (or people you have just bumped into on the street) you are obliged to stay for hours and hours, and very often overnight, or make up an incredibly urgent and important reason to leave. I was told that a few years ago a visitor had to stay at least three days, even if he had important work to do. Lawks! I'll miss it when its gone though.