Taking a Break

FLAMINGOS. COCKTAILS AND SUNSHINE

Having braved the tumultuous lines at Palma airport this week, I'm taking a summer break. Doing nothing more strenuous than sprawling on a sun-bed, raising a cocktail, and ignoring my laptop in favour of ten slow lengths of a turquoise pool.

As a worthy substitute for my usual witty repartee, I present you with a quote from Winston Churchill. He was discussing one of my favourite subjects; the right of the Jewish people to live in an Independent State of Israel, versus an Arab claim upon the same scrap of land.

The language he used is dated, even offensive by today’s standard, and yet, I believe that his sentiment still provides food for thought … this is what Churchill said;

“Why is there injustice done if people come in and make a livelihood for more and make the desert into palm groves and orange groves?”

"I do not admit that the dog in the manger has the final right to the manger, though he may have lain there for a very long time I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been to those people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race or at any rate a more worldly-wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place. I do not admit it. I do not think the Red Indians had any right to say, the 'American continent belongs to us and we are not going to have any of these European settlers coming in here'. They had not the right, nor had they the power."

I wrote about Churchill’s relationship with the Middle East back in June under the title ‘It’s Complicated.’ Anyone missing my writing today can check it out here …

For all others … Random Thoughts on Everything will resume as usual, from next Sunday, 7th September.

Until then I raise my chilled glass and wish you all, l'chayim!