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December 2000
Early winter, but still pleasantly warm, in a
Palestinian refugee camp - a ghetto isolated from
the rest of Beirut by mounds of garbage and bombed
out (but still occupied) buildings. Dark alleyways,
narrow streets lined by stalls peddling anything
and everything. The clinic for women and babies
and a soft-spoken doctor describing the health
problems of his people. An elementary school with
bright-eyed smiling 8 year olds being tested on
the countries of Europe interchangeably in Arabic,
English and French. The teacher's husband is a
qualified engineer but is not allowed to work
outside the camp. They live on her meagre salary
and some social security. She worries for the
future of her eager charges. What will they do
with their lives? Find fulfilling careers or throw
stones at tanks in a future intifada?
This is my abiding memory of a visit with six
fellow MEPs to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. We had
impressive meetings with Presidents, Prime Ministers,
MPs and business people. We discussed the politics
and economics of the region. But at Christmas
time, it is surely the plight of so many of our
near neighbours in the Middle East which can not
fail to strike home.
You hear so many negative things about Europe.
Well, you can be proud of what your pounds and
euros are doing in this region. Hundreds of reconstruction
projects, schools for disabled refugees, clinics
and doctors, agricultural training projects which
bring Muslims and Christians together after years
of rancour and killing. The European Union is
by far the biggest provider of aid and the most
important trading partner for all these countries
(including Israel). Everyone is most grateful
to us in Scotland for the tax money which pays
for this. But, they ask, could you in Europe not
do more to solve the underlying political problems
and help us find real homes, security and peace
with our neighbours throughout the region? And
this is the land where Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
Saviour of the poor and outcast, was born at Christmas
2000 years ago.
A very happy Christmas and New Year to you all
and may 2001 bring us closer to solving the world's
most intractable problems.
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