25 March 2007

Bildt meets Abbas


Proudly presenting to you; Foreign Minister of Sweden Mr Carl Bildt (here's his blog in swedish - in which he links to english sites - and here in english). Today he met up with palestinian president Mr Mahmoud Abbas (and here's his blog - only kidding!) and told him that the new palstinian unity government might have stopped a otherwise possible civil war and that the palestinians, although distress and violence, have the Arabworlds most democratic society.
"-This democracy is a fragile flower in this degree of latitude and it's our mission to water it."
he said (which very well may be the most poetic phrase a swedsih politician uttered in a very long time). However, it's no coincidence that he met with a Fatah minister and not a Hamas minister. Earlier he also met Hanan Ashrawi for a hotel breakfast in Ramallah, in where they both said that the position of Hamas is a reality and should be dealt with accordingly.
After Bildt left that afternoon, Mrs Condoleezza Rice came. We all know it wasn't, but one can always hope that wasn't a coincidence either. He he.

UPDATE; I simply have to translate a part from Bildts (he's actually funny) blog "Alla dess dagar - All these days";

In the Holy Land, mars 24th, 2007

Yes, there's actually a wireless net working just fine also here in Grand Park Hotel in Ramallah.

The hotel describes itself as a living legend in the Holy Land. Well now...

I was actually surprised when I realized that it was four years ago since a swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Israel and the palestinian territories (the government he is a part of was elected in Sep 2006).

A bit odd considering the interest we should have in a development here.

I landed in Tel Aviv and was very well welcomed by the israeli protokoll. However it seemed that the nation otherwise was absorbed by a fotballgame with England, that later ended in a draw. Continue reading here.

8 comments:

Lirun said...

im am so over ikea ;)

Arab Lady said...

hi honey
so sorry sounds i missed alot :S
i somehow lost ur link but thx God i managed to find it again...hope u r doing ok..i'll check out the DAM's CD at Virgin Mega store so hope to find it..glad that u had fun at their concert...
yalla tc will c u around

IsraeliDiary said...

That sounds like a good idea - a politician writing his own blog, revealing his thoughts, his way of thinking to his people.

Thinking about it, it's not always a good idea - some politicians should better not reveal their intelligence in public...

But this foreign minister specifically, sounds like a good guy.

P.S. Have a wonderful week!

Rami said...

Did you check out the later remarks after visiting the holocaust memorial.. the responses to that post were exteremly controversial by middle eastern standards - but naturally open by swedish standards...

Anonymous said...

assalam aalikom wa rahmatullah!
I am a palestinian living in Gaza strip too , and guess what sister? i had many many talks with many brothers and sisters , all over the world , and i was wonder .. would someone " especially a girl :$" who used to live in the west , to live here in Gaza strip ? would she accepts our life and our culture ?
wallahi i thaught about this so much. Honestly i am addicted to the chat for about 6 years now! i really admit that i lost so much time , but also i gain many informations and idea's about the others live and habits . You can say i am addicted to the good things in the west , especially in Europe . I would like to ask you for more things later , i want your opinion sister , and may be your husbands opinion too , insha'Allah . Now i will leave you and wish that your in best health insha'Allah and all of your family!
tesba7u 3ala khir!
fe aman Allah
wassalam aalikom
Abdallah

Imaan On Ice said...

Thanks for all the comments!

Abdallah, always nice to have a "real" gazan here:-)

Imaan On Ice said...

and Abdallah, the issue you have talked about with your friends is HIGHLY interesting by the way, you might find some answers here and as my memories of Gaza will keep popping up here, there might be even more. So, don't be a stranger and "Dir balak" over there.

Anonymous said...

back! assalam aalikom again
masha'allah fast replay! heh
first , thank u for accepting my comments sister , shokran jazzilan!
i will not feel stranger , dont worry! well, i am shy sometimes but it's just on the start ya know lol , i think its normal. oh by the way .. yes i am gazzan but guess what! ana muhajer & falla7 too! please i wish every one who read my words to read it very well ! this not mean that i am racist " that i make gazan looks divided or differ " , of course not , but its my native land and where i exactlly belong to :) so , back to the point , here is an old fasion, farmer , refugee and gazan too! i am so proud of my country , my land , and where i came from, alhamdulilah. Even thought i am so against the crazy acts done by us here , such as kidnapping the bbc journalist , wallahi i am ashamed of these acts , and also ashamed of the fights here and many other things , its sad to say this but as much as i love my country as much as i want to move out from here as soon as possible , sad isnt it ? . Ok back to the my previous topic , really sister , just in few words , what will push a girl who used to have peacefull , quiet , and free life full of fun to leave all of this and to come to live in more hard , " if it is not the hardest" , complex , dangerous life here ? its really not easy ya know , plus .. what makes me think about all of this is that , i have a dream and it is infront of my eyes always ,i would be happy if i am another palestinian who can live in europe , and will be a new connect between there and here :) you know what , i even thaught so much about getting married to non palestinian , to a western girl , but of course must be muslimah , as i dont see any differents between all of us as muslims!i really still searching to be more sure of my decisions . May be some ppl will think , many thaught that i want that to get ride of my life here or to get out of Gaza , but the truth is i will never just marry like that , i actually hate those who did it .. DID i say more details and talked much about myself again? forgive me plz! well, thats me .. when i start to write here i cant stop :(
i told u i will not feel stranger for so long :D
ok i will go now , hope to talk to you sooner insha'Allah
enti kaman dere balek 3ala 7alek , wa 3ala kol el 3ila ! rabna m3kom
wassalam aalikom
Abdallah