Wednesday, August 22, 2007

All Washed Up

A surfing story.

The noted American surfer, Dr. Dorian Paskowitz, 86, a retired Jewish physician from Hawaii, personally delivered 15 new surfboards to Palestinian surfing enthusiasts there.

The endeavor started with an article in The Los Angeles Times three weeks ago about a beach in Gaza called Al Deira. It featured a photograph of two Palestinian surfers with one old surfboard between them. “My son and I said, why don’t we go over and help them get some boards,” Dr. Paskowitz recalled.

...The Paskowitzes started to pull strings.

...Their passage through Erez was coordinated by the Israeli military administration there. OneVoice, an Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution organization, helped bring the Palestinians across to receive the boards.

...Among the Palestinians were the two riders whose photograph Dr. Paskowitz had seen in the newspaper. “There were tears in their eyes,” he said. His hope is that the new boards will inspire Gaza’s surfers to start manufacturing their own. “From a board comes a group of guys who ride,” he said. “From the group comes a business, then an industry, then a fantastic amount of money. I’m talking about billions, all from one board.”

...One of the Palestinian surfers, Muhammad Jayab, described himself in the article Dr. Paskowitz had read as sympathetic to Hamas. That did not put Doc off. “To be able to go to your enemies and give them something that makes them happy is a most fulfilling adventure,” he said.


Oh, they'll be happy alright.

In fact, they are happy right now that another Jew is benefitting Israel's enemy.

What are the odds we'll be hearing among gun-running via surf boards soon?

And we can take this philanthropic aid one step further. Why not ask the Jews of the Fashion District in Manhattan to help out here:-

Young Ukrainian models in flimsy lingerie spray champagne at a boisterous crowd of young Lebanese at a swanky beach resort south of Beirut -- barely a year after Israeli bombs were falling nearby.

Drinks in hand, shapely women in skimpy bikinis dance to the latest club song with men smoking Cuban cigars, underlining the image of a wealthy hedonist minority seizing any chance to escape their country's political crisis and uncertain future.




The scene at the Oceana beach resort near Damour seems a world away from Lebanon's sectarian tensions and political standoff symbolized by an opposition protest encampment that has paralyzed downtown Beirut for the past nine months.


Bikinis should go over great with Hamas and Hizballah.

2 comments:

Willie said...

i think it's awesome that the guy did what he did. that was the original plan for israel, to be a shining light to the nations.

YMedad said...

The path to hell is, at times, paved with good intentions. Let's see what happens.