Time to recognise the Palestinian state
Let me say right off that, when it comes to activism, my record is a bit thin and I know that many of you are far more assiduous than I am at voicing your concerns over matters of injustice, stupidity, greed or corruption.
But if like me you find yourself angry, heartbroken or impotent in the face of what is happening daily in Gaza I would urge you to do something about it – however seemingly insignificant. I myself have just spent an hour writing to the Foreign Secretary which, as far as insignificant gestures go, must come near the top of the list.
I wrote, urging him to follow President Macron’s example and to declare that the British government recognises the Palestinian state. I didn’t spend too long over it as I suspect the volume of email on this subject is reaching a magnitude where, were we still in the olden days when letters were written on paper, it would be being weighed by the ton.
While I was at it, I asked David Lammy to make representations to the Israeli government to allow foreign journalists access to Gaza. If Israel is really doing all it can to ensure the wellbeing of innocent civilians you’d think they would welcome seeing it confirmed.
The email address is fcdo.correspondence@fcdo.gov.
Trump versus Reality
I heard it suggested (on the Ezra Klein podcast) that Trump and the Maga Cult are likely to be defeated, not by a reinvigorated Democratic Party, nor through grass-roots opposition but in a ‘collision with reality’.
I liked that and that’s why I’m sharing it.
That third runway
I just heard the announcement that the government is to give the go-ahead for the third runway at Heathrow. Apparently, this is meant to deliver that longed-for but elusive prize: economic growth.
Now, I don’t necessarily have a problem with economic growth and, though it might come as a surprise, neither do I have a problem with air travel. And while I’m at it, I might as well throw in nuclear power as another thing I have recently changed my mind about. Surprisingly, this shift in thinking is driven by the worsening climate crisis.
You see, I can’t see people being prepared to relinquish the opportunity to fly—at least not until it’s far too late for it to make any difference. No, instead, I believe it is absolutely vital to set about producing carbon-neutral aviation fuel—a goal that is extremely difficult to achieve at scale but entirely realistic, provided we commit to it with the urgency normally associated with times of war.
Similar herculean efforts will be necessary in the fields of energy generation, agriculture, and steel production. The sooner we come to terms with this, the better.
So, I’m not much bothered about the third runway either way. In fact, the whole business reminds me of something I remember reading about years ago—cargo cults.
Cargo cults developed in the Melanesian islands shortly after the end of World War II, in response to the experience of seeing large quantities of food, clothing, weapons, and other supplies delivered by air to the various warring parties. With the cessation of hostilities, the islanders resorted to a form of sympathetic magic, cutting landing strips out of the jungle, building control towers, and equipping themselves with wooden headphones—all in the hope of attracting planes to land.
Of course, it’s undoubtedly true that the construction of a third runway at Heathrow will create a huge number of jobs, but listening to ministers extolling its longer-term benefits, I can’t shake the feeling that they are hoping to attract passing high-net-worth entrepreneurs, oligarchs, and suchlike to land and build their nests here.
Instead of carving out yet another landing strip in the hope of luring investors, I’d rather the government invested in the inventiveness and creativity we so often claim as our national strength.
Tony’s Chocolonely
I’m thinking about those Tony’s Chocolonely bars—you know, the ones that have totally rewritten the rules of the high-quality chocolate game. We all love them, don’t we? My personal favourite – if you’re curious – is the milk, caramel and sea-salt.
But it’s not just the chocolate that has won us over – it’s the devilishly clever marketing that comes with it.
Apparently, it’s called Chocolonely to ‘reflect the founder’s feelings of isolation in addressing the injustice in the chocolate industry.’ But is that really the case—or is it just a clever, catchy name?
And then there’s the genius bit. Yes, I see you’ve guessed it – it’s that weird pattern of grooves in the bar itself.
Tony’s explains that the uneven design of their chocolate bars symbolizes the inequality in the cocoa industry. The irregular pieces represent how profits and resources are unevenly distributed along the supply chain. It’s meant as a conversation starter to raise awareness about the exploitation of cocoa farmers and to encourage demand for ethically produced chocolate. Through this, Tony’s aims to inspire meaningful change in the industry.
All of which inclines me to say “Pull the other one.”
Now I don’t wish to question the sincerity of Tony’s in trying to bring about better conditions for cocoa-growers. It is clearly an admirable aim. But to propose it as an explanation for their otherwise inexplicable ‘groove patterning’ just doesn’t seem credible. No, I suspect that the former, worthy-sounding manifesto is intended to distract us from what is really going on: namely a cunning strategy aimed at those primal corners of the brain that light up at the thought of chocolate?
Here’s how it works: You open a bar of Tony’s and try to break off a piece. That’s when the trouble begins. Thanks to the unpredictable groove pattern, you either end up with a piece that’s too small, too big—or worse, two pieces when you only wanted one. Too small? You go back for more. Too big? You eat it anyway. It’s a cycle of surprises in which every ‘session’ with a bar of Tony’s is replete with uncertainty and the promise of entirely fortuitous gratification.
Sheer marketing genius!
If you doubt me, picture this: someone emails Tony’s customer support with the complaint:
“I love your Chocolonely bars, but could you make them easier to break into regular pieces?”
It’s unthinkable, right? The fact is, we all secretly like to live dangerously – if only when eating chocolate.
Imagine …
Imagine if, in 1948, Arabs and Jews had agreed to live together in the country of Palestine.
Imagine the Arab population, free from the exploitation of Ottoman landlords, enjoying the rich fruit of the land.
Imagine Jews, blasted by the holocaust, returning to discover the roots of their faith and identity.
Imagine a secular, multi-cultural state, built on Jewish, Islamic and Christian foundations.
Imagine Jerusalem, long the centre of so many ancient traditions, become a global capital of learning and cultural exchange
Imagine a confident, modern, democratic country eager to make peace with its neighbours.
Imagine first Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt – later maybe more – drawn into a middle-eastern union.
Imagine a culture that combines and reconciles science with the roots of ancient enlightenment
Imagine what kind of world we could be living in.