TIPS FOR DEALING AND SOCIALIZING WITH ARABS, MUSLIMS
AND FOREIGNERS.
But if you are a real friend, then you
are safe. Many
Jews in the Near and Middle East, as well as American businessmen had
hard time dealing with Arabs who have never left their Arab homeland.
Like the ancient Hebrews, and according to archaic Sahara tribal code
of honor, Bedouin Arabs, known also as “Badou Rouhal” believed that
one’s word or personal promise is a binding contract. No written
deeds, witnessed contracts or “signed notes “were necessary”.
Unfortunately, modern times’ history taught us that, those Arab words
of honor are not to be trusted. Nowadays, Arabs themselves do not
trust their own people. A famous Arab proverb goes like this: “Me and
my brother against my cousin. And me and my cousin against the
stranger.” Upon doing business with Arabs, expect to hear these
words or phrases:
A- “In Shallah”, meaning: God’s will or God’s willing or should
God allow this or that to happen.
B- “Khaline Fakkir”, meaning: Let me think for a while.
C- “Wala Yi Hemmack”, meaning: Don’t worry at all.
D- “Koulchi Bi Seer”, meaning: Everything is possible.
Now,
if you combine together, all these phrases and answers in one single
sentence, this is what you get: “If God is willing, let me think,
everything is possible and don’t worry at all, for you have my word of
honor.” Now, figure this out! Confusing? You bet! But the truth
is, Arabs could be fun. As long as an Arab man or woman is not
fanatic, you got to believe it, they make good company. And if you
are invited by an Arab, rest assured, you will be treated like
royalty? At what cost? You will find out.
E- “Wa’ed Sharaf”, meaning: You have my word of honor. (I am
very concerned about this!)
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DEALING
AND SOCIALIZING WITH LEBANESE
I
know the Middle East, more correctly the Near East as good as I know
France and the United States. I used the word “Near East”, because
91% of Americans think that Lebanon, Syria and Palestine are in the
Middle East. Historically and geographically, this is incorrect.
Understanding the truth and the myth about the dual political
philosophy and its mechanism of the Christian Lebanese and the
Muslim Lebanese is primordial. Just for now, bear in mind that
Muslim Lebanese consider themselves Arabs, while the Christian
Lebanese consider themselves non-Arabs. The majority of the
Christian Lebanese believe and or pretend to be the direct
descendants of the Crusaders. Those who know ancient history,
insist upon the fact that they are the descendants of the
Phoenicians. Understanding this socio-politico religious
differentiation coming from one single social group of a
multi-faceted mosaic of culture, history and divergent traditions is
extremely important and vital. In case you sincerely wish to
understand why some Lebanese are pro Americans and pro-West, while
other Lebanese are anti-Americans and anti-West, this historical
chronological lineage of Christian Lebanese could and would explain
this divergent attitude of the Lebanese toward the West and the
United States. I will elaborate on this delicate issue later on in
this essay.
 Many
American folks are mixing apples and oranges, for they don’t know
that Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Syria ARE NOT in the Middle
East. They are in the NEAR EAST. The French know better because they
ruled the region for almost 25 years, where they established a
French government (Directorate), following the collapse of the
Ottoman empire in world war one. The French, so correctly and very
appropriately referred to those countries as:” LE PROCHE ORIENT”
meaning :”THE NEAR EAST”. The word “Proche” in French means: NEAR.
Something else, our folks in America should know. In the United
States, we think that the ORIENT is Japan, China, Singapore, Hong
Kong and surrounding Asiatic countries, and this is wrong too. In
almost 87% of the countries of the world and more particularly in
Europe, France, Belgium, Italy and Great Britain, the word “ORIENT”
means ipso facto, the countries in the Middle and Near East.
European academicians, explorers, archaeologists, poets and writers
know that for a fact, for the poets and writers of France who
visited Lebanon (Loubnan in Lebanese), Palestine (Phalasteen in
Arabic) and Syria (Souria as called by the Syrians) were referred to
as “LES ORIENTALISTES”, meaning erudite, scholars, poets, novel
writers and authors who wrote essays, poems, history, and novels
about Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, and of course Algeria, Egypt and
Morocco. At one time, even Cyprus was considered as part of the Near
East, especially during the Crusades and the rule of the Templars,
the Cathars and The Knights of the Order of St. John of Malta.
The word “ORIENT” could also be used as the Arab
Middle East. In Arabic it is called “AL SHARK”. The greatest singer
of the Arab world was OUM KALTHOUM.
More: NEXT
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