With Lawrence in Arabia

In Aqaba, for the fourth time in less than six months, to give my by now well-rehearsed lecture on T. E. Lawrence. It was his daring capture of the Turkish fort here (still extant) in 1917 that marked a decisive stage in the Arab Revolt. Subsequently, he became disillusioned with British official policy in the region, feeling justifiably that they had let down the Arabs by the way they carved up the Middle East with the French after the First World War. There’s a strong probability I will do a new book on Lawrence for Haus pubishers in the not too distant future.

Once King Solomon’s port, Aqaba occupies a tiny wedge of land between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and King Abdullah (Hussein’s son) has to do a neat balancing act in his efforts to promote peace in the region. Yesterday, he was bending Jacques Chirac’s ear in Paris — and through the French President, addressing Europe — to rally support for the new Arab peace initiative, largely spear-headed by his namesake, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The most significant element of this is that all Arab states would establish normal relations with the state of Israel, which would be a seismic shift and opens the door to serious negotiations for a lasting Middle East peace settlement. But as ever in such situations, there will only be a successful outcome if both sides in the dispute make significant concessions and enter into talks without rigid preconditions.

Aqaba itself has grown phenomenally since the border with Israel was opened and the Jordanian government made the town a free port. It was little more than an isolated large village when I first came here over 30 years ago, but now it is unrecognisable. The funny old hotel I stayed in then has long since disappeared, buried underneath a gleaming Movenpick. And the streets are full not only of courteous Jordanians, but also Egyptian migrant workers, Iraqi refugees and growing numbers of Western tourists. Yet it still retains many of its old charms. The nut shop, where I have been buying cashews, pistachios and almonds for years, still keeps me supplied and happy.

On the flight out here, I read an extraordinary  new book by former BBC TV producer, Waseem Mahmood: Good Morning, Afghanistan (Eye Books). It’s not only the most evocative account I’ve encountered of post-Taliban Afghanistan, but also a stirring and often hilarious memoir, both of the setting up of a Danish-funded radio station in Kabul and of the lives and thoughts of many of the people involved. Highly recommended. 

Links: http://www.Hauspublishing.co.uk and www.eye-books.com