9th August 2020

The world is so unstable. How I wish democracy would prevail worldwide. When that enormous blast happened in Beirut last Tuesday, fingers immediately pointed to perceived aggressors. Yet, as so often happens in life, ultimately incompetence at home was to blame. But in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, other factors emerged equally damaging. When other countries offered desperately-needed assistance, unbelievably some were turned down. “Help only accepted from ‘friendly’ countries,” said Lebanon. So, when neighbouring Israel offered immediate treatment at state-of-the-art hospitals just over the border, their magnanimous gesture was rebuffed. Instead, Lebanon sent those terribly-injured people hundreds of miles to Cyprus for treatment. Friendship is a wonderful thing but we often don’t recognise who our friends really are until times of tragedy. Never reject the hand of friendship whenever and from wherever it comes.