Islam_in_Focus_text

This interpretation is enlightened by some unusual ex-
periences of extraordinary people. For example, a famous
Hungarian writer fled his invaded country and took with him
a handful of earth. Literary annals tell that the writer found
his greatest comfort and deepest joy in that handful of earth.
It was his source of inspiration and symbol of hope that he
would return to a free homeland at iast.
Similarly, a documentary called "The Palestinians" was
prepared by CBS and televised on Saturday June 15, 1974.
In it, a wealthy businessman, who fled the Zionist terror in
Palestine, was interviewed at his extremely fashionable
home in Beirut. When he was reminded of his good fortune
in exile he smiled, pointing, to a small bottle half-full of
earth. To make his point, he added that he brought it with
him from Jerusalern when he fled; that it is more valuable to
him than anything he possesses; and that he would give up
all his possessions to return to Palestine, his homeland. What
is more significant about this interview is that the man's fam-
ily was more emphatic and expressed stronger feelings. It
will not be at all surprising if it turns out that this man repre-
sents many others like him and if that small "earth treasure"
becomes a very special, even a sacred thing in the years to
come.
14} I read this account diiring the fifties and, very much to my regret,
cannot locate the exact source or remember the writer' s name.