The Arab And the Cunning Thief

This is the story of an Arab farmer from Palestine, who used to watch over his farm armed with gun, to chase wild animals and intruders away.

It so happened that one day while the farmer was doing his night rounds on his farm, he came across a thief with his gun and wanted to tie him up and hand him over to the police, and wanted the thief begged the farmer, “Take all that that I have for the wrong that I have done on you, “ said the thief, giving the Arab farmer some money that he had with him, but the please don’t harm me or hand me to the police. I have a few other friends to look after and they will all starve without me.”

The Palestinian farmer decided against taking the man’s money and took pity on the thief and decided to let him go with a warning. He made him promise that he would earn his money hereafter by hard work and would never ever steal from the Palestinians who had graciously allowed them to stay on their land.

As the farmer was about to leave, the thief begged, “Take pity on me! How can I return home, having spent so much time on the road, with nothing to show for my effort? I’ll be the laughing stock for failing to get even a single chicken for their dinner, I will be disgraced. At least, if I could prove that I put up great struggle before surrendering my possessions, then the disgrace would be easier to bear. Please, do me favor and shoot two bullets into the top of my hat so that I can tell them that I have escaped from being shot by a hair’s breadth.

The Palestinian was in no mood to oblige but on seeing the thief in tears, accepted to do what he wanted and fired two bullets into his hat.

“While you’re at it, “pleaded the thief again; “maybe you could put another two holes into my bag.” And he held out hi bag, which he had brought along with him to stuff the chicken in. Again the farmer consented, and fired two more rounds into his bag.

He was about to go when, in a voice, which was hardly a whisper, the thief timidly said, “I know that this may seem silly, but perhaps you could shoot a few bullets into my overcoat so that the story will be more convincing.” The farmer did as he was asked until all his bullets were gone.

The thief was waiting for this moment. When he saw that the farmer had used all his bullets, he immediately overpowered the Palestinian and made away with all his chicken's and his other valuables.

This is how the Arabs of Palestine were robbed of their belongings and land in the past. These methods with a few minor changes are being employed to deprive the Palestinians of a state on the land they once owned.