From: Ismail Zayid
To: The Halifax Herald
Cc: Bob Howse

Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000 3:24 PM

Subject:Re-writing History

 

The Editor
The Halifax Herald

9 Dec. 2000

Dear Editor:

Zionist re-writing of the history of the Middle East is a standard practice, but Mr. Al Ramsay {"Mideast: are both sides acting in good faith?" Dec. 9} needs to study history more carefully.

He is free to contest Palestinian mothers’ love for their children or the right of oppressed and de-humanised people, men, women and children, to resist foreign occupation, but to accuse Salah Al-Din[Saladin], one of the most chivalrous fighters in history, with duplicity, goes beyond human credibility. His chivalry and humanitarianism are proverbial. Ask the English King Richard, The Lion Heart. Contrary to the Crusaders who in 1099 A.D, ploughed in Jerusalem with their horses knee deep in the blood of Muslims and Jews, Salah Al-Din, when he conquered Jerusalem in 1187 A.D., freed all the Crusaders’ captives and allowed Jews to return to their regular prayers. Renowned European and American historians amply document that. W.T Mallison and Sally V. Mallison, Professors of International Law at George Washington University write in their book, published in 1986, " The Palestine Problem: International Law and World Order":

" During the Crusades, Western rulers and armies had contact with the Eastern humanitarianism exemplified by Saladin. They were so unfamiliar with humanitarianism in the context of armed conflict that they initially mistook Saladin’s compassion for war victims as an indication of weakness. In contrast, there was little or no influence of humanitarianism in the European wars during the middle ages". After the conquest " Saladin allowed the Jews to return and worship in their own way".

Yours sincerely

Ismail Zayid, MD