Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News Staff

They were forced from their land, taking with them only what they could carry. Some barely made it to the refugee camps in Lebanon. Others struck out for the great immigrant melting pot of the United States. The Palestinian people have dispersed throughout the world, becoming professionals and entrepreneurs, and making new lives for themselves. But they have never forgotten their land and those they left behind.

Michael S. Ladah was born in Jafa during the time when Palestine was ruled by the British. He became a refugee at the age of seven when he moved with his extended family to the West Bank. Ladah left Ramallah in 1960 in search of educational opportunities. After completing his freshman year at Haigazian University in Beirut, he traveled to the US where he earned two degrees in engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Ladah got his initial job experience in Detroit. Then he spent 22 years, the remainder of his professional career, with Saudi Aramco. Wanting to share his life’s experiences and his views with others, Ladah has written a book, titled “Quicksand, Oil and Dreams.” All the proceeds from the book’s sale are being used to support the activities of the Ladah Foundation.

“I felt that most books I had read about the Palestinian issue dealt mostly with the political aspects and very few focused on an individual story,” said Ladah. “I wanted to tell the American reader what a Palestinian was really like, a normal human being with pains and joys, with grievances and anxieties, with hopes and aspirations, just like any other person. I also wanted to tell the world that there was no reason to be afraid of a Palestinian. I believe I successfully captured the life of a Palestinian refugee and his struggle to escape the camps of poverty. Even after the publication of Quicksand, Oil and Dreams, I have continued to write about Arab issues and have posted at the Ladah Foundation Web site (ladah.org) many of my own articles and articles submitted by others.”

Ladah retired in 1994 and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. He feels that his years spent working with Saudi Aramco were some of the happiest in his life. With his wife, Ladah raised three children in the Kingdom, in the “most supportive family environment.” Now in the USA, Ladah is an adjunct faculty member teaching international business and global management at the University of Phoenix, Nevada Campus, and he donates a considerable portion of his time to supporting The Ladah Foundation, a non-profit, charity organization.

“We are a small foundation and our resources are modest, but we have zero overhead and all contributions go to the needy. Our efforts are now focused exclusively on providing scholarships and humanitarian support to Palestinians in the West Bank and, God willing, we hope to provide support in Gaza in the near future,” explained Ladah. “Most of our resources are personal contributions from family and friends in the USA. We receive good support from ex-Aramcons, who are familiar with the plight of the Palestinians and understand the political dynamics of the blind American backing of Israel. We have also received contributions from our Saudi friends in the Dhahran area, and we would like to see more involvement and support from the Kingdom.”

“The Ladah Foundation has two main programs,” he continued. “The first is a tuition scholarship program at Birzeit University and Bethlehem University for students who meet our need and academic standards. This year, 2003/2004, we have set up five scholarships at Bethlehem University and three at Birzeit University. One scholarship at each of the two universities has been designated to honor the memory of peace activist Rachel Corrie who was murdered by the Israeli occupation forces while defending Palestinian homes being demolished by the Israeli military. Our other program is focused on humanitarian needs for a hospital and to help families in dire straits as a result of the terrible economic situation in the occupied territories. We know that the help we provide to Palestinian students or families in need is a drop in the bucket, but at least we can make a difference in the lives of a few.”

His charitable activities keep Ladah in touch with friends and family back in the occupied territories so he is fully aware of the terrible conditions there. While in most respects he is grateful to live a comfortable life in the USA, like all Arab Americans he is often distressed at the way the American media covers the Middle East.

“Most American TV networks either have a political agenda, or are influenced by one to the point of being controlled,” Ladah said. “Their coverage of Arab affairs leaves a lot to be desired and always reflects a bias in favor of Israel. The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the supporters of Israel are able to get their points across very well on TV and only those who are informed can see through the programs on CNN and FOX. Unfortunately, these and the equally biased mainstream print media are the major source of information in the US about any political issue. In their coverage of local issues, the networks tend to be fair and balanced, but this is never the case when it comes to foreign affairs, especially when Israel is involved. If the US news media was as one sided about domestic issues as they normally are about the Arab-Israeli issue, we would have a second American Revolution.”

Does Ladah still dream of living in a free Palestine?

“I have a sister and my stepmother in Ramallah. I have not been to visit them since the start of the second Intifada. I do not think I could stand to see and feel the agony of the people,” he said sadly. “I have often thought about taking my ex-Aramco group of friends to the West Bank and Gaza to experience what Palestinians have been experiencing.

But, I do not want to put myself and my friends through the humiliation that we could suffer at the hands of an 18-year-old Israeli soldier brat at the airport or at the checkpoints. I hope there will be peace one day. I will be the first to go back if I know I will be treated with decency.”

- Arab News Features 29 August 2003