When an intellectual dies

In one of a myriad of interviews he gave, the French philosopher Michel Fouault, once said that intellectuals do not exist. Obviously, those who know Foucault's work and the spirit driving it, will immediately comprehend that these words conceal a whole theory, and that is not just another slogan.

Two Thursdays ago an intellectual died at 67. He was born in a country to a high class family, but never returned to that place after the family left to live in another country. The family had taken a drastic decision after something terrible happened to their homeland.

He then went to study in the United States where he lived until his death, and where he worked (at the University of California). He lived an 'interesting' life. He wrote about his country - that which ceased to be his - about his race - that which ceased to be understood - and about English literature - that which he studied and mastered in. He was also a member of the parliament-in-exile of his nation. He slammed a political agreement signed by his nation and resigned from the post of MP. Once he threw a rock in the direction of a guard post. If you look at his portrait above, you won't think him violent. He threw it because he was an intellectual. Still, in its obituary, the influential Al-Jazeerah, reported this anecdote, adding that the intellectual did not throw the rock *at* the guard, but threw it in keeping with the tradition of the people living near the Lebanon-Israel border. Media can never be neutral.

Edward Said was born in Palestine. Like many fellow citizens he finished living in exile. A Palestinian with an untypical name: a Christian name for all that; his family and himself being Christians. But he was an Arab, and remained such till his last breath. He remained a Palestinian: hurt not only by the way Israelis tore down his people, but also by agreement signed by his nation's representatives which, he claimed, backfired against the same nation they administered. Hurt on various grounds: he realised how racist the West is in dealing with his country and his race, how the accounts given by the West are full of stereotypes and cliches; besides giving a mistaken view of this ancient race which in the past was best known for producing genii. Hurt also beause he did not live to see his ideal materialise: to have one nation inhabited by two peoples: Palestinians and Palestinian Jews.

He was a hurt intellectual.

An exile who worked hard to give his people a home, to share it with the 'others' who shoot at them. To have a home. He worked in exile, because he wholeheartedly believed in equality and in humanity.

After his death many were those who lauded him. Even Yasser Arafat, who was not on Said's good books, exclaimed that this intellectual was one who believed in human freedom and in individual rights. Contrary to what many perceive, Said was never an anti-Israeli. He appreciated the fact that Jews had been themselves victims: that his people was a victims' victim.

The boldest witness to this was Daniel Barenboim, the Jewish musical prodigy of Russian descent, who tried to convince Israelis to play Wagner in Israel, and who with Said co-founded the orchestra of Arab and Israeli young musicians. " shall never forget his making a room full of young Arabs, Israelis and Germans understand that the devil exists in all of us."