This book tackles the nature of the Arabs’ relationship with “the other”. The feelings of indignation and rebellion against the inflamed state of affairs in the region were the prompt behind writing it. Besides, all people alike should shoulder the political and media responsibility as we are all in the same boat. Unfortunately, at a time when there is a wild growing surge of the “grapes of wrath” in the Middle East, we are still suffering from the absence of the concepts of truth under the umbrella of guided media. It is hoped that this book would release an outcry that stirs the stagnant status quo in our society. The book is published in two editions – Arabic and English – out of the motto that it upholds, namely the dialogue of civilizations.
Many people may wonder about the reason for giving the book its title. This entails, in the beginning, the necessity of shedding light on the origin of the expression of “grapes of wrath”, the diverse referential meanings it takes us to, and its underlying different connotations in this work.
This memoir should not give readers the impression that this book is tackling a religious theme. However, as Urry (2000) argues, “much of our understanding of social life is based upon, and reflected through, various metaphors” (p. 1). If we abstracted this story from its minute details, we could perceive three basic symbols. Such symbols are the Deluge, a threat; the Promise of rescue from the Deluge, salvation; the Ark with its survivors, the means of safety and the needed requirements for salvation. If we could pardon a mundane comparison while holding all due respect to the holy religious context of the story, this situation can be related to the current situation in the Middle East. In this context, the Deluge represents the potential sweeping of the “grapes of wrath”, thus threatening the integrity and solidarity of nations. The Promise is one of a better life characterized with harmony, equilibrium and peace, i.e. the salvation of mankind and the enjoyment of glimpses of paradise on earth. As for the Ark and the needed requirements for the trip, they represent the necessity of communicating instead of clashing within the same culture and across cultures. This would help bridge the gaps between both governments and peoples, on the local plane, and the different peoples on the regional and international planes. This, in turn, would entail considering grievances, fighting intolerance, correcting misconceptions, and building trust. Sustained dialogue can be realized through the manifestation of popular diplomacy and Abraham’s dialogue in a process whose basic participants are the empowered grass roots who survive in an environment whose cornerstone is multilateralism.