Ahmad was an eye witness to Tom Hurndall's fatal shooting in April, and was also friends with Rachel Corrie, the American who was run over by a bulldozer in March. His family house was recently occupied by Israeli soldiers who used it as a sniper position, and is in imminent danger of demolition.

Although a professional graduate, Ahmad has been unable to find work as jobs are scarce in the Gaza Strip, which is one of the poorest, most densely populated regions in the world. Few young people in the 22 by 6 mile strip have ever left their claustrophobic birth place, as the Israeli army maintain tight border controls over the whole of the occupied Palestinian territories, especially controlling the movements of 18 to 35 year old men. He has so far enjoyed this rare opportunity to see the outside world, although he was shocked by the level of poverty in London, which he previously had thought to be full of riches.

Nick Durie, 20, from Dundee, spent 2 months with Ahmad in Rafah. During a night time invasion and siege they got through the night talking of how one day Nick would buy Ahmad a drink in Glasgow. Now the genuinely made, but unlikely promise is about to be fulfilled.

Ahmad Sorany will be speaking in:

Dumfries 6th March, 2-4pm. Lochthorn library
Falkirk 8th March, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Falkirk Old and St.Moden's Parish
Church Hall, Manse Road, Falkirk.
Glasgow - with Sophie Hurndall (Tom's sister) 9th March, 7:30pm Pollokshields Prim. School, 241 Albert Dr. (at Keir St), Underground: Shields Rd.
Edinburgh - with Sophie Hurndall 10th March, 2pm Edinburgh University. 7:30pm Augustine Church, George IV Bridge
Dundee 11th March, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, room G12 at Dundee University's
tower building and 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM at Dundee University's tower lecture
theatre