The PLO challenged the Israelis in the early 1970's. They got their butts kicked. Yet, Arafat calls this a great victory and so do the Palestinians.
Arafat told the UN in 1974 that Palestine was verdant with a thriving Arab population and culture when the Balfour Agreement was signed... and the Jews kicked out the indigenous population.
Yet, history shows the exact opposite. I'm not saying that there weren't Arabs in Palestine at the time, but to say that the area was "verdant" and "thriving" are flat out lies. Try to tell an Arab different (and I have) and they won't hear it. It's not propaganda... it's history... twisted and warped, but it's still history, and they won't be challenged on this fact. Their position is sincere yet wrong.