Posted on 06/03/2011 12:00:01 PM PDT by Kaslin
My May 28th article, “Five Simple Truths about the Mideast Conflict,” elicited some passionate responses from those on both sides of the debate, with the first point in particular proving to be the most controversial: “There is no such thing as a historic ‘Palestinian people” living in the Middle East.’”
Let’s unpack two of the most common responses to that assertion, separating myth from fact. Of course, we know that there are several million people living in the West Bank and Gaza who identify as Palestinians today, and regardless of their historic pedigree, they are human beings with real needs. But when a misleading “history” is presented so as to delegitimize Jewish claims to the Land, the falsehoods must be exposed.
Myth #1. The modern Palestinians can trace their lineage back to the ancient Philistines, who were living in the land of Canaan (= Palestine) long before the Israelites had arrived on the scene.
This is completely false as to any lineal or ethnic connection between modern Palestinians and ancient Philistines.
First, the Philistines were Aegean (or Cypriot) sea peoples who migrated to the southern coast of Israel/Canaan in the 12th century BC. It is unclear what relationship they bear with the Philistines who are mentioned in Genesis, hundreds of years earlier. In short, they were not a Semitic people, as the Israelites and Arabs were. Second, from the 8th-5th centuries BC, they were crushed or ruled by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians, ultimately being absorbed by these populations and entirely disappearing from history. In other words, there was a distinct, end of the line for the Philistines roughly 2,500 years ago.
Third, six hundred years after the extinction of the Philistines, and after putting down a Jewish revolt, the Romans changed the name of Judea to Palaestina (in Latin) in order to discourage Jewish patriotism. So, there is absolutely no lineal or ethnic connection between the (earlier) Philistine people and the (later) land called Palestine. In fact, the Philistines had previously lived in the western part of the country, on the Mediterranean coast, whereas Palestine originally referred to the eastern part of the country, on the West Bank of the Jordan river.
Fourth, some Muslim leaders have claimed that there was a continuous Arab presence in Palestine dating back to Muslim conquests in the 7th century AD. But this dubious claim, even if true , would still mean that the continuous Jewish presence in the land predated the first major Arab presence by at least 2,000 years, and it would also underscore the fact that there is no connection between the later Arabs and the earlier (extinct) Philistines.
Myth # 2. The whole argument about there being no historic, “Palestinian people” is meaningless, since there’s is no such thing as a historic Iraqi people either. Borders were artificially created after World War I.”
This is false, as to the overall argument and only partially true about the artificial borders.
Anyone who knows the history of the modern Middle East will recognize the names of nation-states that did not exist as such before (such as United Arab Emirates). But not all national identities in the Middle East are of recent origin.
There has certainly been an ancient, historic Egyptian people in the region, to the south of Israel, and an ancient, historic Syrian-Lebanese people, to the north of Israel, while the Iraqi people often traced their heritage back to the ancient kings of Babylon as well as to the golden age of Islam that flourished in their region 700 years ago. In contrast, the Arabs living in Palestine had no such national identity because they had no such ancient, historic roots, not to mention the fact that there were dozens of other (non-Arab) peoples living in Palestine, some of whom had ruled the region for centuries.
In the oft-quoted words of the celebrated Arab-American historian and Princeton University professor, Philip Hitti, testifying before the Anglo-American Committee in 1946, “There is no such thing as ‘Palestine’ in history, absolutely not.” And so, if there was no “Palestine” in the pre-1948 Arab consciousness, there was no Palestinian people. The only people living in Palestine who traced their pedigree back to ancient, biblical times and who awaited the restoration of their ancient homeland were the Jewish people.
But why bother with facts? The old myths and lies are so much more effective.
The Palies aren’t people. They are just bloodthirsty wolves in human clothing.
Palestinian People? that is the biggest hoax ever! there never was such a thing they’re just squatters left over failed from attacks at the Holy Land.
Let’s ask the Egyptians and Jordanians about the “Palestinian” people. The both slaughtered them and then kicked them out of their respective countries AFTER 1948.
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People?? That is a laugh, these are Savages nothing more.
The names were selected by the British as a result of World War One—You might as well call them Turks as they were once part of the Turkish Empire. BUT people ignore several facts:
1. Jews and Islamic Arabs lived in peace together for ages.
The new hate is a 20th Century thing—for the most part—caused by the Zionist Movement. The desire to change the lands caused strife with the first terrible massacre in 1920.
2. Yes, Islamic Palestinians (I use that word only as a way to identify this group) do live in the area. But so do Christian Palestinians, Frustrations has caused this group to be more and more radicalized—until now you have such things as Hamas and Hezballa. They are reactions to things done by the Jewish State.
3. Don’t get me wrong—there is enough bloodshed, misunderstandings and wrong doing for all—No one is pure in this cycle of violence. Don’t be taken in by Islamic Propaganda! ALSO Don’t be taken in by Zionist Propaganda. lets be even handed here folks. I don’t like the way things are being treated—Pali’s are not Animals they are human beings. Next thing people will suggest put them in gas chambers or something. Same goes for anyone urging an extinction of the Jews-—Both are Wrong.
4. Now historic roots mean nothing—because of the centuries the Jews are in fact western European in culture—not Middle Easterners. They are seen as interlopers in the land. They must CHANGE if they are to be accepted.
5. The strangest thing is that both the Jews and Islamic people have much more in common than they do have that separates them. Salaam and Shalom both mean peace. Both could work together—and will but with the hate being spewed that might take centuries.
6 Solutions: I’m an American and i BELIEVE solutions can be found. The old 1967 borders are a joke. the two state solution Might work but not using 1967 borders. I suggest cutting the Israel in half. at Bethlehem. Everything south of that line goes to the Palestine state—all North to Israel—That includes the West Bank. All non-Jews must leave Israel and go south—Druze Too—Christians as well. The Jewish state should be just that. Jerusalem should be the capital of the Jewish state.
7. If something doesn’t happen—with in a century the Jews will be forced out—and suffer the same fate as the Christian Kingdoms set up by the Crusaders in the 12th Century. I fear it might be too late.
Palestine is Yasser Arafat’s Kwanzaa.
Nuke arabs until you run out of arabs.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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You bet! If the Muzzie Arabs (aka Palies) want to be shown up then the Jews that lived in Palestine before 1948 should show their passports showing that they were Palestinian Jews!
I totally agree.
Are there any ancient Palestinian coins, flags, national anthems, archaeological finds?
The league of nations mandate in addiction to the above included the southern 1/3 of both Syria and Lebanon, a part of Saudi Arabia, the Gaza strip and the Sinai peninsula right up to the Suez canal. All of the land in the mandate was considered worthless with minor exceptions.
The league of nations saw this as a solution to their Jewish problem. They could get all the Jews in their respective countries to move by pointing at this nice large country. Once there, with not enough usable land in the eyes of the league of nations, a large number would starve to death, which was seen as a plus.
When some Jews finally managed to get there, they confounded and confused their antagonists by transforming those parts of Palestine they controlled into a land of milk and honey.
Ever since the Jew haters have denied the original mandate and attempted to push them into the sea or kill all of them.
Do you believe the people who call themselves Palestinians are human beings—misguided to be sure—but human? If you do not you are following in the old Nazi trap—and that can lead to terrible things—like the forced extinction of “sub-humans” —It is said that we become like the things we hate. There must be a better way than this. Arguing history will get us no where. What should we do in America? give the lands back to the Indians? What should England do? give their lands back to the Italians because it was a province of Rome? No, history can only show us what was—not what we shall make happen.
Nuke Arabs sounds good but this is a bad thing—that is following a Nazi path. You may hate some Radical, hate filled murderous Arabs (or Islamic people)but not all of them are this way—do you wish to kill Women and children? Slay all? If you do—you are no better than they are. Lose the hate! Befriend an Arab—learn about Islam—its not all hate. Don’t condemn a race to extinction out of propaganda and emotion—That what the Nazis did. Grow out of that emotional binge.
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