I have searched long and hard to figure out how that rumor started, and this is what I have come up with:
Jerusalem Post: "Thousands of Israelis missing near WTC, Pentagon" 9/12/01. Article states: "The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem has so far received the names of 4,000 Israelis believed to have been in the areas of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon at the time of the attack."
New York Times: "Officials Say Number of Those Still Missing May Be Overstated" 9/22/01. Article states: "There were, in fact, only three Israelis who had been confirmed as dead: two on the planes and another who had been visiting the towers on business and who was identified and buried." To date, accordingly to the tally, there was 1 Israeli killed in the WTC disaster.
These news articles, along with the famous Odigo message (reported by Ha'aretz and other news media) received by 2 Israelis 2 hours before the attack, and which has not been explained as of this date, has combined, I believe, to contribute to this rumor referred to by Sullivan. And yes, it is circulating vigorously in the Arab world.
Well written article by Sullivan. He says it like it is most of the time. Arafat does not want peace, he wants Israel to cease to exist...period.
I have searched long and hard to figure out how that rumor started, and this is what I have come up with:
Jerusalem Post: "Thousands of Israelis missing near WTC, Pentagon" 9/12/01. Article states: "The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem has so far received the names of 4,000 Israelis believed to have been in the areas of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon at the time of the attack."
New York Times: "Officials Say Number of Those Still Missing May Be Overstated" 9/22/01. Article states: "There were, in fact, only three Israelis who had been confirmed as dead: two on the planes and another who had been visiting the towers on business and who was identified and buried." To date, accordingly to the tally, there was 1 Israeli killed in the WTC disaster.
These news articles, along with the famous Odigo message (reported by Ha'aretz and other news media) received by 2 Israelis 2 hours before the attack, and which has not been explained as of this date, has combined, I believe, to contribute to this rumor referred to by Sullivan. And yes, it is circulating vigorously in the Arab world.
Try a google.com search for a number of articles debunking the urban hoax. Snopes.com also debunks this myth.
There's The Lie and the Big Lie. You told both.