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The article you posted is mostly propaganda.

It tries to disguise the fact that Arabs have lived continuously in the land of Palestine - whether they called it that or not, whether it was an independent country or not - as the dominant culture for more than 1000 years. Whatever the faults of that culture - and we all know there are many - they preferred it to an imposed Zionist culture in which they would be the dhimmis. As early as 1891 they realized the nature of the coming conflict and tried to stem the massive Jewish immigration.

What we have is two incompatible cultures, each with good claims, fighting to control one small piece of land. It's a fight to the death - unless attitudes change far more than anyone believes possible.

Read Jabotinsky's writings, 1913-39, and Boris Shustaff (spelling?) who writes for Gamla (and others).

Arabs lived in "Palestine" for a thousand years?

Strange, considering that the Falistin or "Philistines" of the Old Testament weren't even Arabs but were from the Greek Islands and the Aegean Sea.

Stranger still, considering that there is no Palestinian language, no history of Palestinian art, no distinct Palestinian culture. The Palestinians, for having such a *long* history, seem to lack any history at all.

And as far as "Palestine" itself, it was invented by Rome.

"each with good claims, fighting to control one small piece of land"

Well ... I just can't let that statement go by. Israel has the real legitimate claim. It goes back thousands of years. If you go to the Bible and read the story of Abraham and Sarah, you will find the real story.

When Abraham and Sarah were trying to have a child (the child God had promised to them), nothing was happening. After 25 years, they got tired of waiting on God and decided to take matters into their own hands.

Sarah suggested that Abraham lay with Sarah's handmaiden. He did. The child which came from that union was named Ismael. Ismael was not the son promised to Abraham. Shortly after that, Sarah became pregnant and bore Isaac. Isaac was the child of promise; the child who was to inherit the land which God had promised to Israel.

Jewish law says the "first born" inherits everything from the Father. Ismael always has believed he was the first born. Because of that, he used to bully and intimidate Isaac. Finally, Sarah got tired of it and told Abraham to put Ismael and his mother out of the camp. Abraham did.

At that time, God told Ismael's mother that he would make of Ismael a great nation. However, Ismael's followers have fallen into deception and have been led astray into the worship of the devil (and the deception is they don't know they have been led into the worship of the devil), that is why they claim it's God.

The real struggle is between the descendents of Ismael and Isaac, with Isaac being the true inheritor of the land. You are truly right about this conflict being about the land. Ismael's people want the land; they believe that Ismael is rightfully the first born of Abraham and entitled to the inheritance.

Just as an aside, I have always believed that Ismael's relationship with his mother and with Sarah is the reason for the terrible treatment of Arab women.

Oh ... and if you don't agree with me, it's okay!!