Newt
Gingrich made waves in des. 2011, when he referred to the Palestinians as an “invented” people.
“Remember,
there was no Palestine as a state. It was part of the Ottoman Empire. We have
invented the Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs and are historically
part of the Arab people, and they had the chance to go many places,” said Newt
Gingrich in an interview with the Jewish Channel.
The
remarks drew broad criticism from the left and the right.
However, Daniel Pipes insists Gingrich was right in what he said.
that Palestinians are an “invented” people. (Charlie Neibergall - Associated Press)
Some facts about the situation in Palestine and
the Arab world, before the British took
over after the World War I.
In Ottoman
times, 80-90% of the Arab people were illiterate.
Before 1900
there was only one newspaper in the Arab world, which was produced in Paris and
was released in Beirut.
The part of
the population
who could
read and write were wealthy families who lived in Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad,
Jerusalem and Cairo.
The
dominant families in Jerusalem was the Husayni and Nashashibi families, and
some few
families more.
These
families sent their sons to school in England and France.
Another
influential family were the Hadi family in Nablus.
These
families became politically active after the World War I.
According
to people who traveled the country in Ottoman times, the rest of the people
were Bedouins and poor villagers.
Mark Tvain
traveled through Palestine in 1867, and experienced a sparsely populated
country, with impoverished villagers and much disease. One can read about his
journey in the book "The Innocents Abroad" that can be read on the
internet.
In addition
to Mark Twain, there are many travelers who gives a similar description of the
country, as Samuel Manning who traveled the country in 1874 and Colonel CR
Conder who traveled through Palestine in 1872 and in 1880.
The British mandate period.
In 1919, some
members of these wealthy families in Jerusalem, led
by Haj Amin al-Husseini attended the Pan-Syrian Congress held in Damascus,
where they supported Emir Faisal from Mecca, as King
of Syria.
The idea then, was not a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, but an Arab state, with Damascus as its capital.
The idea then, was not a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, but an Arab state, with Damascus as its capital.
From
being Ottoman land without borders, the area
was divided between England and France after World
War I. The French and British mandates in
the Middle East, with Arabic culture and language became four independent Arab states in the 1940s.
the Middle East, with Arabic culture and language became four independent Arab states in the 1940s.
From 1881 a
large number of Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe settled
in Palestine. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration gave the
Jews the right to a national home in Palestine. In1922 the Balfour Declaration was approved by the League of Nations.
But
this idea of a Jewish state in
this Muslim area, was never accepted by the leading Arab families
in Palestine and the arab world.
In particular the idea met strong resistance from Haj Amin al-Husaini,
In particular the idea met strong resistance from Haj Amin al-Husaini,
who
later collaborated with Hitler in Bosnia during WW II
Much of the unrest and revolt that occurred in Palestine in the years from1920
Much of the unrest and revolt that occurred in Palestine in the years from1920
to
1940, was caused by him
In
1937 the Peel Commission of Inquiry set out to propose changes to the British
Mandate for Palestine following the
outbreak of the 1936-1939
Arab revolt in Palestine.
One of the grievances of the Arabs to the Peel Commission, was that the Jews acquired Palestinian land.
It was the rich Arab landowners families who sold land to the Jewish National Fund.
One of the grievances of the Arabs to the Peel Commission, was that the Jews acquired Palestinian land.
It was the rich Arab landowners families who sold land to the Jewish National Fund.
According to the Peel Commission
report, Arab allegations regarding Jewish land purchase were unfounded.
"Much of the land now carrying orange groves was sand dunes or swamp and
uncultivated when it was purchased...There was at the time of the earlier sales
little evidence that the owners possessed either the resources or training
needed to develop the land." The land shortage decried by the Arabs
"was due less to the amount of land acquired by Jews than to the increase
in the Arab population. (The latter was to a large extent due
to immigration from neighboring countries, because the Jews
and the British, created employment and higher living
standards in Palestine, than in the surrounding areas of The Middle
East)
But this Palestinian state could be established as early as 1937, when the Peel Commission raport recommended that the
Mandate be eventually abolished, and the land under its authority (and
accordingly, the transfer of both Arab and Jewish populations) be apportioned
between an Palestinian arab and Jewish state
The report recommended that sooner or
later there should be a transfer of land and, as far as possible, an exchange
of population
The Arab spokesman Auni Bey Abdul Hadi, of
the Palestinian delegation to the London Conference was strongly against
the conclusion of the Peel Commission, and rejected
totally the idea of a Palestinian state.
On
29 November 1947 the UN General
Assembly adopted a
resolution recommending the adoption and implementation of the UN Partition Plan for Palestine.
The
proposed plan was accepted by the leaders of the Jewish community in Palestine,
through the Jewish Agency.
The plan was rejected by
the states of the Arab League
What
is interesting here is that the Arab states rejected
the idea of a Palestinian state, and after the
war between the Arab states
and Israel in 1948-49, Jordan and
Egypt occupied what was left of
the Palestinian Arab state, the West Bank and Gaza.
In 1946,
prof. Hitti was the first Arab-American witness at the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry on Palestine.
An American
member of the committee, recalled that Hitti, explained that there was actually
no such entity as Palestine- never had been; it was historically part of Syria,
and "the Sunday schools” have done a great deal of harm to us because by
smearing the walls of classrooms with maps of Palestine.
I will also
quote another prominent Arab politician, Ahmed al Shukariy,
a heavyweight in Arab and Palestinian politics
Born in south Lebanon and studying law in
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he became a prominent lawyer in
British-Palestine and a member of the Syrian delegation to
the United Nations from 1949 to 1951.
He was an assistant Secretary General for the Arab League from 1950–56, Saudi ambassador to
the United Nations from 1957 to 1962.
At the 1964 Arab
League summit (Cairo), he was given a mandate to initiate contacts aimed at establishing a Palestinian entity. In May 1964, he
was elected the first Chairman of the PLO.
In the 1950s,
he says the following about the nation of Palestine:
In the1950s, there
was never an attempt to create a Palestinian state, from any
Arab politician. The question was how to destroy Israel.
From
1964 on, the Arab side began to explore the
possibility
of
creating a Palestinian national identity in the West
Bank and Gaza
But
it was only after the Six Day War in 1967, that a Palestinian
state became Arab politics.
But
the story we are told today, is that the Palestinian Arabs lost their land. Palestine.
The Western powers and the UN,
gave it to the Jews.
Let's take
a look at this map, and also a brief look at the history
of the
British mandate of Palestine, although I do repeat myself a little.
When
General Alenby conquered Jerusalem Dec. 1917, and
later conquered what became the British mandate
of Palestine, this land had been ruled by the Turkish Ottoman
Empire for four hundred years.
It was a thinly populated country, where the rural population for the most part were Bedouins. in the towns and villages, the population consisted of different religions and nationalities. Most were Muslim and Christian Arabs, but there were also many Jews, Armenians, Circassian from the Caucasus etc.
It was a thinly populated country, where the rural population for the most part were Bedouins. in the towns and villages, the population consisted of different religions and nationalities. Most were Muslim and Christian Arabs, but there were also many Jews, Armenians, Circassian from the Caucasus etc.
Because
of the persecution of Jews in many European countries, and because the
Jewish people had their roots in Palestine, they
were promised a national home in the British mandate
in Palestine.
This right to a national home in
Palestine became international law when the
League of Nations approved the Balfour Declaration
in 1922, It happened after the great powers at the time approved the Balfour Declaration in San Remo in 1920.
But the area of
Jewish settlements were greatly reduced in 1922, when Winston Churchill split
the mandate into two states, one Arab, which
covered more than 70% of the mandate, three-quarters of the land was given to the Arab population, and a much smaller area where
the Jews were allowed to settle.
Emir Abdullah from Mecca, was appointed by the English, to be king in the Arab section of the British Mandate, which was later named Jordan.
Emir Abdullah from Mecca, was appointed by the English, to be king in the Arab section of the British Mandate, which was later named Jordan.
The part of the
mandate that the Jews were allowed to settle, was in
1947, divided once again, into one Arab and one Jewish state.
Then, the
Arab population had been awarded with more than 80% of the land,
so it should be enough space for the Arab population.
Nevertheless, five Arab nations launched a
war in 1948 to remove the tiny Jewish state, and
created the Palestinian refugee problem.
The Palestinians, who fled to Gaza and the West Bank, were placed in refugee camps in their own country, the areas the UN had intended to become an Arab Palestinian State. The Arab countries' treatment of the Palestinian refugees should really be considered a criminal act.
The Palestinians, who fled to Gaza and the West Bank, were placed in refugee camps in their own country, the areas the UN had intended to become an Arab Palestinian State. The Arab countries' treatment of the Palestinian refugees should really be considered a criminal act.
The
problem with the Arab population living in areas
that were intended for the Jews could
easily been solved with a little Arab cooperation.
In the 1923
population exchange between Greece and Turkey
500,000 Muslims in Greece, and 900,000
Orthodox Christians (including 50,000 Armenians) from Turkey was exchanged.
And some millions Hindus and Muslims were
exchanged between India and Pakistan in 1949, with acceptance from the Muslim
states in the UN.
Approximately 700,000 Palestinian Arabs chose
to flee the fighting in1948-49.
At
the same time 850,000 Jews chose to leave
the Arab countries because of Arab hostility and massacres. 600,000 of
them fled to Israel.
These Arab Jews must
also be included in the refugee list.
Let's do
a little summary of the international community's efforts to
create a Palestinian state:
In 1922, the English government laid the
foundation for a Palestinian Arab state, Jordan.
In 1937, the Peel Commission attempted to form a Palestinian state, which was rejected by the Arabs
In 1937, the Peel Commission attempted to form a Palestinian state, which was rejected by the Arabs
in 1947, the international community tried
to create a third Palestinian Arab state , which
was rejected and destroyed by the Arab countries.
In 2000, President Clinton invited Arafath and Ehud Barak to negotiations in Camp David,
in an
attempt to create a Palestinian state on the West Bank and
Gaza. The same Palestinian state the Arabs rejected in1947.
Barak was
willing to cede 95% of the West Bank and 100% of Gaza
to establish a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians could have had this
state by now, but Arafath said no!
Probably Arafat was unable to make peace with Israel. He would quickly become regarded as a traitor by the majority of Palestinians and Muslim countries. and he would have the same fate as President Sadat of Egypt.
Today, the Arabs have more than 20 countries and the truth is that the Palestinian Arabs already have a country.
Probably Arafat was unable to make peace with Israel. He would quickly become regarded as a traitor by the majority of Palestinians and Muslim countries. and he would have the same fate as President Sadat of Egypt.
Today, the Arabs have more than 20 countries and the truth is that the Palestinian Arabs already have a country.
Jordan
is Palestine, said king Hussein of Jordan.
But
the truth also is, that if the Palestinian accept Jordan as
a Palestinian state, then it will be difficult for the
Muslim world to fight on to eliminate Israel.
So the
creation of a Palestinian national identity is only a
pretext to continue the struggle against Israel.
It's nice
when people tell the truth, like Zuheir Moshen do.
The Palestinian sense
of identity is not very strong,
according to him
This lack of Palestinian identity is made highly visible by the Hamas minister of the interior and of national security, Fathi Haamad
He appeared on Egyptian television, and spoke
clearly that large numbers of the Palestinian people had immigrated from Egypt
and other Arab countries, and this consciousness was still strong among
Palestinians. March 23. 2012.
What
unites the people of the Middle East is an
Arab identity, and perhaps even more,
a Muslim identity
The conflict in the Middle East is mainly a
religious conflict. This is not difficult to recognize when you see the
commitment from the entire Muslim world,
and Hamas openly acknowledge this in their charter
and Hamas openly acknowledge this in their charter
The Muslim world is trying
to deny Israel's historical connection to Jerusalem and Palestine.
Arafath claimed
during the Camp David negotiations, that it never ever had
been a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount.
But recently we have seen that they do not just try to deny the Jewish connection to the land, but that they even try to usurp the Jewish religion as well,
But recently we have seen that they do not just try to deny the Jewish connection to the land, but that they even try to usurp the Jewish religion as well,
On this video Dr. Omar Jaara at
the University of Nabulus says, that
Moses led the Muslims out of Egypt, and started the first fight for a Palestinian homeland.
Moses led the Muslims out of Egypt, and started the first fight for a Palestinian homeland.
The truth about Palestine (Power Point Presentation)
A visual journey through the country before the Jewish emigration began (1860 – 1880)
A visual journey through the country before the Jewish emigration began (1860 – 1880)
