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Myth #1 Jews and Arabs have always been in conflict in the region.
Although Arabs were a majority in Palestine prior to the creation of the state of Israel, there had always been a Jewish population, as well. For the most part, Jewish Palestinians got along with their Arab neighbors. This began to change with the onset of the Zionist movement, because the Zionists rejected the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and wanted Palestine for their own, to create a Jewish State in a region where Arabs were the majority and owned most of the land.
The British Hope-Simpson report of 1930 similarly noted that Jewish residents of non-Zionist communities in Palestine enjoyed friendship with their Arab neighbors. It is quite a common sight to see an Arab sitting in the verandah of a Jewish house, the report noted. The position is entirely different in the Zionist colonies.
Myth #2 The United Nations created Israel.
Resolution 181 merely endorsed UNSCOPs report and conclusions as a recommendation. Needless to say, for Palestine to have been officially partitioned, this recommendation would have had to have been accepted by both Jews and Arabs, which it was not.
Moreover, General Assembly resolutions are not considered legally binding (only Security Council resolutions are). And, furthermore, the U.N. would have had no authority to take land from one people and hand it over to another, and any such resolution seeking to so partition Palestine would have been null and void, anyway.
Myth #3 The Arabs missed an opportunity to have their own state in 1947.
The U.N. recommendation to partition Palestine was rejected by the Arabs. Many commentators today point to this rejection as constituting a missed opportunity for the Arabs to have had their own state. But characterizing this as an opportunity for the Arabs is patently ridiculous. The Partition plan was in no way, shape, or form an opportunity for the Arabs.
Yet, despite these facts, the U.N. partition recommendation had called for more than half of the land of Palestine to be given to the Zionists for their Jewish State. The truth is that no Arab could be reasonably expected to accept such an unjust proposal. For political commentators today to describe the Arabs refusal to accept a recommendation that their land be taken away from them, premised upon the explicit rejection of their right to self-determination, as a missed opportunity represents either an astounding ignorance of the roots of the conflict or an unwillingness to look honestly at its history.
Myth #4 Israel has a right to exist.
The fact that this term is used exclusively with regard to Israel is instructive as to its legitimacy, as is the fact that the demand is placed upon Palestinians to recognize Israels right to exist, while no similar demand is placed upon Israelis to recognize the right to exist of a Palestinian state.
Nations dont have rights, people do. The proper framework for discussion is within that of the right of all peoples to self-determination. Seen in this, the proper framework, it is an elementary observation that it is not the Arabs which have denied Jews that right, but the Jews which have denied that right to the Arabs. The terminology of Israels right to exist is constantly employed to obfuscate that fact.
As already noted, Israel was not created by the U.N., but came into being on May 14, 1948, when the Zionist leadership unilaterally, and with no legal authority, declared Israels existence, with no specification as to the extent of the new states borders.
Myth #5 The Arab nations threatened Israel with annihilation in 1967 and 1973.
Myth #6 U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 called only for a partial Israeli withdrawal.
Myth #7 Israeli military action against its neighbors is only taken to defend itself against terrorism.
Myth #8 God gave the land to the Jews, so the Arabs are the occupiers.
Myth #9 Palestinians reject the two-state solution because they want to destroy Israel.
Myth #10 The U.S. is an honest broker and has sought to bring about peace in the Middle East.
Top Ten Myths about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Although Arabs were a majority in Palestine prior to the creation of the state of Israel, there had always been a Jewish population, as well. For the most part, Jewish Palestinians got along with their Arab neighbors. This began to change with the onset of the Zionist movement, because the Zionists rejected the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and wanted Palestine for their own, to create a Jewish State in a region where Arabs were the majority and owned most of the land.
The British Hope-Simpson report of 1930 similarly noted that Jewish residents of non-Zionist communities in Palestine enjoyed friendship with their Arab neighbors. It is quite a common sight to see an Arab sitting in the verandah of a Jewish house, the report noted. The position is entirely different in the Zionist colonies.
Myth #2 The United Nations created Israel.
Resolution 181 merely endorsed UNSCOPs report and conclusions as a recommendation. Needless to say, for Palestine to have been officially partitioned, this recommendation would have had to have been accepted by both Jews and Arabs, which it was not.
Moreover, General Assembly resolutions are not considered legally binding (only Security Council resolutions are). And, furthermore, the U.N. would have had no authority to take land from one people and hand it over to another, and any such resolution seeking to so partition Palestine would have been null and void, anyway.
Myth #3 The Arabs missed an opportunity to have their own state in 1947.
The U.N. recommendation to partition Palestine was rejected by the Arabs. Many commentators today point to this rejection as constituting a missed opportunity for the Arabs to have had their own state. But characterizing this as an opportunity for the Arabs is patently ridiculous. The Partition plan was in no way, shape, or form an opportunity for the Arabs.
Yet, despite these facts, the U.N. partition recommendation had called for more than half of the land of Palestine to be given to the Zionists for their Jewish State. The truth is that no Arab could be reasonably expected to accept such an unjust proposal. For political commentators today to describe the Arabs refusal to accept a recommendation that their land be taken away from them, premised upon the explicit rejection of their right to self-determination, as a missed opportunity represents either an astounding ignorance of the roots of the conflict or an unwillingness to look honestly at its history.
Myth #4 Israel has a right to exist.
The fact that this term is used exclusively with regard to Israel is instructive as to its legitimacy, as is the fact that the demand is placed upon Palestinians to recognize Israels right to exist, while no similar demand is placed upon Israelis to recognize the right to exist of a Palestinian state.
Nations dont have rights, people do. The proper framework for discussion is within that of the right of all peoples to self-determination. Seen in this, the proper framework, it is an elementary observation that it is not the Arabs which have denied Jews that right, but the Jews which have denied that right to the Arabs. The terminology of Israels right to exist is constantly employed to obfuscate that fact.
As already noted, Israel was not created by the U.N., but came into being on May 14, 1948, when the Zionist leadership unilaterally, and with no legal authority, declared Israels existence, with no specification as to the extent of the new states borders.
Myth #5 The Arab nations threatened Israel with annihilation in 1967 and 1973.
Myth #6 U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 called only for a partial Israeli withdrawal.
Myth #7 Israeli military action against its neighbors is only taken to defend itself against terrorism.
Myth #8 God gave the land to the Jews, so the Arabs are the occupiers.
Myth #9 Palestinians reject the two-state solution because they want to destroy Israel.
Myth #10 The U.S. is an honest broker and has sought to bring about peace in the Middle East.
Top Ten Myths about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
