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Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
They were Jews. And their enemies quickly learned not to fuck with them unless they wanted a can of whoop ass opened up
Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
They were Jews. And their enemies quickly learned not to fuck with them unless they wanted a can of whoop ass opened up
It is one subject that sickens me. That is, how the govt, people and media in Europe and the USA treat Israel. They are devils, but more likely just plain stupid and could not care less about the truth.
I'm the first to admit I find the whole situation confusing and I haven't studied it as well as I should have. Boston. I appreciate your input.
According to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
According to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
According to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
According to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
The Global Education ProjectAccording to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
Please provide a Link to the map.
Fine. The U.N. essentially gave refugee status to any Arab in the region at the time. That hardly surprises me. I was only making the point that more than half of those Arabs would not even have been living there if it were not for the efforts of the Jewish people to turn it into arable land and thriving economy for which these Arabs or palestinians all benefited.Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
Actually the UN had a very hard time with just what to consider on this one, in the end they worded things very carefully, eventually placing a definition of palestinian refugees such that they could identify them and administer aid.
It reads as follows
Quote
WHO ARE PALESTINE REFUGEES?
Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
UNRWA services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.
End Quote
This definition delt with the nationality end of the issue as well as the heritage and religious issue. By omitting any reference to either and making the definition pertain to place of residence only and only within a 2 year period of time.
Where it gets sticky is when under its own charter rules it failed to segregate legitimate refugees from combatants. And since combatants or descendants of combatants are not eligible for refugee status. we have a huge mess today with not only illegal combatants but the UN lending aid to one of the waring parties, which is wildly illegal under the UNs own charter as well as a few other elements of law.
The Global Education ProjectAccording to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
Please provide a Link to the map.
The UNRWA definition was only to define who qualified for aid. It is not a comprehensive list.Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
Actually the UN had a very hard time with just what to consider on this one, in the end they worded things very carefully, eventually placing a definition of palestinian refugees such that they could identify them and administer aid.
It reads as follows
Quote
WHO ARE PALESTINE REFUGEES?
Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
UNRWA services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.
End Quote
This definition delt with the nationality end of the issue as well as the heritage and religious issue. By omitting any reference to either and making the definition pertain to place of residence only and only within a 2 year period of time.
Where it gets sticky is when under its own charter rules it failed to segregate legitimate refugees from combatants. And since combatants or descendants of combatants are not eligible for refugee status. we have a huge mess today with not only illegal combatants but the UN lending aid to one of the waring parties, which is wildly illegal under the UNs own charter as well as a few other elements of law.
Those are the same borders that were referenced as Palestine's international borders in the 1949 UN armistice agreements. Of course that was after the Mandate left Palestine.The Global Education ProjectAccording to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
Please provide a Link to the map.
That map looks incredibly...amateurish?
When was this map designed and which international entity recognizes it's legitimacy?
Those are the same borders that were referenced as Palestine's international borders in the 1949 UN armistice agreements. Of course that was after the Mandate left Palestine.The Global Education ProjectAccording to the OETA map of 1918 - 1920 palestine didn't exist
While I can point to Israel, called the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in this map I can't seem to find anything that could even remotely be considered palestine.
Please provide a Link to the map.
That map looks incredibly...amateurish?
When was this map designed and which international entity recognizes it's legitimacy?
Fine. The U.N. essentially gave refugee status to any Arab in the region at the time. That hardly surprises me. I was only making the point that more than half of those Arabs would not even have been living there if it were not for the efforts of the Jewish people to turn it into arable land and thriving economy for which these Arabs or palestinians all benefited.Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
Actually the UN had a very hard time with just what to consider on this one, in the end they worded things very carefully, eventually placing a definition of palestinian refugees such that they could identify them and administer aid.
It reads as follows
Quote
WHO ARE PALESTINE REFUGEES?
Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
UNRWA services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.
End Quote
This definition delt with the nationality end of the issue as well as the heritage and religious issue. By omitting any reference to either and making the definition pertain to place of residence only and only within a 2 year period of time.
Where it gets sticky is when under its own charter rules it failed to segregate legitimate refugees from combatants. And since combatants or descendants of combatants are not eligible for refugee status. we have a huge mess today with not only illegal combatants but the UN lending aid to one of the waring parties, which is wildly illegal under the UNs own charter as well as a few other elements of law.
There are far large points of contention than who is a palestinian, such as, what right do any of those Arabs who moved into the land or even those generations who have lived there --- what right do they have to say that Jews could not live there? It was Ottoman territory and the Jews purchased wasteland from the Ottoman Turks or more often from absentee wealthy Arab landlords living in Egypt and elsewhere. None of this adds up to any right for neighboring ARab armies to attack them and try to destroy them.
Yes, and by then the U.N. was no pal of the Jews. And has never been since. But it does translate the word "palestinian" rather loosely in many ways.Fine. The U.N. essentially gave refugee status to any Arab in the region at the time. That hardly surprises me. I was only making the point that more than half of those Arabs would not even have been living there if it were not for the efforts of the Jewish people to turn it into arable land and thriving economy for which these Arabs or palestinians all benefited.Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
Actually the UN had a very hard time with just what to consider on this one, in the end they worded things very carefully, eventually placing a definition of palestinian refugees such that they could identify them and administer aid.
It reads as follows
Quote
WHO ARE PALESTINE REFUGEES?
Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
UNRWA services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.
End Quote
This definition delt with the nationality end of the issue as well as the heritage and religious issue. By omitting any reference to either and making the definition pertain to place of residence only and only within a 2 year period of time.
Where it gets sticky is when under its own charter rules it failed to segregate legitimate refugees from combatants. And since combatants or descendants of combatants are not eligible for refugee status. we have a huge mess today with not only illegal combatants but the UN lending aid to one of the waring parties, which is wildly illegal under the UNs own charter as well as a few other elements of law.
There are far large points of contention than who is a palestinian, such as, what right do any of those Arabs who moved into the land or even those generations who have lived there --- what right do they have to say that Jews could not live there? It was Ottoman territory and the Jews purchased wasteland from the Ottoman Turks or more often from absentee wealthy Arab landlords living in Egypt and elsewhere. None of this adds up to any right for neighboring ARab armies to attack them and try to destroy them.
When the mandated ended there was only a requirement to have lived in the mandate for two years to be considered "palestinian" when applying for refugee status.
Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
They were Jews. And their enemies quickly learned not to fuck with them unless they wanted a can of whoop ass opened up
It is one subject that sickens me. That is, how the govt, people and media in Europe and the USA treat Israel. They are devils, but more likely just plain stupid and could not care less about the truth.
Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
They were Jews. And their enemies quickly learned not to fuck with them unless they wanted a can of whoop ass opened up
It is one subject that sickens me. That is, how the govt, people and media in Europe and the USA treat Israel. They are devils, but more likely just plain stupid and could not care less about the truth.
Maybe if Israel treated the Palestinians like humans, but until then, Israel sucks.
Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
They were Jews. And their enemies quickly learned not to fuck with them unless they wanted a can of whoop ass opened up
It is one subject that sickens me. That is, how the govt, people and media in Europe and the USA treat Israel. They are devils, but more likely just plain stupid and could not care less about the truth.
Maybe if Israel treated the Palestinians like humans, but until then, Israel sucks. After all the Palestinians are the Hebrew kin, Semites.
Yes, and by then the U.N. was no pal of the Jews. And has never been since. But it does translate the word "palestinian" rather loosely in many ways.Fine. The U.N. essentially gave refugee status to any Arab in the region at the time. That hardly surprises me. I was only making the point that more than half of those Arabs would not even have been living there if it were not for the efforts of the Jewish people to turn it into arable land and thriving economy for which these Arabs or palestinians all benefited.Palestine. My late father, Abdul Musa Obeidallah, was born there in the 1930s. When I say Palestine, that’s not a political statement. It’s just a statement of fact. When he was born, there was no state of Israel. There was no Hamas. No PLO. There were just people of different faiths living together on the same small piece of land called Palestine.
My father, like the seven generations of Obeidallahs born before him in his sleepy farming town of Battir, didn’t harbor grand dreams or bold plans. They lived a simple life of growing fruits, vegetables, and lots of olive trees. (Palestinians love olives!) Their biggest battles weren’t with other people, but with the elements.
Most of my Palestinian ancestors lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. That would likely have been my father’s path as well. But as we are all keenly aware, fate had far different plans.
I share this story because I think that lost in the current Gaza conflict is the story of the Palestinians as a people. Instead, they’ve been continually defined as being the “bad” part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They’ve been broadly labeled as terrorists or seen as acceptable losses. Some Israeli leaders have alleged Palestinians don’t exist, or called them “cockroaches,” “crocodiles,” or a “cancer.”
As you might imagine, being Palestinian is unique. When you tell someone you’re of Palestinian heritage, it’s not just an ethnicity, it’s a conversation starter. In fact, just saying the word Palestine inflames some. People will tell me to my face that there has never been a Palestine and there are no such thing as Palestinians. To them, I guess Palestinians are simply holograms.
Do Palestinians Really Exist?
The vast majority of palestinian refugees from 1948 and soon thereafter were what? They were egyptians, lebanese, syrians, et al. who moved in the same time Jews came to that land. And why did they come? Because the Jews developed a wasteland and turned it into a thriving region that offered employment to all these Arabs who came in and then decided they too were now palestinians.
So then why do all these Arab nations attack Israel in 1948? What did the Jews do wrong?
Actually the UN had a very hard time with just what to consider on this one, in the end they worded things very carefully, eventually placing a definition of palestinian refugees such that they could identify them and administer aid.
It reads as follows
Quote
WHO ARE PALESTINE REFUGEES?
Palestine refugees are defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”
UNRWA services are available to all those living in its area of operations who meet this definition, who are registered with the Agency and who need assistance. The descendants of Palestine refugee males, including adopted children, are also eligible for registration. When the Agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5 million Palestine refugees are eligible for UNRWA services.
End Quote
This definition delt with the nationality end of the issue as well as the heritage and religious issue. By omitting any reference to either and making the definition pertain to place of residence only and only within a 2 year period of time.
Where it gets sticky is when under its own charter rules it failed to segregate legitimate refugees from combatants. And since combatants or descendants of combatants are not eligible for refugee status. we have a huge mess today with not only illegal combatants but the UN lending aid to one of the waring parties, which is wildly illegal under the UNs own charter as well as a few other elements of law.
There are far large points of contention than who is a palestinian, such as, what right do any of those Arabs who moved into the land or even those generations who have lived there --- what right do they have to say that Jews could not live there? It was Ottoman territory and the Jews purchased wasteland from the Ottoman Turks or more often from absentee wealthy Arab landlords living in Egypt and elsewhere. None of this adds up to any right for neighboring ARab armies to attack them and try to destroy them.
When the mandated ended there was only a requirement to have lived in the mandate for two years to be considered "palestinian" when applying for refugee status.
Anyway, I have no problem with who they decided was to receive refugee status, the problems are with how the world treated Israel then and now. It is a total crime. Every one of those "refugees" could have gone back to their homes and the land of Israel if any of those dastardly Arab nations would have signed some kind of peace treaty with Israel. Of course they would not.
So what's a fledgling nation surrounded by enemies to do? Let them all in so they can be destroyed all the easier?
Which also raises the question why are 2 1/2 million Arabs living peacefully in Israel today? Those who never left back then never considered leaving since.
