Opinion
Start with the Palestinians
Moshe Elad
Published: 25.01.09, 19:00
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
42 Talkbacks for this article
1. Barack Obama Prophecies
Marie Devine ,   Kansas City, MO, USA   (01.25.09)
See Barack Obama prophecies at prophecies.org All presidents have tried to solve this and it will not be solved until we turn to "it is written" in the holy books, to follow the commandments of God in truth, not according to errors passed down through generations. Exodus 20, Leviticus 23, 26 The primary message of the Qur'an is to follow the whole Bible. Yeshua said to live by every word of God, as God told Moses the same thing. There is no need for division, if we want a holy "holy land."
2. excellent article!
oded   (01.25.09)
3. This other is blinded by his ideology
Michael   (01.25.09)
The u.s. should pressure Israel for once. The u.s. always supports Israel at the expense of Arab human rights. Israel does not want peace, they are like Iran who always needs an enemy as part of their ideology because with out an enemy they don't have a purpose... By the way the Author should get educated on the past peace deals between Arabs and Israeli's by reading "The Lion of Jordan" than he would find out, It was Israel who could have had peace with the Jordanians earlier but they put this off because of their artificial attachment to the west bank.
4. Most of these "refugees" have never even seen Israel
Joe ,   Ramat Gan   (01.25.09)
How is it then that they can "return" to a place that is utterly foreign to them? Understanding the fact that most of them came from Syria, Lebanon and Egypt to begin with before illegally immigrating to the former British Mandate, these people realized their "right of return" in 1948. End the occupation called Palestine!
5. Oslo Accord======Act of fraud!!!!!!!!!
Hashem is One!   (01.25.09)
No such thing as Palestine! No such thing as Palestinians! They are a made-up people! Israel(G-ds Land) belongs to the children of Israel! We have returned home after 2000 years by the hand of G-d! We will endure for 2000 more!
6. WHy do you and others call these Arabs Palestinian?
jjj333 ,   Israel   (01.25.09)
You know as well as i do that these displaced Arabs never called themselves Palastinian before Arafat arrived in 67! You know very well as an educated man should, that the Arabs only use the bogus accusation of Israels occupation of Palestinian land, as an excuse to destroy Israel with. YOu should also know, that according to the Arabs logic, us Jews are as much Palastinian as these ARabs. I honestly believe that the only way we can achieve peace in the middle east, is to to rid ourselves of this ridiculous notion of an Arab Muslim Palestine!
7. Palestinians FIRST!!! hmmm Now let me See
RJBH ,   Methil   (01.25.09)
when did this ever happen before..?? No yer Wrong Barak.... the Ones you will deal with are From Hamas... and they may not all be Palestinians... although... They Like Me .. are Palestinians in their Heart.
8. More Problems Ahead - Obama Prophecies
Marie Devine ,   Kansas City, MO, USA   (01.25.09)
See Barack Obama prophecies at prophecies.org All presidents have tried to solve this and it will not be solved until we turn to "it is written" in the holy books, to follow the commandments of God in truth, not according to errors passed down through generations. Exodus 20, Leviticus 23, 26 The primary message of the Qur'an is to follow the whole Bible. Yeshua said to live by every word of God, as God told Moses the same thing. There is no need for division, if we want a holy "holy land."
9. #3, read a book
SAM ,   USA   (01.25.09)
What is this dribble and nonsense!!! read a book. Arab countries initially declared war and didnt make peace until recently. God bless Sadat. His initiative should have been the model for all Arab countries. As for the "rights" of the Palistinians, thier rights are based on blatant racism. Maybe this is your excuse to be , or hide behing a modern day facist society. You can't fool everyone. the "Palistinian" Arabs sufferes because of blinding and fanatical bigotry. They need to see the light. Israel has already demonstrated the will to see the Arab live a good life as a neibor and a resident, but not at the expese of being a victim. Never again, do you get it? probly not. Just remeber, racism and bigotry are symptoms of stupidity. Try to read a book
10. Right on, Moshe Elad!
ARA ,   Haifa   (01.25.09)
I hope Moshe Elad mails his article to Barack Obama, the new US president, with a copies to Hillary Clinton, Tsipi Livni, Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak. Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, Ruvie Rivlin, Moshe Cachlon, Gilad Erdan, Sylvan Shalom, Benny Begin, Moshe Ya'alon, Yossi Peled - and others - already holds Moshe Elad's view as a central tenet.
11. it is our turn now
Rami ,   Damascus   (01.25.09)
to ask questions to the US........ President Obama : 1-What the difference between Israel's right and Hamas ? NONE. 2-do you really want to push for democraCY IN THE MIDEAST WITHOUT RESPECTING THE OUTCOME ..like Bush did vis a vis Hamas ,and what kind of Message was that ?? (Bush's biggest mistake in 8 years ) and if you do that sir similar to Bush ..do you blame the arab mass for hating your country?? do you blame them when they see your F16's and smart bombs flying over their heads sir ?? when he denied our democracy,he failed,and so the whole west . to save you some failed shuttle diplomacy sir ..do not start with the Palestinians ,let them elect their president and officials and respect their decision OTHERwise you won't succeed. you start sir with The Israelis SIR .. ..one or two states ..that is it . a hint for you !!!sure why not .. .... we (the people not the leaders ) will never recognize israel's right to exist sir ,we still have the keys to our homes in Hifa ) to save you some sweat and money ..they know that . so please do not fumble at the very first yard line ...it is one state solution since israel refused the 2 states solution for 7 years now . you seem like a smart man sir ,unless you have a 3d solution ,please share it with us ..
12. Obama:Gaza/Israel
John Struthers ,   Midland, TX   (01.25.09)
Every nation has a right to protect itself. However, Israel has a small mountain of UN violations that remain unresolved and never will be as long as the US sitting on the Security Council blocks any and all resolution to resolve Palestinian grievences. I'm not picking sides here, just pointing out the obvious. Some of these issues are in violation of the UN backed Israel Charter. If one were to point out that the gov't of Israel is an ally of the US then one would have to show justification for that relationship as well as the billions the US 'gives' to Israel annually. Neither the US or Israel have dibs on wearing a white cowboy hat and both countries need to clean up their acts before the economically blocked Gaza blossoms into something larger. Fix it fellas' and keep in mind my children will not fight for either side.
13. a predicted conflict in 1905
(01.25.09)
well, that wasn't so difficult to predict, as they were serious major jewish aliyas to the holly land since 1880. the arabs didn't want the jews here before and after 1905, and butchered the jews just like the crusaders butchered the jews in the holly land, just like the romans did, in short, during every rise of power, that power wanted to get jews out, but they stuck stuburnly to this land. jews have lived in israel thousands of years, and for thousands of years this has been their homeland. it is untrue to say, that jews didn't live here 2000 years, because there were jewish communities here allways, in cities, enclaves of jewish community life they had equal rights to live on this land as the arabs did during the 400 years of othman empire although they were butchered by arabs, and they had equal rights to be here during the palestinian british mandate although as allways, they were butchered by arabs, plus, the british were trying to upease the arabs, so they refused jews an entry, and dozens of boats of jewish refugees from europe were made to turn back and return to nazi europe, where they were killed. boats filled with refugees were made to go to closed prison camps in cyprus too. the film exodus with paul newman is based on a true story. they were prisoners of the english mandate. so yes, jews deserve to be here, it is the land of their fathers, and they have built a beautifull safe haven to their people here, that the envious arabs are trying to destroy
14. A fine article indeed.
Cameron ,   USA   (01.25.09)
This 2-faced game the Arab World has been playing is steadily drawing to an end. The Arab hopping about, game-playing, differing of positions day by day, words spoken to the outside world, the opposite said to Arab audiences, is all crumbling. This game has simply gone on for too many years. Reality itself is dragging the Arabs, kicking & screaming, to the point where ONLY utterly blunt & ice-cold honesty on their part, will serve to advance and change affairs in the ME. Events in Lebanon & Gaza simply signal that the bulls*** hour is finally over. Profound decision time, Arabs. You can no longer have your cake & eat it too - that nonsense is over.
15. Palestine
Amin Abusway ,   Washington, Dc   (01.25.09)
Do you think that there is a solution? If you beleive in any one, what is it. If you do not have one. I do, and it is the only one as far as the majority of the Palestinians beleive. If you are interested to discuss it, let me know. Otherwise I will asume that you also know it.
16. a palestinian state NEVER EXISTED !!! read about it
(01.25.09)
17. Rami-With your attitude Palestinians will have status quo
Sam ,   Canada   (01.25.09)
If as you say Palestinians will never accept Israel then Palestinians will have the status quo (nothing will change). Israel will never make the Palestinians in the West Bank part of one state because it will not change its demography. It will not make a 2 state solution if it endangers its security or demography Palestinians will stay just as they are. If Palestinians choose to fight they will get the retaliation. Palestinians will pay the consequences for their bad choices and get the rewards of peace.
18. Test for Obama
Spencer ,   israel   (01.26.09)
Now is the time to tell just how good a friend of Israel this President is. Let's see what demands he makes to the Palestinians.
19. #9, unfortunately he has read a book
Danny   (01.26.09)
by an author who managed to blow up well-known facts into some shocking "revision" of history. I have no doubt that if Shlaim can somehow convince himself that Jordan and Israel weren't really fighting in 1948 - despite the fact that Israel lost most of it's casualties to Jordan and Jordan lost 25% of the Arab Legion to Israel - then Shlaim can convince himself that a king ruling a majority of Palestinians could have made peace before the PLO or even that the current peace is in anyway stable or popular.
20. USA does not want peace in the middle east
Rudi ,   NC USA   (01.26.09)
it is naiive to think otherwise. the best situation to control the arab oil is to have these countries weekened by division. Israel plays an important role in that, and that's where US-Israel interests meet. why else do you think Christian USA supports Jewish Israel?? love for "democracy"? guilt? get real!
21. Joe, Ramat Gan # 4
Abdeen ,   Rome - Italy   (01.26.09)
Why Jews who have never been in Israel have the right to migrate to Israel ?
22. jjj333, Israel
Amin ,   Cairo-Egypt   (01.26.09)
Palestinians were called by this name in the 1st century by the Romans, read history!
23. No Return ?
izachael ,   Pakistan   (01.26.09)
I wonder if Mr. Moshe Elad would stick to his notion of "NO RETURN" if tomorrow jews are driven out of Israel.
24. #22 , Amin, Egypt
Ted ,   UK   (01.26.09)
What you failed to mention that at that time the Romans called the land of Judea and Israel : Palestine and the majority of the habitants were jews! The people you call today paletinians are just nomads from Arab contries that got to israel centuries later. So basically their claims to be palestinian is totally false and adopte for political purposes
25. #22
jjj333 ,   Israel   (01.26.09)
There were no Arabs or muslims living here when it was named Palestine, but it was the home of the Israelites! The name Palestine refers to a region of the eastern Mediterranean coast from the sea to the Jordan valley and from the southern Negev desert to the Galilee lake region in the north. The word itself derives from "Plesheth", a name that appears frequently in the Bible and has come into English as "Philistine". Plesheth, (root palash) was a general term meaning rolling or migratory. This referred to the Philistine's invasion and conquest of the coast from the sea. The Philistines were not Arabs nor even Semites, they were most closely related to the Greeks originating from Asia Minor and Greek localities. They did not speak Arabic. They had no connection, ethnic, linguistic or historical with Arabia or Arabs. The Philistines reached the southern coast of Israel in several waves. One group arrived in the pre-patriarchal period and settled south of Beersheba in Gerar where they came into conflict with Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. Another group, coming from Crete after being repulsed from an attempted invasion of Egypt by Rameses III in 1194 BCE, seized the southern coastal area, where they founded five settlements (Gaza, Ascalon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gat). In the Persian and Greek periods, foreign settlers - chiefly from the Mediterranean islands - overran the Philistine districts. From the fifth century BC, following the historian Herodotus, Greeks called the eastern coast of the Mediterranean "the Philistine Syria" using the Greek language form of the name. In AD 135, after putting down the Bar Kochba revolt, the second major Jewish revolt against Rome, the Emperor Hadrian wanted to blot out the name of the Roman "Provincia Judaea" and so renamed it "Provincia Syria Palaestina", the Latin version of the Greek name and the first use of the name as an administrative unit. The name "Provincia Syria Palaestina" was later shortened to Palaestina, from which the modern, anglicized "Palestine" is derived. http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_early_palestine_name_origin.php
26. You need to get real....there is no oil in Israel!
jjj333 ,   Israel   (01.26.09)
27. Peace not possible
Yehudi ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (01.26.09)
There must be no territorial compromise. Land for peace does not work. Jews and Arabs have a different definition of peace. Peace for the Arabs means "submission to Islam under the rule of Allah. Peace to the Jews means "normalization of relations." These two approaches are incompatible!
28. the Palestine Refugees
AL ,   Perth, australia   (01.26.09)
Cant believehow some people believe their own lies. The palestinians were in Palestine since the Earth was inhabited. They are the decedants of the Kanaanites and all the other people who passed thru the area iincluding the old Israelites.
29. wht a really crappy article...oh and correction...
jerusalem   (01.26.09)
by the way, the person who predicted the conflict and has added to it that it will go on till the day of judgement is the prophet mohammed, in his days. you dont believe it, look it up.
30. To # 16
Yehudi ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (01.26.09)
Statehood is not the issue. It does not mean anything that there was never a Palestine or a Palestinian people. The real issue is that the Arabs cannot tolerate a non-Islamic state in their midst. Unless we all convert to Islam there can be no peace.
Next talkbacks
Back to article