If they are Palestinians or green indians????!!!! These people have been living there for hundreds of years - at least a big number of them... They might not be related to the philistines but jews took the land from the philistines which makes jews and arabs invaders so no body can claim the land... and by the way God is not a real estate agent.

As a fellow Historian, I am disgusted that you were once a Professor of my profession. Your entire article lacks empathy for the "Palestinians" or "Arabs of Judea" and cherry picks certain historical facts while misrepresenting many others. For example, you say that the Arab armies were well armed in 1948, when in actuality Israel was the only force in the conflict who was able to circumvent the UN arms embargo on the conflict and they received, ironically, German designed weapons from Czechoslovakia. Which gave them a huge advantage in terms of arms. Your attempts to dehumanize the Palestinians should remind all students of history of a little Austrian named Adolf who did much the same to the Jews of Europe.

Bleeding hearts systematically obliterate the memory of the Jewish Naqba in arab countries: after 14 centuries of dhimmi status and petty apartheid, including bloody episodes of mass murders, 1 million Jews were finally stripped from their citizenship and assets, murdered, raped during pogroms from 1945 to 1967, until they were deported and these countries definitely ethnically cleansed. This bare fact nullifies any arab claim concerning "right of return" of people who more than often never resided in the israeli territory.

Even though the term palestinian is somewhat of a misnomer, it is truly pointless and counterproductive to argue that they "don't exist". This place was at one time called Palestine by the British, when it was their mandate and those living here (both jew and arab) were known as Palestinian. Naturally, once the state of Israel was declared the arabs living here were not going to call themselves "israeli" so naturally "palestinian" was the only name left for them. The point is they exist. If you call them arabs living in Judea or Samaria, West Bankers, or Palestinians (which like it or not is what they call themselves) - it just doesn't matter!!! Get over it people!!! Stop bringing up this ridiculous argument - as if by calling them something else they will somehow dissappear.... Its no better than them refusing to acknowledge our existence..

According to some of the latest genetic research, a not small percentage of the so-called "Palestinians" are descendants of Jews who never left Eretz Yisrael. Their Jewish ancestors became Moslems either willingly or through forced conversion.

FACT! The term Palestine was never used by the Ottoman empire. The British arrived in 1917 but even then did not start using the term Palestine until 1920 when Britain used it to describe the area of land within the mandate given to it by The League of Nations . Therefore, either you are a liar or you have been lied to.

birth certificants with palis sitizenship(to jews as well) how ever your gramps was born before the Brits came in 1918(ww1), the Turks never gave documents with means your gramps couldn't get birth cerificant for event that happend onlly 4 years later. capish KHABIBI.

called jerusalem the city of jews(aka el-akza al yahud is the full name). his words r sacred so respect your own religion and don't bend it to fit your political agenda not my invention you sortened the name to on purpose assuming other religions wont read the koran. reasd and weep.

It appears to me that Moshe Dann is questioning the proper,authentic use of the term 'Palestinian'.He does not say that Arabs in Israel,Gaza,Judea and Samaria don't exist.;he's saying they have created an identity that has no basis in fact.

Before 1948,'Palestinians' meant Jews,not Arabs to its residents and the world.The myth of Palestiniasm has been adopted by most of the rest of the world,so perhaps now it means something,but historically and culturally its a false identity.Those who disagree ,let them explain their definition of a Palestinian.

Actually, Jordan, you are incorrect. Six wars and sixty-one years of unrelenting terror have impacted Jews in a way to make them dislike so-called "Palestinians." Got a problem with that? Too bad.

chump. I'm Choctaw. If you really believe your horsecrap, then hit the road, and go back to Europe. Frigging hypocrites from Europe and the United States always posting crap about the same atrocities they have done, and continue to commit to do. The landfills in the United States are full of your unwanted crap. Save an Indian.....leave with your bleeding heart liberal friends.

i get my info from Al Manar and Hamas TV i do not bother reading koran, too primitive language for me to read, doesn't make sense so please do not confuse me with facts, Al Jazeera is enough of a headache for me

This was the land of Israel 2000 years ago, for kingdoms that did not last more than 100 years. So was America, the land of the Maya and the Aztek, I wonder if its appropriate for the Mayans to start attacking Americans and calim America as there Land. Also, Jews we exiled by God fro mthe land of Israel because of their continuous sins, and killing of prophets, so accept the dicisions of God and stop blaiming it on others.

it does not mean that i can not write or read or iam not existed or iam not a palistinian .... thank you i guiss it will be not but it will be also

it is a joke when he is speaking about history and you are speaking about 60 years ...it is nothing even iam 60 years old it is too much for me as a person but nothing in history

better to go back to your mother abdomin sure you can not only if your mother is .... jasmin

ya momo you are not my child ahmad he always cook his posts or responces by a funny way but not like your post it is not funny to put the sugar with the handal sure the tast will be bitter

From the jpost archives:Of the eight hundred thousand Arabs attempting to board UNRWA'S gravy train- three hundred thousand were deemed, by UNRWA to be bogus.

you are superior to a pig, you are in big, big trouble.

and not WEST BANKER

The Phillistines was indigenous to the Aegean more specifically Crete. The Arabs are indigenous to the Arabian penninsula; hence the world Arab and the word Arabic. We Israelites are indigenous to Israel. For anyone to call us invaders or colonizers (as most arabs do) would be equivalent to calling Native Americans colonizers in America. Utter Nonsense. Besides the arabs have plenty of states outside of Arabia(go look at north africa and the levant). Who are they to complain

Noor, you need to open your windows once in a while, your air is polluted with your farts. Meanwhile when you open your mouth, change feet, it will keep you from choking. History is obviously not your thing as well as rational thinking. At this rate you and the reast of your Pals will be babeling this crap for another 60 years. Really give the hashish a rest, it's not good for your health!

The only indigenous "palestinians" are those of Jewish origin who were forcefully converted to Islam. The rest are migrants from elsewhere. My family history goes back at least 2500 years in the Land of Israel. If you can honestly tell the same about your family, we are, most likely, relatives.