According to Manuel Hassassian's "Palestine: Factionalism in the National Movement, 1919-1939, " published by Passia, a Palestinian organization, this Congress wanted Palestine to be part of Syria. In 1920, another "Palestinian Congress" held in Haifa, consisting of nine members of the large landowning families, also allied with Syria. A "Fourth Congress" in 1921 appealed to Britain to prevent the creation of a Jewish home in Palestine, but refused to cooperate with Britain when they were rebuffed. A tiny wealthy elite, consisting of a few people, these leading Palestinian families spent their time fighting each other and opposing Zionism than producing any form of national identity. In 1922, Britain created Jordan (out of Mandate Palestine), in part hoping to satisfy the demand for a Palestinian state.

Fascinating history lesson, but that's all it is. The history of our region is so screwed up that trying to draw any conclusions about right or wrong from it is utterly pointless. Meanwhile, here in 2010, we have two distinct peoples (of whatever origin), and we need to decide NOW how to either (a) divide the area between us, or (b) form a state covering the whole area. Frankly (b) is a recipe for conflagration, so rather than rehashing old battles and poring over the minutae of who is or isn't a "Palestinian", we need to get down to the serious business of delineating borders, dividing resources and so on. If we don't, the alternative is more pointless death and destruction until another opportunity arises and someone has the balls to the job properly. I love Israel with all my heart, but I weep to see the pettiness and uselessness, and small-mindedness of those who purport to lead us. G-d help us all.

Thanks Dude. Though I'd have preferred that it was the other way around and that Jeff Bridges knew I was right rather than you. No offense.

This article is so full of hasbara, it stinks. However, in today's circumstances, it is irrelevant. The really relevant question is - call them by what name you will, when will these people be given full Israeli citizenship? If you want the land, you have to take the people.

Zuhair Muhsein, who was once a leader of the pro-Syrian Al Saika faction, a terrorist organization, and head of the military section and member of the Executive Council of the PLO disclosed in a March 1977 interview in Cairo that there was no such thing as a Palestinian people. It should be noted that he expressed himself in these words at the end of Rabin’s first term, which, in retrospect indicates the formulation of a long-term strategy: There are no differences between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. We are part of one people, the Arab nation... Only for political reasons do we carefully emphasize our Palestinian identity. The fact is that it is in the national interest to encourage the existence of the Palestinians against Zionism. Indeed, the existence of a separate Palestinian identity is only for tactical reasons. The establishment of a Palestinian state is a new means of carrying on the struggle against Israel and for Arab unity... After we have gained our rights to all of Palestine, we must not for a moment postpone the reunification of Jordan and Palestine. Source: James Dorsey, “Zoehair Mohsen vertrouwt alleen op Syrie; ‘Wij zijn alleen Palestijn om politieke reden’”, Trouw, March 31, 1977, p. 7.

There was NEVER a people known as the palis until the 1960s - some 16 YEARS AFTER modern Israel was founded. And in the SAME period, the original PLO CHARTER clearly stated that WB and gaza were NOT - I repeat, NOT - pali lands. So BDS's so-called "really relevant question" is NOTHING more than just CRAPPY hot air.

Isrealis understand more than anybody the meaning of the term, "facts on the ground". Apparently, they are good at manufacturing them, while the Palestinians inherit them naturally. If there are no Palestinians, how is Israel killing so many of them??? Seriously, dude. Use your peanut brain to its full potential.

Really, names, dates, history, whatever. There is a large non-jewish community living on their land. It doesn't matter what they are called. They are your problem. They will continue to be your problem. Occupation stains and it is time to stop citing terms, definitions and anything else you can come up with on Google and Wikipedia. Give them citizenship or continue to have yours threatened.

uuh?... sound like a story of fiction or family of the primates..

What kind of argument is that? It is about as valid and credible as the Palestinian narrative itself.

I wish you didn't write like a primate.

It is not an occupation. Israel acquired non-sovereign territory in the course of fighting a defensive war. Too bad. The moral of the story is -- do not go to war unless you are really, really sure you can win. What is the incentive NOT to constantly make war if there are no ill effects to have to endure in the aftermath. You need look no further than Cyprus to see how Turkey benefited from its aggression; it rankles with the Greeks -- in Cyprus and in Greece -- to this day. Why should Israel allow the Arabs to benefit from their aggression? Just because the Greeks got suckered in doesn't mean that Israel will fall for the same ploy. We're smarter than you. Kicked your asses to the curb several thousand years ago (celebrated with our Chankuah holiday) and it was the beginning of the end for you. Tee-hee.

This is complete fake n crime to history n mankind. The worth about it is that it washes the minds of the young, vanishes reality n historical concretes. If someone is just having his knowledge from a fake article like this not even spend some little effort to search z truth in any respectable history source, its a catastrophe. The right or wrong, u can find it, i am not imposing anything, find it if u want, it ll make life much more peaceful. I dont understand something, not related to this fake article; In France there r FRENCH christians, muslims n jews. In Egypt there r EGYPTIAN christians muslims n jews, In every country there r NATIVE people with different religions... Do u understand something???????

in brief .palastinians are here were here and they will be forever .. if they are there in america in lebanon they will be palastinians also they are nation .. jews are like moslemes or cristians it is relegouse ethnity .. but israil is a -polytical -military construction .. these are facts but hstory is well known in history books and professors of history know it better than who write nonsense and say he is a wrter and jornalist .i think if you sell botatoes may you find a buyer but jornalist hahaha eat yourselfe

"Really, names, dates, history, whatever." Yeah! The facts don't matter, just emotional outbursts generally based on a dislike of a very specific group of people.... "There is a large non-jewish community living on their land." No, there is a large non-Jewish community living on land they claim. Their is an enormous distinction. These territories were initially granted to Jewish people, as a Jewish national home by the League of Nations via the agreement of the conference of San Remo. This was then continued due to chapters XI, XII and XIII of the UN charter. In which the responsible mandatory nations were responsible in ensuring the independence of said territories. The fact that the British worked to completely contravene this and work against the UN own rules and that the UN itself worked against its own charter, makes it questionable as to why Israel should even continue to be a member of this organization as it is clear that rules apply differently to it than compared to other states, even at the beginning of its modern existence. The fact is that in the end this territory is indeed up for negotiations, nothing more or less. " It doesn't matter what they are called. " Actually it does! This is central to the whole issue. One of the main arguments for the creation of a 'palestine' is that they are a separate people, even from the 70% of Jordan's population. The fact that a group of people in 1946 who literally flooded into that area with no connection to that territory priori and only there for explicit economic interests that arose because of the investment of the Jewish community there makes a very important legal precedent. The fact that a group of people can literally decide to nationally identify themselves, even though ethnically they are essentially the same people as neighboring states. This argument could literally tear Europe apart. The most prominent example is the recent declaration and uncertainty of Kosovo's status, especially considering the existence of Albania... It also should lead to questions as to why Catalonians, Basque, and other groups must live under the Spanish yoke when they are indeed a truly much more separate and unique people than the palestinians? Also why are the Cornish not able to get proper representation in the UK or actually become an independent state? The same point could literally tear Belgium in half... and the Kurds in Turkey as well. And this could continue on and on. It's also extremely hypocritical of you as a Greek to stand by this yet completely refuse to recognize Macedonia? If the palestinians can do it why can't the Macedonians declare themselves a unique nation? And they aren't even attempting to harm Yunanistan? So what is the problem of them achieving their proper title of their state? "They are your problem. " No they are their own problem and that of the Arab states. They helped to create it, and they helped to propagate this for over 60 years. The Gulf states are more than wealthy enough to fiscally handle all of this and the fact is that KSA, Syria, Egypt, and so on are literally quite vast and empty countries to boot. " Occupation stains and it is time to stop citing terms, definitions and anything else you can come up with on Google and Wikipedia. " Yeah instead indignant self-righteousness and circle argumentation is the way to do this. I'm right because I say so, so I'm right! "Give them citizenship or continue to have yours threatened. " They are not citizens, they have had the right to citizenship. And the same way that Greece has the right to define who can become a citizen, Israel does the same.

The Palestinians in the West Bank are Jordanian citizens? They don't have travel documents and are officially classified as a people without citizenship. Furthermore, "they will all be repatriated to Jordan."? Sarah B. I as an Israeli and former Israeli soldier swear by the graves of my family that I will fight you, and people like Moshe Dann, to the death before I bear witness an act of genocide perpetuated in the name of my people, the Israeli people. That I, and many like me, will do everything in our power to prevent fanatical fascists like you from bring another disaster upon our heads after we have achieved our freedom. It will be you people that will start a civil war in our country and it will be good, decent, the majority of Israelis who will defeat you. The murderous bullets in this country always come from the right.

Israel was Created by God Himself and even islam does not deny the History of the Jewish Race.Religion came later! Jews are a race of people like Arabs are. Issac and Ishmael! God made the promise through Isaac and his seeds.. Joel 3:2 Read along with Zech 12..Your People are on the wrong side of history and the future!

. The left is a dictatorship. if you were honest youd accept that 90% of Jews in Israel are not left wingers like you, yet you guys contro 90% of power courts and money. You have brought this upon Israel by your hypocroitical and anti religious narrative. ironically it is our religion that bases us in this land, not the worlds schizophrenic sympathy for the holocaust. But you dont get it do you, you dont WANT to get it. Seeing, they see not, hearing, they hear not. Your mind can be greater, if you but open it.

in Hebrew Israelis use "Judea" and "Samaria". "West bank" (or in Hebrew - Gada Ma'aravit") is used almost only by Israeli leftists.

Just re-read your post and think Jew instead of Palestinian, and think 1944. Think a bit about that history.

Something is being missed here. Look fellow posters and lurkers..the Arabs say, most immigrants to Israel are not native Jews. In fact, they are correct. Some demand every Jew, not living in Plaestine prior to 1929 (and offspring) not be allowed to live there. They look at Russian immigrants..many who are Christians. The so-called Pales Ara bs are, not Palestinian, but Syrians, etc. True..This all begs the question of resolving the land conflict. 5.5m Jews/vs 5.5m Pales Ara bs. The only way, pragmatically, is 2 states (demanded by the world)..with an enforced peace if necessary. Or what, the Allon Plan..or one state? Think abbout it. The borders are cease fire lines only..Israel has no borders, neither the Arabs...Lets get on with it...history has no meaning inworld politics. Other way: push the Muslims out of Israel...occupy the W. Bk..take over the Strip...and destroy any credibility Israel has left,AND US support.

So Raf asks "If there are no Palestinians, how is Israel killing so many of them???". Can Raf SHOW any HISTORICAL documents relating to the region ever mention a PEOPLE known as palis prior to the 1960s? Of course he CANNOT. Now all Raf does is SIDESTEP my contention - and that's the all the CRAP that HIS peanut brain can come up with.

The article is not political, zionist, biased or agenda driven: it is simply a clear unfolding of truths that only an idiot would attempt to deny...which some will do...and continue to be idiots. Not because this blogger says so but because his words have been said so many damn times by the most esteemed historians, archaelogical facts and statements from the arabs themselves. The posters here mainly represent a political group; left, right or center. The overwhelming majority of people in this world are centerists: reflecting the nature of the human disposition as being moderate, so it is no surprise. The Leftists had their chances by the billion with Communism, socialism, Social-Democracies and the like...all of which failed and continue to fail. The Leftists are also HELL-BENT on cultural genocide: the homogenizing of humanity and destruction of cultural barriers in the name of 'peace'. But in fact, it is the murder of culture they want, in order to quell their fears of violence in the face of cultural differences. There will never be total peace between people; ever: we are war-like, aggressive and protective of what we know and always will be. An 'open mind' will NEVER solve our differences; only tolerance to those who are also tolerant will lead to a 'peaceful' co-existence. The RIGHT are the rich, the powerful and control the world, no one can doubt this. Take Obama: the beautiful speaker who promised the world and gave them an orange. HE is controlled by others. The Right will never allow the left too much power...just enough for them to run their mouths and think they've made a difference. Both sides sukk; they're villians and sub-human. Those of us in the Center, who only want to live a meaningful, satisfying and happy existence, are left out in the cold. Our cowardice is the main reason for this; we fear both the left and the right and their fanatical views and the hatred and prejudice they both spew out so openly. The arrogance of the left has never seen an equal...especially when it comes to what they claim is a 'more sophisticated, intellectual understanding'. Very sad indeed. The Palestinians are NOT a people. So what? Who cares? They are arabs. There are plenty of arab lands out there for them to settle in. The Jews had the longest reigning monarchy in world history before there was even a written arab language: THAT IS....INDEED to be considered. Why only the arabs were against the JEWS is an important issue to take up. Why only the mulsims? But again, the muslims are against christians as well. There won't be peace with the arabs of Israel and Judea...ever. They don't want it and in the end, they will lose all. Having to settle, like the assyrians, for life forever in diaspora, in host countries or in their own (SA, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, etc., etc., etc.). I wish the arabs in Israel had enough dignity and honor to call a spade a spade, stop trying to alter hisotry and recognize Israel, all of it, as the Jewish land history so readily relates (just go visit the Arch of Titus)...and be on their way to a better life, rather than lying, hating, killing, cheating and stealing. They perpetuated the BIG LIE and the fools of the world bought it. But in the end, Israel is a nuclear power and no one can do a damn thing to stop Israel from making the final decision for the arabs who live in Israel and Judea.

The 1919 meeting was retroactively called "First Palestinian National Congress". The participants did not call themselves "Palestinians". As for an Arab state, we (Zionists) are all for it. It was the Arabs who invaded the land that was meant to be the Arab state, and it was the Arabs who lost that land to us and then rejected in Khartoum our offer to return the land. I appreciate that you don't insist that we call you by the name the pagans made up for our land. After all, "Palestinian" comes from the Hebrew for invader which you certainly don't want to be. But it has never been us (Jews and Israelis) who were in the way. It was you and your leaders. It was "Palestinians" who voted FOR Hamas and AGAINST a two-state solution, not Israelis. And it was the Arabs, not the Jews, who rejected the partition into a Jewish and an Arab state. Don't complain to us about the fact that you don't have a state. Complain to your people. Once you tell us that you want peace (and not our capital), and once you stop firing rocket at us, you will have your state. You can even get most the Arab towns in Israel Israel added to that state, if you like.

Isaac and Ismail are also prophets for christians, and Muslims! Christ and Mohamed are descendants from them, The greatest feast for muslims, Al Adha, is for Ismail! did u know any of these?? Natives in this very small area are arabs, speaking arabic, including Christians, jews and muslims. In Egypt we used to speak many languages, heroghlific, coptic, many, that was a HISTORY, now we r speaking arabic, we r muslims, christians and jews, all Egyptians with the same history, background, traditions and language. Your situation is not normal.. if we do like u, imagine, egyptian christians can go back speaking copts, inviting christians from all over the world to Egypt and geting egyptian muslims n jews out from Egypt claiming that its their holy land?? or Egyptian muslims doing so? or jewish egyptians doing so?? nonesense, there r natives with different religionsin every country, NATIVES WITH DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

...what do you do with the 4-4.5 million Palestinians in the WB and Gaza, what about the 1.1 million Israeli Arabs? They combine to nearly equal the Jewish population! Not to mention the breed like rabbits. See Lebanon! The Christians had a majority, civil war, Christians fleeing and Arab breeding led to a 20% Christian minority that shrinks every year. Facts are if the one state solution comes into existence (which the article irreverently calls for), then Jews are also assured to become the minority in the near future. Therefore there are 3 options for the Israelis in the one state solution: (1) Create an apartheid type system in where the Arabs can't vote, have firearms, join the army, serve in the government etc. The world, even the US, would turn on Israel. Israel would go the way of South Africa. See how good the South African Whites are doing now, apartheid has been turned against them and they are treated worse than the Blacks under apartheid. (2) Keep the Democracy. Getting voted out, make a bloody civil war inevitable and go the way of the Christian Lebanese people. (3) Expel the Arabs! People might try to cheer this one on, but its can't happen. Shipping that many people out in this day and age is impossible. Surly many countries would object. You must have a willing taker! And the Jews would come under fire, from a combined force of Arabs, Africans, Latin Americans (Venezuela, Bolivia), Turks, Persian, Pakistanis etc. It could be bad. This is not a reality. I agree with all you say, but what other choice do we really have.

land; its population is a staggering 80% "palestinian" The "phillistines" of Judea and samaria (aka"west bank") would maintain their homes, land, life. the idfference would be their nationality would be the country of Jordan- probably renamed to what it was beforehand- "palestine". End the Hashemite occupation of the east bank! Jordan is Palestine!

Jordan is Palestine! 78% of the land, 80% of the people! If the shoe fits, wear it! Jordan is Palestine. Arabs maintain way of life in Israel but get vote / citizenship in east bank, not in Israel!

The first thing we can do is declare that we will only recognize the UNHCR definition of a refugee. As the UNRWA definition is racists as it favors one group over all others, it is unfair and breaks with article 2 (Sovereign equality) of the UN charter (also why do our citizens get one definition and the billions of other people in the world get that too, but the palestinians are special..!?!) So this immediately removes the problem of all the state-less people trying to proclaim rights they don't have. Next as we in Israel are in a good economic situation, why don't we see initially how many of the Arabs in Judea and Samaria are willing to be paid to emigrate? A few billions, in return for the hinterland is well worth its value, also as we make the agreement that you and your children give up any rights to any claims of territory (in essence a reversing of the UNRWA definition). Then from there, it depends, if enough leave, we could then absorb the rest or if its too many it would easy to then declare a situation like Andorra. It is independent on numerous features but lacking things like a full military. The fact is that sometimes we shouldn't look just for the shortest term solution, but one that could extend for many years.

The term was always a western geographical term, such as Scandanavian, or Saharan. It then got hijacked as a national name when nothing else was available. Saying that the only palestinians are Arabs would be like saying the only Scandinavians are Swedes, it's just been so long since mass media used the term in its original context.