Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Question of Palestine

"Why is it right for a Jew born in Chicago to immigrate to Israel, whereas a Palestinian born in Jaffa is a refugee?" (The Question of Palestine, Edward Said, 1979, p 234)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

But the Palestinians are NOT 'CHOSEN' , of course.

Anonymous said...

According to the Jewish Virtual Library, there was no Palestine. Not even a single mention in the text. It was Pre-State Israel. MERC are you sure? http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Ottoman.html

MERC said...

Yes, quite sure.

Grappler said...

@Anonymous - perhaps it is time to question your source.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/439645/Palestine/45065/Ottoman-rule


http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/2FCA2C68106F11AB05256BCF007BF3CB

Note the following from the previous citation:

"There shall be included in this law provisions framed so as to facilitate the acquisition of Palestinian citizenship by Jews who take up their permanent residence in Palestine."

"Respect for the personal status of the various peoples and communities and for their religious interests shall be fully guaranteed."

even the Brits could accept all of the pressures of the Zionists!

There is a historical rubbish in this - biblical myths:

http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/sp/i/741/pid/741

but at least it reasonably honest about the existence of Palestine.

MERC said...

Grappler, re Palestine deniers, there's really no getting away from the Balfour Declaration's "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine..."

Grappler said...

Agreed MERC. He also said that in the declaration that it was not intended to "prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine". Of course, there was never an intention to respect that by Weizmann and his colleagues. But you know all of this and have said it much better than I can on your blog. Keep up the good work.

Grappler said...

There was a much better response than mine to another hasbarist over Mondoweiss: from "American" in the last couple of days - it is too long to post here. Look at this page and search for "American":

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/01/reporter-palestinians-concessions