I do read the Daily Telegraph quite often on line, for its international affairs coverage. However, its Middle East correspondent, Robert Tait, who ought to know what he is talking about, wrote this:
the fate of almost five million Arab refugees expelled to neighbouring countries during Israel’s 1948 war of independence,
which is a complete untruth. About 711,000 Arab people became refugees following 1948, which is less than the number of Jewish refugees from Arab countries between 1948 and 1970 (about 850,000). Not all of those who became refugees were "expelled" from anywhere.
Lies and the lying liars, hein? But let's be kind and say that Mr Tait just didn't know, and got it wrong, and now that it has been pointed out he, and the Telegraph, will - oh, never mind.
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palestine. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
who wants a two-state solution?
in Israel/Palestine? Not Hamas, we knew that. Fatah? Israel? The Muslim Brotherhood? The USA? Well, you tell me. It's what I would like to see. I was struck by this eminently sensible comment by Petra Marquardt-Bigman, reporoduced below, on another post over at Harry's Place. btw it is usually when I post about the Middle East that the queeny behaviour, flouncing and foot-stamping ensues. Bovvered?
I am sadly convinced, now, that the goal of creating a Palestinian State is not that of either Fatah or Hamas. It never has been. That is why there was explicitly a rejection of sovereignty over Gaza and the West Bank until 1967 in the PLO Charter. That is also why the PLO has made it very clear indeed, repeatedly, that Palestinians will not have a right of citizenship in any future Palestinian state, unless they happen to live - as "non-refugees" - within that state already.
The definition of Palestine is "Wherever Israel Is" at any particular moment.
Fatah - fearful of defeat by the Islamist tide sweeping the Middle East - is beginning to talk about union with Jordan. Gaza is run by the same party as Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood. That party does not believe in national boundaries, and expects to re-establish a trans-national Caliphate. Irrespective of Israel's existence, the goal of an independent Palestine is not that of Hamas and functionally is not that of Fatah.
I suspect that at some point, we'll return to the situation, as it was after 1948, with a belligerent (but weak) Egypt and Jordan (who knows how it will develop) on Israel's borders in Egyptian Gaza and the Jordanian-Palestinian federation of the West Bank.
I am sadly convinced, now, that the goal of creating a Palestinian State is not that of either Fatah or Hamas. It never has been. That is why there was explicitly a rejection of sovereignty over Gaza and the West Bank until 1967 in the PLO Charter. That is also why the PLO has made it very clear indeed, repeatedly, that Palestinians will not have a right of citizenship in any future Palestinian state, unless they happen to live - as "non-refugees" - within that state already.
The definition of Palestine is "Wherever Israel Is" at any particular moment.
Fatah - fearful of defeat by the Islamist tide sweeping the Middle East - is beginning to talk about union with Jordan. Gaza is run by the same party as Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood. That party does not believe in national boundaries, and expects to re-establish a trans-national Caliphate. Irrespective of Israel's existence, the goal of an independent Palestine is not that of Hamas and functionally is not that of Fatah.
I suspect that at some point, we'll return to the situation, as it was after 1948, with a belligerent (but weak) Egypt and Jordan (who knows how it will develop) on Israel's borders in Egyptian Gaza and the Jordanian-Palestinian federation of the West Bank.
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