ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS: Myths and Realities

In a major essay, David Matas examines and refutes 21 anti-Israeli criticisms perpetuated by Palestinians and their supporters. Matas is a lawyer and senior legal counsel to B’nai Brith Canada and wrote this in advance of the recent (Aug. 31) UN conference against racism; the outome of that conference could have been much worse but fortunately the US and other countries were able to prevent the ridiculous wording. In brief, he discusses and demolishes the criticisms that Zionism is racism and that Palestinians have a right of return or entry to Israel, supported by international law and convention. Key quote:

“The solution to the problem of statelessness of Palestinian refugees is the grant of nationality by the states in whose territories Palestinians have been born. It is the failure of these Arab states to grant nationality to Palestinians, as well as the failure to reach a peace agreement that would establish a Palestinian state, which created the problem of statelessness for the Palestinians, and not the existence of the State of Israel.”

I’ve never understood why over 50 years later, the Arab ‘host’ countries force most of the Palestinians to live in refugee camps. I highly recommend you at least thoroughly scan this essay for yourself.

Update: After passing this on to a few family members and friends, I received an email with a few interesting questions and perhaps posting them here, with my answers, will be useful:

> Is Zionism just the belief in the need for a Jewish state?

More or less. Zionism was a movement that began in Europe in the late 19th century as some Jews gained a measure of freedom, both economic and political, in the then-more liberal climate.

> Were other places considered besides the area that is now Israel?

I believe there was some debate in the early days but the activists felt that Palestine, the historical land of the Jews, was most appropriate as the land promised to Jews by God thousands of years before. Not to mention the only place where there ever had been a Jewish state.

> After WWII, did Zionists consider taking a chunk of German as reparation?

Zionism, as mentioned, pre-dates WWII.

> Does Judaism include a belief that the Jews are God’s chosen people?

It says so in the Torah.