Transcript Document
Palestine: History, People & the Land
Dispelling the Myths Primer on History Key Issues Life in Palestine Now
Myth #1: Palestine and Palestinians Never Existed
Palestinians are “Two legged vermin” Former Israeli PM
Golda Meir
Former Israeli PM
Menachem Begin
“There was no such thing as Palestinians” Palestinians are “grasshoppers” June 2002 Former Israeli PM
Yitzhak Shamir
Former IDF Chief
Rafael Eitan
We need to keep Palestinians like “drugged roaches in a bottle” Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 2
Reality
Of course Palestine and Palestinians Existed!
Blanket dehumanization of a people used as propaganda tactic Israel has devoted enormous energy to: – Expel Palestinians from their homes – Strip away Palestinians identity – Deny Palestinian’s existence Maps, books, photos reference Palestine – Baedecker's famous guidebook (1876) was entitled Palestine – Syria June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 3
Population: 1870-1946
2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 367,224 7,000 Arabs 1,237,000 608,000 Jews
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 4
Population %: 1870-1946
35% 1946 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1912 1893 1870 2% 65% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Arabs Jews
Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) June 2002
98% 100% 120%
5
Question it!
If Palestinians never existed, why do Israeli leaders refer to the Palestinians in their derogatory, racist statements?
If Palestine / Palestinians never existed, why are there resources (Pre-1948) referencing Palestine and it’s people?
If Palestinians never existed, what people lived there when European Jews arrived?
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 6
Myth #2: Palestinians Chose to Leave their Land in 1948
Myth:
Palestinians left at their own will
Myth:
Encouraged to leave by Arab leaders
Myth:
68% of Palestinians left without ever seeing an Israeli soldier But on the other hand….
– –
Myth:
It was a war and they lost, so it goes
Myth:
“Population Exchange” - Palestinian refugee losses balanced by claims resulting from “comparable” exodus of Jews from Arab world June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 7
Reality
Palestinians were forced to leave their land
Palestinians largely defenseless in 1948 Exodus was involuntary and enforced Never relinquished their rights of home & land Significant proportion terrorized into leaving – News of massacres, rape, plunder instilled fear
"In our country there is room only for the Jews. We shall say to the Arabs: Get out! If they don't agree, if they resist, we shall drive them out by force."
Professor Ben-Zion Dinur Israel's First Minister of Education, 1954 from
History of the Haganah
http://www.birzeit.edu/crdps/village.html
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419 Arab villages demolished and depopulated between 1947-1949
That’s about 4 villages destroyed per week!
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 9
Question it!
Why would people want to leave their homes at their own will? Homes that have been in their families for generations!
–
“Oh, okay new-person-not-from-this-land, here’s the key to my house. Take it, it’s yours! I’ll just live in a tent.”
What causes masses to leave their land? Would nearly 1 million people living peacefully on a land for hundreds and hundreds of years suddenly decide to pick up and leave because they felt like it? Where were they going?
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 10
Myth #3: A religious war that has lasted thousands of years
Myth:
This is a religious war that has been going on for thousands of years mainly between Jews and Muslims
Myth:
Since it has been going on for so long, there’s no chance for it to end in a short time period
Myth:
There has never been peace in the Middle East June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 11
Reality
It’s not about religion, it’s about land AND it just began in the 1900’s!
Christian, Jews, Muslims have been living together peacefully for hundreds of years Difficulties have only started with an exclusive, religiously pure apartheid system Israel loves saying it because – Longer it goes on, more time to build illegal settlements and humiliate Palestinians – Implies Jews have been there long time Makes Americans feel that there’s no hope –
“Why put pressure on Israel to change? It’s been going on for so long.”
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Question It!
Why has there been relative calm before the colonist / Zionists arrived?
If it’s a religious war, how come we rarely hear about the Palestinian Christians? Where do they fit in?
If it’s a religious war, why isn’t it going on in Morocco, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and many other countries were both Jews and Muslims live?
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Myth #4: Israel’s “Generous” Offer
Myth:
Palestinians get 95% of land
Myth:
Administrative control over some Palestinian neighborhoods around Jerusalem
Myth:
Administrative & civil control over Palestinians living in West Bank & Gaza June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 14
Reality
No Freedom No Independence
It’s like a prison Continued building of bypass roads Checkpoints every few miles No real sovereign control over borders No control over water or air space Non-contiguous land
And there’s more….
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 15
Reality
No Freedom No Independence
Continued Israeli military control over large segments of the West Bank, including almost all of Jordan Valley Codified right of Israeli forces to be deployed in Palestinian state at short notice Continued presence of fortified illegal Israeli settlements and Jewish-only roads in the heart of the Palestinian state
Oh…and one more thing….
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 16
Reality
No Freedom No Independence
Required nearly 4 million Palestinian refugees to relinquish their fundamental human rights in exchange for compensation to be paid not by Israel but by the "international community." June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 17
Question it!
Why is there no territorial contiguity for the Palestinian state?
Why don’t Palestinians have control of its external borders and water resources?
Why is Israel NOT carrying out a FULL withdrawal as required by international law?
Why is there no Palestinian Right of Return?
Why is refugee compensation to be paid by “international community”?
Why do Palestinians need to “compromise” any more? – Already only left with
22%*
of their original land!
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Myth #5: Israel’s a democracy
Myth:
Claims to be only democratic state in Middle East
Myth:
Israel civilized an uncivilized world and made the “desert bloom”
Myth:
rights Israeli Palestinians have equal June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 19
Reality
Where’s the Democracy?
Israel’s “Law of Return” gives automatic citizenship to any Jew No defined borders No constitution; Only series of laws that establishes Jewish supremacy over non-Jews – Torture is legal – Land confiscation is legal – Indefinite detention without charge Applies only to Palestinian Israeli citizens June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 20
Question it!
How can you be democracy and an exclusive state for Jews? That’s blatant racism.
How can you call a country a democracy when it doesn’t even have a constitution or defined borders? Why does Israel grant citizenship to a Jew from Russia but not to an indigenous Palestinian who was born on that land?
Why does US provide unconditional support to an overtly exclusive, racist state?
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Israel is a full democracy only if we are to consider Apartheid South Africa a full democracy Yes … Israel is a democracy if you’re Jewish It’s like saying US is a democracy as long as you’re white June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 22
Whenever You Hear…
Palestine & Palestinians never existed Palestinians chose to leave their land This is a religious war that has lasted
Question it!
Israel has made “generous” offers to Palestinians and they never accept Israel is a democracy June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 23
The Key Issues
Right to Return – Violation of International Laws – Refugee Crisis Illegal Settlements – House Demolitions – Resources Occupation – Denial of Self Determination – Human Rights Violations
Right To Return:
A Critical Topic Often Ignored
Right of Return is right of Palestinians to: – Return to their homeland – Full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property in accordance with Int’l Laws Why it’s not discussed?
– Tied to racist nature of exclusive state – Israeli’s spin it as a “demographic problem” The Reality – In 20 years population will be 55% Palestinian Christian and Muslim and 45% Jewish – Israel is afraid if right to return is implemented, the special state of Jewish character is ruined June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 25
Right of Return MUST be Brought to the Forefront
Permanent return desirable for peace to prevail Ignoring it contradicts every link to democracy – What if everyone in US says we want an exclusive Christian state or exclusive white state? Means
no
Latinos, Asians, African Americans, etc…allowed Ignoring it goes against basic American values of openness to diversity, acceptance of people no matter what race, creed, ethnicity It’s universal basic right!
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Universal Declaration of Independence
"(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country"
27 June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF)
1948: Resolution 194
Paragraph 11:
"...the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date... compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return."
Reaffirmed 110 times with universal consensus, except for Israel & U.S.
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1974: UN Resolution 3236
Subsection 2,
"the inalienable right of the Palestinians to return to their homes and property from which they have been displaced and uprooted, and calls for their return".
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1997: UN Resolution 52/62
“Reaffirms that the Palestine Arab refugees are entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity with the principles of justice and equity."
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1948…1974 … 1997 ….
June 2002
UN Resolutions reaffirmed over and over and over with universal consensus …
… except for Israel & U.S.
Question it!
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Right to Return:
Who Can Become An Israeli Citizen
If you’re Jewish… – Arrive at airport – Go to “Qlitat Aliyah” (
Jewish Immigrant Reception
) – Say “I’m Jewish” – Congratulations, You’re a citizen!
If you’re a Palestinian… –Sorry, no chance.
Palestinians are not allowed the same methods as Jews to become a citizen
June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 32
Refugee Crisis
About 5½ million Palestinian Refugees Oldest & largest refugee problem in the world
Not a single
refugee allowed to return – Onto fourth generation of refugees – Some made refugees multiple times 1948 & 1967 Ways of dispossession – Home demolitions….displaced again – Israeli Laws June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 33
Right of Return IS Possible
A study on the demography of Israel shows that 78% of Israelis are living in 14% of Israel and that the remaining 86% of the land in Israel is mostly land that belongs to the refugees on which 22% of the Israelis live. June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 34
Illegal Settlements
Large housing projects/cities built illegally by Israel on land confiscated from Palestinians within West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip Began as a means of controlling & annexing Palestinian land occupied during “1967 War” Serves Israel’s strategic, military, economic interests – Impedes peace process; creates “facts on ground” Constant reminder and humiliation to Palestinians in an Apartheid system June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 35
Settlers & Settlements
1972
Of 400,000+ Settlers, 70%+ Americans (e.g. Brooklyn); Others Russian & European
1992 2001 250,000 213,672 200,000 150,000 170,400 141,000 109,784 100,000 50,000 0 1,500 6,900 17,000
SOURCE: Foundation for Middle East Peace http://www.fmep
.org/reports/200 2/sr0203.html#5
190 Illegal Settlements
June 2002
West Bank & Gaza 130 / 16 East Jersualem 11 Golan Heights 33
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Water
80% water aquifers in West Bank Illegal settlements strategically placed on top of water aquifers & mountains Illegal settlements get priority access – As illegal settlements are built or expand, water taken away from Palestinians June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 37
This Really Happens
When supplies run low during summer, Israeli water company shuts off valves that supply Palestinian towns. So settlers get full swimming pools while Palestinian villages a few miles away run out of drinking water.
Settlers attack Palestinians' water supply, severing pipes and switching off valves. They dump untreated sewage on Palestinian land, polluting wells and aquifers.
SOURCE: http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=744&CategoryId=4 Israeli army has routinely destroyed water supplies, an activity defined as a war crime.
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Palestinian Olive Trees
Sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers – Each tree yields approximately 5 gallons of oil sold at markets for equivalent of about $75 (U.S.) More than 11,000 olive trees have been uprooted and destroyed Olive Trees passed down through generations of Palestinian families – Takes decades to mature fully Under attack by Settlers June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 39
House Demolitions
Classic colonial practice – attacking or eliminating habitat of indigenous population – Carry out collective punishment either in retaliation for, or as deterrence against, acts of resistance Violations of International Law – Demolish villages and create policies refusing to grant them building permits – Encouraging and subsidizing construction of illegal Israeli settlements Creating nation of homeless & dispossessed
(becoming a refugee yet again)
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Occupation
Loss of control over natural resources Imposition of suffocating closures and curfews Destruction of Palestinian land and property Suppression of free statement Systematic destruction of the Palestinian economy June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 41
Occupation
International law considers agreements between an occupier and any body in occupied areas to be null and void if they deprive civilians of recognized human rights including the rights to repatriation and restitution. June 2002 Al-Awda and American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-SF) 42
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