Debunking the Myth of Palestinian Identity: A Historical Perspective

The Arab-Israeli conflict is often portrayed in the media as a territorial dispute. Claims suggest that a millennia-old Arab Palestinian population was forcibly displaced by Zionist Jews in present-day Israel. To evaluate these assertions, historical facts must be examined.

The Romans, in the 2nd century AD, used the term 'Syria Palaestina' for Jerusalem and surrounding areas, despite its incorrect usage. 'Palaestina' in Greek means 'land of the Philistines,' who only occupied a small strip on the eastern Mediterranean coast. The Romans conquered the Kingdom of Judea, naming it 'Judea,' reflecting the Jewish population's presence.

The Roman military aristocracy was concerned about the popularity of the laws of Moses among oppressed peoples in the empire, fearing it could incite revolution. This led to significant massacres of Jews, including the First Jewish War, Diaspora Revolt, and Second Jewish War. Historians suggest that the Romans may have killed more Jews proportionally than Adolf Hitler.

The term 'Palestine' politically conveyed the absence of Jews and their prohibition in the region. Despite Roman and Ottoman influences, the name 'Palestine' lost clarity over time. The British revived the name with the creation of the British Mandate of Palestine in 1922, encompassing only a quarter of the previously designated area.

The historian Philip Hitti highlighted the artificial creation of the name 'Palestine' by the Roman and later British empires. He emphasized that there was no historical entity known as Palestine. This raises questions about the identity of the so-called Palestinians.

In an interview with the Dutch magazine Tromp Sahil, a high-ranking military operations chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), now known as the Palestinian Authority, stated that the Arab identity is primarily for political reasons. He emphasized the strategic importance of promoting the existence of an independent Palestinian state as a tool to combat Zionism and unify the Arab world.

The concept of a Palestinian identity and the right to the land of the Jewish state was suggested to be a political invention. The PLO's constitution from 1964 defined Palestine based on British Mandate borders, set in 1922, highlighting the arbitrary nature of colonial powers in defining Palestinian territories.

The PLO's shifting stance on territorial claims is evident in its constitutions. Initially, in 1964, it excluded Gaza, Judea, and Samaria from its definition of Palestine. However, after the 1967 Six-Day War where Israel captured these territories, the PLO revised its constitution in 1968 to include them, showcasing a strategic adaptation to geopolitical changes.

The borders of Palestine have been redrawn to align precisely with the territories controlled by Israel. This strategic selection of borders serves as a tool for the ongoing conflict against Israel, indicating a deliberate manipulation of territorial claims for political purposes.

The current population of around 8 million in Israel includes individuals who identify as Palestinians. However, historical estimates suggest a much smaller population in the same area in the 19th century, indicating a significant demographic shift. The evolution of the Palestinian identity raises questions about the origins of the Arab Muslims who now identify as Palestinians.

The British consul complained about the lack of inhabitants in the area when Martin visited, noting that in the Jezreel Valley, not a single village could be seen within a 30-mile radius. Pierre Loti, a French author, described cities and palaces turning to dust after his visit. Carlos Germán explained that the Arab Muslim conquest led to the destruction of ancient irrigation systems in Palestine, turning the fertile land into desert and desolation.

Before the Zionist migrations, small Jewish communities existed in most large settlements and towns in Galilee, with significant Jewish populations in Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias. A British consulate document from 1859 stated that Muslims in Jerusalem comprised only a quarter of the population. After 1880, due to Jewish nationalism, Ottoman resettlement policies, and Arab immigration attracted by prosperity, the demographic landscape of Palestine changed significantly.

The UN defined a Palestinian refugee as any non-Jew who left during the 1948 war and whose family had been in the area for only two years. The majority of so-called Palestinian refugees have no ancient roots in the region. Jewish Zionists settled mostly on barren land, transforming it into prosperous settlements that attracted Arab immigrants seeking a better life, contributing to the later Palestinian population.

Haj Amin al-Husseini, a key figure in the Palestinian movement, launched a violent uprising against British Palestine in 1936, known as the Arab Revolt. The conflict lasted until 1939, with accusations of land theft by Jewish Zionists. The economic success of Jewish settlements attracted Arab immigrants, leading to the growth of the Palestinian population.

An investigative team led by Lord was tasked with determining the events surrounding the acquisition of Arab lands. Hussein was called to testify. When asked if the issue was due to Jews taking Arab lands by force, Hussein clarified that the lands were mostly acquired through purchase, not coercion for public use.

Arab landowners, as per Hussein, were not forced to sell their lands but willingly sold less productive lands at high prices to Jewish buyers. This practice involved threats to small landowners, selling at bankruptcy prices, consolidating the lands, and reselling them to Jews at extortionate prices.

Historian Natan Weinstock described how hyper-nationalist propaganda became a lucrative fraudulent business akin to American gangsterism. The narrative of a Palestinian people losing their lands to Zionist Jews is debunked as there was no such Palestinian people in the region, and the lands were bought from willing Arab landowners at inflated prices.

Contrary to popular belief, British rulers did not ally with Zionists to establish a Jewish state. Instead, they collaborated with Haj Amin al Husseini. This historical fact will be explored in the upcoming video.

For detailed documentation supporting the claims made in the video, viewers are directed to visit 'The Collapse of the West, the Next Holocaust, and Its Consequences Part 1 Chapter 1.'