Question 1 Why should Israel have rights to the land on which the Palestinians had been living for hundreds of years? What should have been done (and what should be done now) with the many thousands of Palestinians who had lived on their land for centuries when the state of Israel was founded? How is forcing them off their ancestral land and into refugee camps any different from what The American policy did to the Native Americans in the 1800s (other than the time period) which is now almost universally regarded as genocide? Both situations feature intimidation, killing and the taking of land. Even though there is much controversy as to whether the Palestinians left voluntarily, a number of even Israeli – including military – sources say that the exodus was primarily involuntary and due to the deliberate actions of the Israelis. Rich Forer’s book covers this in detail. But let’s assume for the moment that the myth of voluntary (without any threat or intimidation) exodus is predominantly correct. How does that change anything? I can understand some people leaving to escape a war zone, but when the active conflict is over, why should they not be able to go back to their home, orchards and fields, and continue their life from where they left off? Why should Israel have rights to the land on which the Palestinians had been living for hundreds of years? Reports indicate that over 1 million Iraqis have fled their homes in northern Iraq. By leaving “voluntarily” in the face of the intimidation and brutality of the so-called “Islamic State” (formerly called Islamic State in Iraq and the Syria, or ISIS), have they given up their rights to return to their homes?
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 10:23:13 +0000