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Why the people of Palestine hate Israel
Friday, 18 July 2008
Adam Stevens (Write Back, July 11) quotes liberally from the Hamas Charter to demonstrate its antagonism to Israel.
It is worth recalling how this antagonism to Israel by Hamas, and by Palestinians in general, came about.
A hundred years ago, Jews made up about 5% of the population of Palestine and the area was relatively conflict free. The conflict, with which we are familiar today, is the product of the Zionist movement to establish a homeland for Jews in Palestine, which began in Europe in the late 19th century.
This was made a practical possibility by the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which Britain declared its support for ‘the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people’.
Over the next 30 years, while Britain ruled Palestine, Jewish colonisation brought the Jewish population up to about 30% of the total and, understandably, provoked the antagonism of the indigenous Arab population.
In 1948, the Zionist movement established the Jewish state of Israel in 78% of Palestine, even though at the time Jews made up only about a third of the population of Palestine as a whole and owned a mere 6% of the land.
To ensure that Jews were predominant in the new Jewish state, nearly all the Arabs — around 750,000 — were expelled from it into the rest of Palestine and the surrounding Arab states, where they and their descendants live today.
Over 500 Arab villages were emptied of their population and most of them destroyed so that those expelled had no homes to return to.
The Zionist project didn’t stop there. Since 1967, Israel has occupied the rest of mandate Palestine — the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem — and continued its colonising mission in these areas.
Today, there are nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers on confiscated Arab land in the Occupied Territories.
This may go some way to explain the antagonism that Palestinians feel towards Israel.
David Morrison
Belfast
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It is obvious that the Zionists need a new home. I would suggest the State of Florida.
Posted by m. ross | 30.01.09, 02:52 GMT
They killed so many innocent poeple of palestine which is just wrong, compered to the the death rates in bothe isreal and Palestine is a massive diffrence. So far in Palestine approx 1000 people are killed and 4500 wounded and in israel 28 people died. See the diffrence yourself.
!!!FREE PALESTINE!!!
Posted by Shanell | 29.01.09, 18:01 GMT
regardless of proof of whatsover - I guess it's ok to murder people, demolish their houses so that they have no proof of where they reside, kill women & children, "missfire" rockets where civilians are located, illegilly occupy land & then claim its yours etc.
this is a battle that has been going on for centuries, & will continue to go on until the end of time.
Maybe we just need the return of someone like Salaahudien to once again set a clear example of humanity.
& i'm Jewish hey - jeez i despise these damn zionists
Posted by Gray | 25.01.09, 03:59 GMT
I think obama can solve all of these problems. and the houston texans will win the superbowl next year (just saying)
Posted by ryan | 24.01.09, 17:11 GMT
Anytime a group is displaced they will fight. Israel was handed to Jews in an act of sympathy after WWII. History prior to this has nothing to do with the poor decision making of the Israeli gov't. the last 60 years. Apartheid comes in various forms and the intent of the Israeli gov't is clear.
Who would not fight back when they have nothing to lose? Palestinians are isolated and have not been given the same avenues to success as Israel, which receives unlimited monetary and military help from the US gov't. Where is the infrastructure stimulus for the Occupied Territories? Why do they still not have a state to call their own? Why do they continue to fight? You just go your answer. There is no stimulus for Palestine and they will never have a state. What to the have to lose?
Other more advanced democracies have successfully integrated their societies. Will Israel? An ERA in Israel? How about affirmative action? It is the US in the 19th & 20th century. History repeating itself.
Posted by kosmo | 12.01.09, 00:50 GMT
The article admitted that Jews have been living there, and so have Palestinians.
The Native Americans have lived in America for thousands of years. I guess that gives them the right to their land, and that everyone else should be removed. Ohh, wait...
To understand the issue we need to understand the history. The foundations of this alliance are unsound.
And please, no one start with the anti-Semitic crap. That seems to be something neo-cons fall back on to attack Americans with, because God forbid they ened to defend their argument.
When we criticize America or Israel, we don't criticize race or hate our country. There is no racism involved, or treason. We're merely criticizing the policies and elite interests. we're given the right to speak out if we feel there is injustice. What's the use of a voice if it cannot be heard?
Posted by Travis | 08.01.09, 07:12 GMT
The jews had been living in that area for over 3,000 years. There's documented historical proof. Its ridiculous to say they just showed up 100 years ago and tried to take the land. There is much more to this story than your biased review.
Posted by Gems | 03.01.09, 23:17 GMT