@Walter Hinteler,
Walter Hinteler wrote:
Foofie wrote:
Because the Palestineans dreamt up a national identity, without ever having had one.
I can understand that some deny the Palestinians an own territory - but that they have no national identity, not to speak of "dreaming of it"?
The Middle East was under the hegemony of the Ottoman Empire. Islam ruled the area without national identities. Not like Europe where "principalities" were merged to become nation states (i.e., Bismarck).
Jews had a national identity there. The evidence is the "Wailing Wall," as the last remnant of the Second Temple.
Even the grand history of Egypt was not under the Arabs. Many accuse Israel of stealing land. Au contraire. The Arabians stole the Middle East and North Africa. The entire area should be Christian, not Moslem. Saint Paul converted so many to Christianity, and then it became Moslem land? And, Lebanon was once a country with a sizable Christian community. They left, since all that land is supposed to be Moslem land according to some.
"Palestineans" are just late comers to nationalism. Funny though that many westerners that consider themselves "citizens of the world" do back the Palestineans nationalistic aspirations. Sort of odd, would you not say? Perhaps, it is not that odd, if one realizes that many would like any excuse to disenfranchise Jews from a viable national homeland!