disagree: Therefore there are no Palestinians, only Arabs

Submitted by myth (Germany), Feb 18, 2010 at 14:32

The national concept is quite a new one and different people have different ideas. The easiest one defines a people a common and unique language. That concept applies to the majority of european countries, but not all of them and certainly not to 100% each. The americans defined their people as the independent inhabitants of a part of North America, the state came after. On now german terrority the national idea came up in the 1840ies and led to one state only in 1871. Originally Austria was part of the idea. Zionism provided a vision of a jewish state long before Israel was founded 1948. The UK on the other hand competes with different national football teams for England ,Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Yes, it is a tricky fact. The Palestinians are a people if they see themselves as such whatever they choose to define themselves.

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