A true Palestinian national identity cannot be contrived

Submitted by Dave (United States), Dec 28, 2022 at 16:48

The conventional wisdom is that the Palestinians want a state to satisfy their national aspirations, and that once it is established, they, and Israel, will live side by side happily ever after.
The main problem with this assumption is that it incorrectly assumes that there is a true Palestinian national identity. The so-called Palestinians were largely migrants who moved into the area prior to Israel's statehood to take advantage of jobs created by Zionist investment. They are similar to many of the other peoples in the surrounding countries who have more of a loyalty to a family, a tribe, or Islam, but lack much of an ethnic identity. This contrasts with other people in the region who do have a national identity, such as the Jews, the Kurds or the Armenians. These identities were formed over a very long time, blending a common culture, ethnicity and religion. The Palestinians are united by religion and some cultural similarities, but they lack a distinctive ethnicity, and given the militant nature of Islam, where it predominates over ethnicity, its intolerance is evident.
Those groups who do have a genuine national identity tend to get along better with Israelis because they can empathize, having more in common with them. It's no accident that the Kurds tend to be pro-Israel, and that some of the Gulf Arabs, who have a fairly strong ethnic identity, have also been able to collaborate via the Abraham Accords. Countries such as Egypt and Morocco have populations with significant national identities, and are also in the Accords. Iran is a country with a strong national identity, harking back to Persia's greatness, but the present ruling Islamic extremists overshadow its effect. If the Mullahs ever go, look to Iran to reconnect with Israel. Much of the same holds true for the Turks, whose strong ethnic identity led them in the past to partner with Israel. Under Erdogan, Islam has been emphasized, and this has led to hostility towards Israel. As in Iran, if a secular government ever comes back, expect a return to the former warmth. In the areas beyond Israel, much of the population lacks national consciousness, and identifies more with Islam, so their hostility is unsurprising.
The emphasis on Palestinian national identity is more a function of Western wishful thinking than a realistic analysis of the situation. The irony is that if there really was a Palestinian nation, they would show far more appreciation of Jewish aspirations and values, instead of taking on a sort of anti-national identity based on hating Israel.
The idea that enforcing geographic boundaries or even imposing a regime will create a real Palestinian nation is patently ridiculous. Jews and Kurds have long had a strong national identity despite living in other peoples' states for centuries. That is not the case with the Palestinians, and it will not be the case no matter how the borders are adjusted.
As usual, idealist leftists are misjudging the realities of local conditions, out of pride and ignorance, because they think they can "solve" every problem and that human nature can be perfected. Sometimes, it cannot be done and it is harmful to try.

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