"Palestinian nationalism"

Submitted by Gilbert Simons (United States), May 29, 2002 at 00:36

Your article, "State's Terror Untruths," was excellent, as are all your articles. But a major fault was your use of the words, "Palestinian nationalism," in the paragraph, "Denial."

The conflict is not Palestinian nationalism, although Arafat has cloaked his goals in that red herring. The conflict is between Israel and Arafat's putsch, an attempt by him and a handful of co-conspirators to replace Israel's democracy by his own totalitarian regime. He has skillfully co-opted the Arab population in Yesha by becoming its power holder, thus forcing them to adhere to his goal and means.

The world also bought into his use of "Palestinians," for the Arabs of the areas, a concept created by Ahmed Shuqairy when he drafted the Palestinian Charter or Covenant.

Now the entire world believes that these Arabs are "Palestinians," who lost their beloved Arab Palestine (Palestinian nationalism) which never existed, or was conquered and occupied by Israel, and now in need of "liberation." The Arabs are family, tribal and village oriented, and thus not nationalist unless brain-washed by their leaders to fight for a concept alien to them.

Gilbert Simons

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