jon@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Jonathan Gingerich) (02/28/86)
a >> As a Palestinian, I am tired of being stigmatized, and my point of view >> dismissed out of hand, ... >I am sorry that you are hurt by being confronted with other points >of view. However, what is really important is whether your point >of view has enough merit--and I would say this is sometimes in serious >question. GREAT STUFF Mr. Abeles!!! Mr. Hijab complains about his opinion being dismissed out of hand and you ... dismiss it out of hand. >> If you really want to learn what Palestine was like when Jewish ... >But this isn't the issue. I for one would not argue that there >were no people living in Palestine prior to the increased immigration >of Eastern European Jews. So what? Of course, many of the inhabitants >prior to that period were already Jewish, but you didn't mention that! But this IS the point Mr. Hijab was arguing with Mr. Shapiro, who said, "Palestine of the 19th century was a half empty desert/swamp ... God forgotten Othman (sp) province ... ask my mother in law ..." Mr. Hijab's reply is one of the more eloquent and intelligent comments on the subject. If you would not argue that Palestine was unihabited, why don't you take it up with Mr. Shapiro, at least by mail. You could remind him that ignorant statements like his do not serve Zionism. Your posting is at best the kind of quibling nonsense that people have been complaining about and at worst dishonest (in the sense that you removed Mr Hijab's quote from the context of his posting, the original statements by Mr. Shapiro.) I second the call for more restrained discussion (:-)) on the Palestian/ Zionism issue. Anyone can quibble, and many are not even stopping to look up the things they are disputing. Lets get some thoughts about solutions or our own government policy going. Jon. Gingerich