meth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth) (12/06/85)
I would like to talk about PALESTINE - the *whole* thing (not just parts). I would like to add to Bill Tanenbaum's response to Vassos Hadzilacos. Bill gave some of the history of trouble between Jews and Arabs in Palestine; mentioned the UN partition in '47; the wars since then; and the great hue & cry from all the Arab states for an independent Arab state in Palestine after their unsuccessful attempts at "kicking the Jews into the sea" backfired, giving the Israelis a much larger chunk of land. There was an article on the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times a while back (a couple of years ago) entitled - "Is Jordan Palestine ? Of Course." This article discussed the history of the area, dating back to the times of British Occupation. (The situation is well documented.) The Balfour Declaration called for a Jewish state to be set up in Palestine. At that time, Palestine consisted of land on *both* sides of the Jordan River. There was, of course, much pressure on the British, from the Arab populace, including influential sheiks, and, not wanting to risk a military confrontation, the British changed their minds. They sliced off a large portion of Palestine that had been intended to be returned to the Jews, and gave it to the Arabs. This area, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, about 80% of the land-mass of Palestine, was called Trans-Jordan, meaning the land on the *other* side of the Jordan. Thus was created the Hashemite Kingdom of Trans-Jordan. Note how the word *Trans* has been conveniently deleted from the official name of the country, making believe that it was never part of a "greater-Palestine". Thus, we have today an Arab-Palestinian state called "The Hashemite Kingdom of Trans-Jordan", and a Jewish-Palestinian state called "The State of Israel". Everyone knows about the Jewish-Palestinian state, but they all fail to recognize that the Arab-Palestinian state also exists. (Does that mean that they don't recognize - in the diplomatic sense - the country that everyone calls "Jordan" ? :-) On the other hand, many countries, especially the Arab ones, don't "recognize" Israel and its right to exist. Does that mean that as far as they are concerned there is no country called Israel? I wonder what they teach their students in school about that land-mass that borders the Mediterranean Sea? (Oh, I'm sorry, that doesn't exist !! :-) And how can they teach them that they must grow up to hate Israel and its people, and to wipe them out, if in fact, they do not exist? ---------- PS - I recall a cartoon (probably Dry Bones, from the Jerusalem Post) picturing Menachem Begin responding to the call from many, including Americans, that Israel return large land masses to the Arab states. All the land in question was gained during wars, etc. and some has recently been purchased by private people. The picture showed Mr. Begin pointing to a series of maps of the land mass we know today as the "good 'ol USA". The first picture contained the whole thing. The next one had a slice chopped off - the Northwest Purchase. The next one, missing the Southwest Purchase. Another, the Louisiana Purchase. Another, Florida and all the lands conquered from Spain. Another, the lands we gained as booty in the aftermath of the war of 1812, and the French & Indian War. And then we were back to the original 13 colonies, which were just colonies of Britain, and of course, should be returned to their rightful owner. No? :-) ---------- Asher Meth ....... meth@nyu-csd2.arpa ....... allegra!cmcl2!csd2!meth