Top Ten Myths about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

by Jeremy R. Hammond

June 17, 2010

Myth #1 – Jews and Arabs have always been in conflict in the region.

Although Arabs were a majority in Palestine prior to the creation of the state of Israel, there had always been a Jewish population, as well. For the most part, Jewish Palestinians got along with their Arab neighbors. This began to change with the onset of the Zionist movement, because the Zionists rejected the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and wanted Palestine for their own, to create a “Jewish State” in a region where Arabs were the majority and owned most of the land.

For instance, after a series of riots in Jaffa in 1921 resulting in the deaths of 47 Jews and 48 Arabs, the occupying British held a commission of inquiry, which reported their finding that “there is no inherent anti-Semitism in the country, racial or religious.” Rather, Arab attacks on Jewish communities were the result of Arab fears about the stated goal of the Zionists to take over the land.

After major violence again erupted in 1929, the British Shaw Commission report noted that “In less than 10 years three serious attacks have been made by Arabs on Jews. For 80 years before the first of these attacks there is no recorded instance of any similar incidents.” Representatives from all sides of the emerging conflict testified to the commission that prior to the First World War, “the Jews and Arabs lived side by side if not in amity, at least with tolerance, a quality which today is almost unknown in Palestine.” The problem was that “The Arab people of Palestine are today united in their demand for representative government”, but were being denied that right by the Zionists and their British benefactors.

The British Hope-Simpson report of 1930 similarly noted that Jewish residents of non-Zionist communities in Palestine enjoyed friendship with their Arab neighbors. “It is quite a common sight to see an Arab sitting in the verandah of a Jewish house”, the report noted. “The position is entirely different in the Zionist colonies.”

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About the Author

Jeremy R. Hammond

Jeremy R. Hammond is an independent political analyst and a recipient of the Project Censored Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism. He is the founding editor of Foreign Policy Journal (www.foreignpolicyjournal.com) and can also be found on the web at JeremyRHammond.com. He is the author of "Ron Paul vs. Paul Krugman: Austrian vs. Keynesian economics in the financial crisis" and "The Rejection of Palestinian Self-Determination: The Struggle for Palestine and the Roots of the Israeli-Arab Conflict", both available in paperback or Kindle versions from Amazon.com. More...

69 Responses to Top Ten Myths about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Y. O.

November 2, 2011 at 12:25 am

I loved #8 – looks like you needed something to complete ten myths…
Seriously, it also looks like you choose the bits of the bible that suit your cause. You only quoted the promise itself,the Hebrews being sinful, but never any act of repentant. I don’t even I am qualified to debate this, but at least I can read the Hebrew text.

I was also wondering about your statistics – you claimed 7% of the land was Jewish owned land, but that doesn’t mean 93% of the land was Arab owned land. Hey, what percent was German owned in 1922?

You seem to be highly motivated and very interested – but all your conclusions, no matter what kind of criticism can be made against them, just don’t give Israel and Israelis much prospective for any future.

Suppose I agree with you, what than?
- Jeremy R. Hammond
  
  November 2, 2011 at 2:04 am
  
  “it also looks like you choose the bits of the bible that suit your cause”
  
  Precisely my point about what Christian Zionists so ignorantly or dishonestly do.
  
  “ou claimed 7% of the land was Jewish owned land, but that doesn’t mean 93% of the land was Arab owned land”
  
  I didn’t say 93% was owned by Arabs. Jews owned 7%. According to UNSCOP, Arabs were in possession of 85%. Arabs owned more land in every single district, including Jaffa.
  
  “Suppose I agree with you, what than?”
  
  Then we work together to end U.S.-Israeli rejectionism so that the occupation may end and the two-state solution may be implemented.
  - Y. O.
    
    November 2, 2011 at 9:48 am
    
    But numerous Israeli governments have agreed to 1967 border based solution. They have showed in action that they can and are willing to tare down most settlements and compensate Palestniens for land loss.
    
    We’re still waiting here to hear Arab and Palestinien leaders say that they recognize a Jewish state and declare an end to the conflict.
    - Jeremy R. Hammond
      
      November 2, 2011 at 2:10 pm
      
      You’re kidding, right? Israel’s policy has always been explicitly rejectionist.
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Gord Henderson

November 20, 2011 at 12:14 am

SO does anyone have any evidence that there is such a thing as Palestinian suicide bombers, suicide bombings perpetrated by Palestinians. I mean apart from repetition of Israeli claims in the corporate media and alleged unsubstantiated claims of responsibility and intent from individuals and groups. Let’s see some real evidence eg fornsics, thanks
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