There is a dangerous myth, growing in acceptance. The myth that Israel, by virtue of it's very existence, is denying the Palestinian people their rightful homeland. I would move that this is untrue, that the "Palestinian people" is a misnomer. As I have pointed out before, words have power and shape our ideas and perceptions. It would be very different morally to argue that their are Jordanians living outside the borders of Jordan who want land that is not theirs and will use any means necessary to get that land.

Look at the origin of the word "Palestinine." It is not an Arabic word nor of Hebrew origin. It comes instead from the Romans. For thousands of years, the Jewish people had lived in the Middle East in hte twin kingdoms of Israel and Judea. They were conquered by the Babylonians, who destroyed the Temple of Solomon and foced the Jewish people into exile in Babylon, but in 586 BC had returned and rebuilt the Temple. The Greeks conquered the lands and desecrated the Temple, but in batte that is commemerated at Hanukkah the Jews had reclaimed their land and restored the Temple. In 63 BCE, Pompey entered Jerusalem and ended Jewish rule. In 70 AD, the Roman conquerers, tired of the obstinate refusal of the Jewish people to place statues of the Roman gods in their temple, destroyed the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. Please see http://www.templemount.org/destruct2.html for details.

The Romans wanted to end the troublesome Jewish people forever. So they exiled many to the corners of the Roman Empire and renamed the region Palestine. The Roman conquerers are long gone and Palestine was only the name of convenience for their satrapy.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Jews returned to Jerusalem as did Christians. Although the Prophet Mohammed is supposed to have bodily ascended to Heaven from Jerusalem, most historians agree that there were only churches and synagogues in Jerusalem at the time of his death in 632. In 691 the Dome of the Rock was built on Temple Mount, close to the only remaining wall of the Temple (the so-called Wailing Wall.) Twenty years later the Al Aksa Mosque was completed. Islam laid claim to all the land "from the Sacred Mosque to the Furthest Mosque." Bear in mind that this would have also included parts of Spain. The Arabs had invaded this land as well, with the intention of conquering the world. See http://www.tzemach.org/fyi/in-depth/moslem-claim-false.htm for a reference.

Fast forward to modern times. The land is part of the Ottomon Empire, governed by Turks. By 1895 there are only 500,000 people living in the region, roughly 10% of whom are Jews. Most of the Jews have come from Eastern Europe in the wave of immigration known as the Aliyah. From 1904 to 1914, 40,000 more Jews arrive and buy land on the Jordan river. These waves of returning Jews continue for years. The Ottomon Empire sides with the Axis during World War I. The British government issues the Balfour Declaration:
"His Majesty's Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country." See http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/research/cjl/Israel_Palestine/before_world_war_i.htm

World War I ends with the Allies and their Jewish supporters victorious. Britain is given governorship over the region. See http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/research/cjl/Israel_Palestine/between_world_wars.htm

Jews continue to return to the region. As World War II approaches, the Arab world sides with Hitler, while Jews support the Allies. In 1936, Arabs aided by Nazis attack Jewish settlements. The Jews do not retaliate. They wish to honor the Balfour Declaration.

At the end of World War II, there are more than 100,000 Jewish survivors of the Shoah (the Holocaust) in Displaced Persons camps awaiting the opportunity to go to their promised homeland. Surprisingly, in 1946 Britain announces it will not permit Jewish survivors of the Shoah to immigrate. Britain decides to refer the "Palestine problem" to the United Nations. In 1947 the United Nations votes to partition of Palestine into two sovereign states - one Arab, one Jewish. Jews accept the U.N Partition Plan. Arabs reject it. At this time the stimated population of the region is: Arabs 1,300,000; Jews 600,000. Britain rejects the UN commision plan and withdraws its forces. The Jews declare the State of Israel and the War of Independence begins. Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invade the new state of Israel. Amazingly, despite better arms and weapons and vast numerical superiority, they lose. The Arab powers sign a peace treaty with Israel granting the borders currently in place. The UN recognizes the State of Israel. 750,000 Arabs flee the area. 800,000 Jews from various Arab states flock to Israel.

Now where did the fleeing Arabs go? In large measure they went to Jordan. Why not? Racially, religiously and culturally they ARE Jordanians. During the next several wars, the Arab world tried to wipe Israel off the map. They had larger armies and support from various world powers, including the Soviet Union. Surely, they thought, it was just a matter of time. Unfortunately, they kept invading and losing. Losing not only the war, but huge chunks of territory. The refugee camps in Jordan were sites of terrible poverty and were the spawning grounds for the modern terrorist movements. After the 1967 war, the Palestine Liberation Organization was formed, headed by Yasser Arafat. They were headquartered in Jordan. King Hussien of Jordan became increasingly concerned about the presence of armed guerilla forces within his borders. The PLO had formed it's own army, the PLA. TThe PLO called for "national rule" in Jordan. In September of 1970, Arafat tried to overthrow Hussein. A 10-day civil war broke out, with Syria aiding Arafat's rebels. This is known as Black September. More than 3,500 were killed. Finally the fedayeen of Arafat were forced to leave. Since that time, pro-Arafat terrorists killed the Jordanian Prime Minister were alleged to have plotted Hussein's assasination as well. See http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/bravo/blacksept1970.htm

When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, Arafat and the PLO rushed to side with him. Pretty ironic considering that Kuwait had given large sums of money (between $8 to $13 billion) to support Arafat's terrorist efforts. Here is what one Palestinian thinks about it: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/4944/pales.htm

Next comes the attempted invasion of Lebanon, a country that had a substantial Christian population at one time.

Once again, they picked the losing side. Arafat could have been captured and tried for war crimes. Instead he was sent to the fledgling West Bank Occupied Territories. The PLO could no longer count on funding from the oil countries and in 1993, when the PLO's Central Commitee asked him about finances, he was so mortified that he should be questioned that he resigned. For a few hours. At that point, again ironically, the country offering the greatest welcome for Arafat and the PLO was....Israel.

But then comes the Second Intifada! Ah, happy days are here again! Arafat never had any intention of peaceful negotiations, it says do in the PLO statement at the beginning of the first Intifada, "The PLO reaffirms its complete rejection of all liquidatory plans and all forms of autonomy and the sharing of roles, whatever their color and under whatever name." See http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/PLOstatement88.html The PLO charter states "Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine." See http://www.iris.org.il/plochart.htm Now we are back in business, with money flowing in.

In May of 1999, Arafat appears in front of a map of the Middle East that shows NO Israel. It should not be surprising since Arafat and every PLO member wears the same map on their uniforms. See http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/isreport/mayjun99/plomaps.html

Having been thrown out of Jordan, Lebanon and Kuwait what other alternative is there? The PLO is commited to the extermination of the Israeli people and funded by states that will pay billions to keep the PLO away. But the real truth is that the land of Israel has been given by UN treaty and by signed peace accords. The Arab people who call themselves Palestinians have never lived there, have no historical right to the land and could easily be settled within the bounds of the Arab world.