Newsweek Middle East tweeted the following video, a companion to a piece written by Israel-hater Ben White a few weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/NewsweekME/status/773209940114698240
As you can see, the contention is Palestine existed as a state before 1948 and even after 1948 because a whole bunch of things had the word “Palestine” on them. Sounds simple, but that is in essence their argument.
It is easily debunkable, and we have, in fact, already dealt with many of the “points” before on here.
In short, the word Palestine was used to describe the area, and not a state. The residents of this area were Jews and Arabs, the latter not being referred to as palestinians until much later when it became politically expedient.
But let’s look at some of the more specific own goals in the video.
Palestine Partition Plan
The video maker (Ben White or whoever it was) thought it a good idea to show the Partition Plan, because the word Palestine appears above it, as well as the notion of an Arab state. But no Zionist denies the partition plan existed. In fact, the Jews accepted the partition plan while the Arab rejected it. As I wrote in my post showing NY Times articles documenting the respective reactions:
The Jewish reaction is one of acceptance of the plan (even though it encompassed way less than our ancestral lands) and unbridled joy, with Chief Rabbi Herzog proclaiming it as “an outstanding epoch of Jewish history” “after a darkness of 2,000 years.”
The Arab reaction? Anger, rejection of the plan…and terrorism in Palestine and overseas, as well as threatening a Holy War. Note also the Arab threat to crusade against the “Jews” – not the “Zionists.”
If anything, the plan is further proof of Arab rejectionism and the idea that a Palestinian state did not exist! Had the plan been accepted by the Arabs, there would have been such a state. As it turned out, they didn’t, and the rest is history.
Score: Liars 0, Israel 1
“Disappearing Palestine”
Deebo dealt with this before here.
It’s not anti-Israel simply because it’s not true. This map assumes that in 1946 only a few white spots (which I’m pretty certain are randomly placed) indicates “Jewish owned land”. Let’s start off by pointing out that in the first panel, Tel Aviv, the Jewish creation of 1909 is green. Not a good way to start off guys.
At the risk of repeating EOZ’s points, the most glaring lies in this image include:
a) Using the term “Palestinian”, since the word at the time referred to anyone, Jew or Arab living there at the time.
b) Omitting the entire Transjordan, which was also a part of the Mandate. If included in this map it would be all green to this day.
c) Assuming the entire region was “owned” by Palestinians when at the time it was in fact mostly undeveloped vasts of nothing controlled by the British as part of the Mandate. Any (likely infertile) land “owned” was owned by people who didn’t even live there and was legally purchased. With money. Lots more money than it was actually worth.
d) Omitting all the land concessions given by Israel for peace.
Score: Liars 0, Israel 2
Official Documents With Palestine Written On Them
The video then goes to show all kinds of documents with “Palestine” written on them. Like Golda Meir’s postcard
A passport
And this official document from the Government of Palestine.
But these documents are from British Mandate Palestine (huge clue: the words “British Passport” on the passport). After the British secured Jerusalem from the Ottoman-Turks in WWI, they were formally awarded the mandate to govern the region in 1922. It was still a region, not a state.
You can see in these documents English, Arabic and Hebrew to cater for all residents. But particularly in that last document, notice the two Hebrew letters in parentheses at the top.
Those letters (א”י) are the abbreviation for ארץ ישראל – Hebrew for the land of Israel, like on the coins and call centers. It actually acknowledges the biblical connection between the Jews and the land.
Score: Liars 0, Israel 3
The Map Of Palestine
Ah yes, the old maps showing Palestine. Newsweek did not show the entire map by A.L Rawson, but had they, this is what you would have seen.
Those areas with red outlines represents the lands of the 12 Jewish tribes – being Bible lands and all (per the title of the map!)
In fact all of these old maps are the same. Deebo dealt with a map of Palestine from 1759 here, while I did the same for one from 1855.
Score: Liars 0, Israel 4
The Palestine Currency
I already mentioned the coins above since they also have the abbreviation for ארץ ישראל – Hebrew for the land of Israel, a hugely inconvenient fact for those trying to undermine Jewish people’s historical and religious connection to this land. The same for the banknotes.
But I will also add this: The Arabs actually opposed the introduction of the currency at the time!
Score: Liars 0, Israel 5
So why would Newsweek Middle East publish such ridiculous lies?
Perhaps this helps answer that question.
Newsweek LLC has signed an exclusive licensing partnership with ARY Digital Network – an Urdu language television network – to publishNewsweek Middle East, a localised newsweekly magazine that will be available in both English and Arabic.
The ARY Group of companies is a Dubai-based holding company.
