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ABC Middle East Brief facts prior current conflic "palestinians", History 'palestinians' in Israel, natives or ALIENS? Jerusalem, FACTS ISRAEL or "palestine" Which is it? History & Meaning palestine, "palestinians" |
Brief Facts behind the Arab/Israeli Conflict Today Nationhood and Jerusalem Israel became a nation in 1312 B.C.E., two thousand years before the rise of Islam. Arab refugees in Israel began identifying themselves as part of a Palestinian people in 1967, two decades after the establishment of the modern State of Israel (and soon after Arabs were defeated in the "Six-Day War"). After the Jewish conquest in 1272 B.C.E. Jews had dominion over the land for one thousand years and have had continuous presence in the land since that conquest (i.e. the past 3,300 years). The only Arab dominion since their conquest in 635 C.E. lasted no more than 22 years. For 3,300 years, Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital. Jerusalem has never been the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even when the Jordanians occupied Jerusalem (until 1967), they never sought to make it their capital, and Arab leaders did not come to visit. Jerusalem is mentioned over 600 times in Tanach, the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran. King David founded the city of Jerusalem. Mohammed never came to Jerusalem. Jews pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray facing Mecca. Arab and Jewish Refugees In 1948 Arab leaders encouraged all Arab refugees to leave Israel promising to purge the land of Jews. More than two-thirds left without ever seeing an Israeli soldier. The Jewish refugees were forced to flee from Arab lands due to Arab brutality, persecution and pogroms. The number of Arab refugees who left Israel in 1948 is estimated to be around 630,000. The number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands is estimated to be the same. Arab refugees were intentionally not absorbed or integrated into the Arab lands to which they fled, despite the vast Arab territory. Out of the 100,000,000 refugees since World War II, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has never been absorbed or integrated into their own peoples' lands. Jewish refugees were completely absorbed into Israel, a country no larger than the state of New Jersey. The Arab - Israeli Conflict The Arabs are represented by 22 nations. There is only one Jewish nation. The Arab nations initiated all five wars and lost. Israel defended itself each time and won. The P.L.O. Charter still calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel has given the Palestinians most of the West Bank land, autonomy under the Palestinian Authority, and has supplied them with guns. Under Jordanian rule, Jewish holy sites were desecrated and the Jews were denied access to places of worship. Under Israeli rule, all Muslim and Christian sites have been preserved and made accessible to people of all faiths. The U.N. Record on Israel and the Arabs Of the 175 Security Council resolutions passed before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel. Of the 690 General Assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel. The U.N was silent while 58 Jerusalem synagogues were destroyed by the Jordanians. The U.N. was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives. The U.N. was silent while the Jordanians enforced an apartheid-like policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. |