| Topic: | Re:Five thousand years ago the Canaanites | |
| Posted by: | Steven Rose | |
| Date/Time: | 21/08/25 20:49:00 |
| What is it that characterises Palestinians as opposed to Jews? Answer: 1) they speak Arabic rather than Hebrew and 2) they are Muslim (or Christian) rather than Jewish. The Arabic language and Islam were introduced to Palestine in the 7th century CE. So to claim that Palestinians have an unbroken tradition in the Holy Land going back several thousand years is simply nonsense. The present population of Palestinians may well be the descendants of tribes who lived in the area before the Arab invasion. They may even be the descendants of Jews who converted to Islam. But their culture is undoubtedly of more recent origin than that of the Jews whose history goes back at least 3000 years and supposedly 5000 years. However I don't believe that any of this gives the Jews a better claim than the Palestinian Arabs. They both have an equal claim. Indeed your last post implies exactly that. Then why is it that you accord legitimacy to the Palestinian Arabs but deny it to the Jews? |