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The claim that prior to recognizing Israel, PLO advocated 'one state for all' is simply false. In fact, PLO advocated an Arab state and effective ethnic cleansing of 90+ percent of Israeli Jews (Israelis had, ofc, actually practiced ethnic cleansing in 47-8, lest we forget)
The Palestinian Covenant of 1968-9 declared in no uncertain terms that "Palestine is the homeland of the Arab Palestinian people; it is an indivisible part of the Arab homeland"
Throughout the text, it affirmed that it was speaking of 'Palestinian Arabs'
Throughout the text, it affirmed that it was speaking of 'Palestinian Arabs'
And what about Jews? The covenant said "The Jews who had normally resided in Palestine until the beginning of the Zionist invasion will be considered Palestinians."
Whenever you take the 'Zionist invasion' to be, this would disqualify vast majority of Israeli Jews.
Whenever you take the 'Zionist invasion' to be, this would disqualify vast majority of Israeli Jews.
The covenant also said "The Palestinians are those Arab nationals who, until 1947, normally resided in Palestine regardless of whether they were evicted from it or have stayed there [and] anyone born, after that date, of a Palestinian father - whether inside Palestine or outside"
Interesting to note that PLO also didn't want to count children of Palestinian women and non-Palestinian men! Not to mention thousands of non-Arabs, whether Jews, Circassians, etc. Nation was to be exclusively Arab and patrilineal.
The covenant also conveniently decided that Jews didn't form a nation: "Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states to which they belong."
And that "Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history and the true conception of what constitutes statehood."
Of course, PLO wasn't alone in disregarding the national rights of the other side and seeking its removal by force. As I mentioned, Israel did it effectively in 1947-8 to 700k Palestinians.
Throughout the long conflict, the Israeli politicians on all sides have openly denied Palestinian existence and/or asked for ethnic cleansing ('transfer') of Palestinians. Many, Israelis including many ardent Zionists, have also opposed them and stood for co-existence.
The very formation of a Jewish State was not even the top idea (let alone only idea) in the Zionist movement prior to the 1940s. Up to 1947, MAPAM, second-biggest Zionist force, advocated a binational state.
But even some of the most egalitarian aspects of Israel, like full citizenship rights to Israeli Arabs, have many caveats. Historical record shows that a major reason why these rights were given was the application to join the UN not an inclusive politics.
Of course, formal equality for Israeli Arabs did also not preclude them living under wanton military rule until 1966 and all forms of discrimination that have continued to this day.
But to go back, the fact that PLO openly stood for an Arab Palestine and ethnic cleansing of most Jews for most of its early years of existence is just that - a fact.
You can't deny it or cover over it.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own historical facts
You can't deny it or cover over it.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own historical facts
Of course, if you just 'remember' this part of the history but ignore other parts (like the drives for cleansing of Palestinians), you are fooling yourself and taking part in a nationalist cover-up of your own.
The Marxist position in 1947, that Palestine/Israel is home to 2 major national communities and they both deserve the right to self-determination (whatever form it may take) stood against chauvinism on both sides.
It should be our baseline today.
It should be our baseline today.
