<Agreed>
Thank you.
<Palestinian nationalism exists now. But it is a new creation.>
Agreed. I would even agree, if you said that Palestinian nationalism is mainly a 20th Century reaction to Zionism, and probably wouldn't exist (separate from Arab or Syrian nationalism), if not for Zionism.
A vast amount of effort is expended, manufacturing historical legitimacy for various nationalisms. The Hindus hire archeologists, to search under the new ruins of Ayodhya, and find ancient ruins of a supposed Hindu Temple. The Muslims hire their own archeologists, to dispute these claims. Similar turf war, claims of Original Possession, on the Temple Mount. All this effort is largely wasted, as the various conflicting claims only convince the AlreadyConvinced.
Since the time of Solomon, every square meter of land on earth has been owned by 20 different nations, States, Empires, tribes. Allowing historical claims, fixing old and older injustices, is impossible. All it leads to, when these claims are given legitimacy, is war.
The only solution, is to forget the past, and disallow all old claims. Leave everyone in peace, on the turf they now hold. Stop any attempt by any nation, to take anyone else's land (again, defined by present ownership). That's the only practical solution. Which is why I don't favor efforts by Germans to reclaim East Prussia, or Greeks to reclaim Smyrna, or Seminoles to reclaim Mississippi, or Neanderthals to reclaim Europe. Or a Palestinian Right of Return. And I equally oppose Chinese colonization of Tibet, Arab and Turkish colonization of Kurdish areas, and Jewish colonization of areas with a majority Palestinian population. All these claims may be legitimate, but pursuing them will lead to war. |
