RBIS January 12, 1999: Are the "Palestinians" a People?

Besides "Am Yisrael" (Jewish People), is there really another nation around today that is anything other than an established myth? The Palestinian nation is certainly a Johnny come lately, but so were the Americans in the 18th century. I'm sure that the British wrote gobs about the fake American identity. The Palestinian nation is perfectly legitimate as such; the problem is that their territorial claims conflict with our prior claim, and more importantly, with the decree of the Almighty.

Therefore, Palestinian national identity does not entitle them to a land. They "are" entitled to whatever culture they choose to develop. And if they should, "rachmana latzlan", succeed in establishing a state on our land, they wouldn't be the first to do so. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was cherished by it's Christian inhabitants just as much as the Palestinians cherish "Palestine".

In the end, all nations will recognize our exclusive sovereignty, and we "will" have true peace. It may turn out that the Palestinians will be among the "gerim toshavim" (Resident Aliens) in those days. I don't really care.

I "do" care about having an opinion which is consistent with what I expect from others. I resent (inter alia) the arrogant P.L.O. charter which proclaims that we are not a nation. I'm not then going to turn around and start telling people how they should define themselves.

If some portion of the Arabs (a nation?) decided to make this sub-nation or that one, so be it. The only issue that really needs to be discussed is how groups of people come to be entitled to specific territorial claims. This is the issue which demands enlightened discussion of the monotheistic religions and their relationship to G-d's Will vis-a-vis Eretz Yisrael.

There is no stronger nor no nobler claim to a piece of land than the connection between "Am Yisrael" (Jewish People) and "Eretz Yisrael" (Land of Israel). I truly believe that in the End of Days, the whole world, Palestinians included, will accept this connection, and it won't really matter who qualifies as a nation and who not.

Let us focus on this essential issue and not be side-tracked by debates about nomenclature.

In sum, there are many nations and nationalities, and I see no reason not to enumerate the Palestinians amongst them.

However, there is only one nation with a Divine imperative to settle the Land of Israel: The Jewish Nation.

Shalom,

Robert Klein

Beersheva, Israel