Palestinians consider "Palestine" to be the area covered by what we know now as ISRAEL plus the Occupied Territories. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria and Jordan in the east, touches Saudi Arabia and Egypt in the south and the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
It starts all way back in the 1917 when the British promised a homeland for the Jews through the Balfour Declaration in the land of Palestine where the people living there could trace their roots over the many centuries. At this time, more than 90% of the population here were Arabs, Muslims and Christians.
The mass migration of Jews began in the 1920's and tension was inevitable. Britain then handed over the matter to the United Nations and in 1948, the UN partitioned the land to create the state of Israel giving Jews 55% of the land when they made up only 1/3 of the population and owned only 6% of the total land area. The Palestinians were forced off their land even though they were the legal owners, and have never been allowed to return to their own land.
It was also in 1948, after a war with her Arab neighbours, that Israel seized another 22% of the land, expelled some 800,000 inhabitants and destroyed 531 villages.
In 1967, after the 'Six Day War' Israel occupied Gaza and West Bank. In the same year, the United Nations Security Council passed resolution 242, declaring the occupation is illegal and demanded Israel to withdraw and return the land to its rightful owners.
Israel ignored the demand and continues to ignore many other UN resolutions since. This is because the United States of America (US) has been VETOing all efforts to end the illegal occupation.
So... where do these Palestinians stand...?
Just a thought. Quoted some from an article writing bout Palestine.
[[Mohd Farhan]]
