Founded 1897

ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

The American College Student’s Complete Guide To All Things ISRAEL ZOA Campus aims to provide you with the resources you need to fight for Israel on campus. Unfortunately, anti-Israel activists use lies and misleading information to spread their propaganda to uniformed students. Because of this, we created this book with information on nearly all Israel-related terms you will hear on campus to arm you with the facts you need to combat the anti-Israel movement. Here’s how this book works:

• We title each section with the term you will typically hear on campus. In many cases, that term is inaccurate, which we explain later in that section. However, we use that inaccurate term as the title so you know what to expect to hear.

• Each section starts with the definition of the term, where we simply define the term as objectively as possible.

• We then lay out the myth associated with that term that is generally spread across campus.

• Finally, we lay out the facts about the term, how the anti-Israel movement often lies or misleads students with that term, and how it should be appropriately used.

This book is meant to educate you about the key facts you must know as a Zionist activist on your campus. Please use this book as a resource or “study guide” to ensure you know the facts while planning and executing your educational and advocacy-based programs. The leaders of your Zionist groups should also read through these terms to ensure they are prepared to talk about Israel on campus.

Please be in touch with your ZOA Campus coordinators to take advantage of our resources and to plan effective pro-Israel events. Visit zoacampus.org for more information on our resources and opportunities for Zionist student leaders! Table of Contents

Introduction Disputed 3 Zionism/ Zionist Territories 5 Muslim, Palestinian, Arab 43 West Bank 45 Occupied Territories Israel 48 Settlements 51 1967 Borders 6 1948 War of Independence 53 UN Resolution 242 9 Nakba 56 Two-State Solution 10 Law of Return 59 Defensible Borders 11 Israel Defense Forces 60 Golan Heights 15 Temple Mount 61 Judea and Samaria: Palestine Water Rights 17 Palestine Genocide 20 Colonialism 64 Freedom Fighter 22 Refugees 66 Genocide 26 Right of Return 68 Ethnic Cleansing 28 Arab Leadership in the 69 Apartheid Arab-Israeli Conflict Legal Terms & Gaza Agreements 72 Gaza Withdrawal 75 Blockade on Gaza 31 UN Partition Plan 77 Flotilla 32 Oslo Accords 34 Camp David Accords Campus & Terrorism & Activism Counterterrorism 80 Anti-Semitism 82 Pro-Palestinian 36 Intifada 38 Separation Wall 40 Checkpoints www.mapsofworld.com/israel

Introduction

° Since the Romans destroyed the holy Temple in 70 CE Zionism/Zionist and expelled the Jews from the land of Israel (for- merly called Judea), Jews have yearned to go back to Definition: their historic homeland. is the Jewish (ציִֹוּנּות ,Zionism (Hebrew: Tziyonut • • The Jewish people express this desire to return to Israel National Liberation Movement and the push for largely through prayer. Jewish self-determination. ° Returning to Zion, statehood, and Jerusalem is It asserts the Jewish people’s right to exist as a sovereign a request found in almost every prayer throughout nation and supports the establishment of the Jewish state Jewish liturgy. in the Jewish historic homeland of Israel. ° Jews pray three times per day facing Jerusalem, It also aims to provide a safe haven for Jews, who have suffered signifying the importance of their homeland. If from more than 2,000 years of persecution worldwide. a Jewish person prays within Jerusalem, s/he prays • A Zionist is an individual who supports Jewish nation- facing the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism. al liberation and sovereignty, and for Jewish national ° The Jewish grace after meals“birkat ( hamazon”) liberation to take place in the Jewish homeland. contains limited mention of the food itself; the prayer is largely about the land of Israel, the food ° A Zionist believes in the Jewish right to self-deter­ mination. Providing a safe haven for the Jewish it produces, and the Jewish desire to return there. people is a critical social justice cause. The Jewish people also show their desire to Supporters of Zionism can include members reestablish their sovereign homeland through of any religion and nationality. formal practices and informal traditions. ° The term for Jewish return to the land of Israel is History: referred to in Hebrew as “Aliyah”, meaning “to go u p.” This term is exemplifies the Jewish connection • Israel and Zionism have been an inherent part of to Israel. Leaving Israel is referred to as “yeridah”, the Jewish faith from the time of the Bible and has meaning “to go down,” symbolic of the loss experi- continued to be so throughout history. enced from leaving. ° Origin of the term: The termtzion has its origins ° The Jewish people observe four fast days each year in the Old Testament and means “marker,” which to commemorate the destruction of the Jewish exemplifies its centrality to the Jewish people. Temple and the exile from the Jewish homeland. • While Zionist thinking dates back to Biblical times, ° Jewish couples break a glass on their wedding day, Zionism is a 2,000-year-old movement dating to as a reminder of the destruction of the Temple, when the Jewish people were expelled from the land which brought about the Jewish exile from Israel. (and were only able to maintain a small presence). Jews do this even on a happy occasion as a remind- 3 er of the pain they feel from the exile and that full ° For an overview of Jewish persecution through­­­­out happiness cannot be achieved until they can return history, including pogroms (violent massacres and home to Israel and live in peace. persecutions), expulsions, violence, and murders in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. ° It is traditional for Jewish family and friends to recite a verse about Jerusalem before leaving the presence • Since the 1880s, Zionism experienced a resurgence of a Jewish person in mourning. due to: Jews from all over the world have migrated to ° ° The increase in violence and frequency of pogroms Israel for millennia in an effort to reinstate Jewish (violent attacks against Jewish civilians) in Europe, life, although governing bodies did not always culminating in the Holocaust (the mass, systematic welcome them. Jewish religious scholars include murder of 6 million Jews throughout Europe in the figures such as Nachmanides (1194-1270), who 1930s and 1940s) exemplified the immense need migrated from France, and Maimonides (1135-1204), for a place designated for Jewish safety. who migrated from Spain. ° The Holocaust produced mass amounts of European ° The poem which inspired the Israeli national anthem refugees. Furthermore, attacks against Jewish Arabs predates the establishment of the State of Israel by about in the Middle East also produced hundreds of thou- Hatikvah 70 years. The title, , means “Hope” in Hebrew sands of refugees throughout the 1900s and earlier. and speaks of the 2,000-year-old hope for the re- establishment of a sovereign Jewish State and the desire ° Due to these atrocities and repeated forms of perse- to return to the Jewish homeland. cution, the League of Nations (precursor to UN) finally recognized the need for Jewish sovereignty, • The Jewish return to Israel is a social justice cause; the importance for this state to exist in British Man- the anthem emphasizes inclusion for all Jews in date Palestine, and agreed to Israel’s reestablishment. an effort to provide safety from harm and con- tains no reference to God. Supporters of Zionism and those concerned with the safety • Constant Jewish persecution reaffirms the need for of the Jewish people can include members of any religion Zionism. and nationality. www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_Wall_-_Jerusalem_(2).jpg www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_Wall_-_Jerusalem_(2).jpg Western Wall in Jerusalem.

4 Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims— What’s The Difference? Myth: • A Palestinian is any Muslim who originated from Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”) or Gaza and their descendants. • Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians are interchangeable terms.

Fact: Palestinians www. israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=945 www. A Palestinian is anyone originating from British Mandate The orange in the map shows British Mandate Palestine (which existed Palestine. This includes the areas of: from the end of WWI until Jordan became a state in 1946 and when Israel declared independence in 1948). The dark orange is what became Jordan • Modern Day Israel (including Judea and Samaria, (the first Palestinian Arab state) and the light orange became Israel. sometimes called the “West Bank”) • Palestinian Authority (located in Judea and Samaria) and Gaza • Modern Day Jordan Arabs • Before 1948, the area that became Israel was part of the British Mandate of Palestine. All inhabitants of An Arab is an individual who is a member of a Semitic this area were Palestinians, including Muslims, Jews, people. A Semite is a member of any ancient or modern and Christians. Palestinians are the modern descen- Semitic-speaking people originating in the Middle East. dants of these peoples who have lived in Palestine. An Arab is originally from the Arabian Peninsula. Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others can be Arabs ° Israelis and Jordanians who lived in British Mandate and speak Arabic. Palestine are Palestinian, as are their descendants. The term is often misused to refer ONLY to individ- Muslims uals and descendants of people who originated from Muslims are members of the religion of Islam, founded by Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”) and Gaza. the prophet Muhammad in 622 CE in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In this book, we use the term “Palestinian Arab” to refer to Muslims are commonly confused with the terms “Arab” Muslims who identify as descendants of those who originated and “Palestinian” because Islam is the largest religion in the from Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza. Middle East. However, Christianity had a large presence in the land and became an independent religion there. Judaism Accurately used, the term “Palestinian Arab” refers to has the longest and most continuous presence in the region. anyone who is from British Mandate Palestine and is Arabic, which could and does—when accurately used— refer to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. We specifically use the term “Palestinian Arab” because the term “Arab” is used today to refer to non-Jews. • Some Palestinians have become refugees due to a variety of factors. There are two groups of refugees: 1) Palestinian Arab refugees and 2) Jewish-Arab refugees. See “Refugees” for more details.

5 Israel

•The newly formed Arab League Council formally 1948 War of declared an Arab boycott on December 2, 1945 before the establishment of Israel, to encourage an economic Independence boycott against the Jews of Palestine.

Definition: ° They declared: Jewish“ products and manufactured The 1948 War of Independence was a defensive war fought goods shall be considered undesirable to the Arab by Israel and prompted by the invasion of five Arab nations countries.” All Arab “institutions, organizations, one day after Israel was established. merchants, commission agents and individuals” were called upon “to refuse to deal in, distribute, or con- Myth: sume Zionist products or manufactured goods.”4 The establishment of Israel was the impetus for hostility • The terms “Jewish” and “Zionist” were used synon- towards the Jewish people and reestablished Jewish state. ymously; in other words, the Arab League Council used the term “Zionism” as an anti-semitic term. Fact: Although Israel explicitly agreed to the creation of Prior to the reestablishment of Israel, Arab hostility two independent states (Jewish and Palestinian Arab), increased toward Jews and the plans for a reestablished when the UN General Assembly proposed both in 1947, Jewish state. Arab leaders carried out a massacre against the Jewish • Prior to the United Nations’ vote to ratify the Partition population in the region and declared a protest strike Plan in 1947, which proposed both a Jewish state and a against the establishment of a Jewish state. second Palestinian Arab state (after Jordan) in a portion • In March 1947 alone, 271 Jews and 257 Arabs died of British Mandate Palestine, Arab leaders expressed the in Arab attacks and Jewish counter­attacks.5 desire to annihilate the Jewish people. The Jewish state constituted only 1/6 of one percent of the Arab World.1 • The chairman of the Arab Higher Committee said 6 ° Jamal Husseini, the Arab Higher Committee’s the Arabs would “fight for every inch of their country,” spokesman, told the UN that the Arabs would although British Mandate Palestine was never an Arab drench “the soil of our beloved country with the state (see Palestine for more details). 2 last drop of our blood.” • Soon after, people at Al-Azhar University in Cairo ° Haj Amin al-Husseini, former Grand Mufti of called on the Muslim world to proclaim a jihad Jerusalem, said on March 1, 1944: “Arise, o sons (holy war) against the Jews.7 of Arabia. Fight for your sacred rights. Slaughter Jews wherever you find them. Their spilled blood • On January 9, 1948, approximately 1,000 Arabs pleases Allah, our history and religion. That will infiltrated Jewish communities in northern Palestine 3 and murdered Jewish civilians. save our honor.” 6 Prager University, The MiddleProblem The East University, Prager Five Arab nations attacked Israel one day after its establishment in 1948.

From November 1947 until April 1948, Palestinian Arabs War of Independence attacked Jewish targets with the help of volunteers from •The 1948 War of Independence took place on May 15, neighboring Arab countries. The Jewish population 1948, one day after Israel’s establishment. suffered severe casualties and the attacks disrupted passage along many major roadways. • Five Arab armies—Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt—joined together in a combined surprise • Despite Israel’s agreement to two states, on April 26, invasion of the Jewish state, in a strong attempt to 1948, a month before the reestablishment of the Jewish annihilate the country and its citizens. The invasion state, Transjordan’s King Abdullah said: “[A]ll our ef- came from the northern, eastern, and southern borders forts to find a peaceful solution to the Palestine problem of Israel. The only border left unattacked was the have failed. The only way left for us is war. I will have the western border, which sits along the shoreline. pleasure and honor to save Palestine.” This was false, as Israel had already peacefully agreed to split the land. ° Azzam Pasha, Secretary-General of the Arab League, declared the intention of the invading armies: “It • On May 4, 1948, the Arab Legion attacked Kfar Etzion will be a war of annihilation. It will be a momentous to ethnically cleanse the area of Jews. Jewish defenders massacre in history that will be talked about like the forced them to retreat, but the Legion returned a week massacres of the Mongols or the Crusades.”10 later to again attack the ill-equipped and outnumbered Jewish-Arabs and Jewish immigrants, many of whom ° On May 2nd, shortly preceding the war, Jordan were Holocaust survivors.8 privately declared it would not to attack the Jewish state, although it did not keep its promise. ° The Arab Legion won the battle; members of the legion mutilated the bodies of Jewish fighters and ethnically ° Many military outposts in the north and south were cleansed all Jews from the area.9 open on all sides to Arab attack. • On May 15, 1948, five Arab armies invaded the one-day- • The attacking forces were fully equipped with all old Jewish state with the stated intent of killing all the standard weapons: artillery, tanks, armored cars Jews there and wiping the country off the map. This and personnel carriers, machine guns, mortars, full prompted the 1948 War of Independence. supplies of ammunition, oil, and gasoline, and commonly used small arms in great quantities. Ultimately, Arab leaders rejected the Partition Plan, which Egypt, Iraq, and Syria also all had air forces.11 outlined and allowed for a Palestinian Arab state, responded with aggression and hostility towards Palestinian Jews, and • In contrast, the Jewish army was hastily mobilized attacked Israel less than 24 hours after Israel established and made up partly of makeshift soldiers, including statehood. Holocaust survivors. 7 us yesterday that they were not the attackers, that the Arabs had begun the fighting. We did not deny this. We told the whole world that we were going to fight.”15 ° The British commander of Jordan’s Arab Legion, John Bagot Glubb, admitted that the Arab Liberation Army began to attack Jews in Palestine from Syria and Jordan in January of 1948. He admitted that JUDEA this was an example of the Arab countries striking AND 16 SAMARIA unprovoked. Shortly after Israel’s establishment, the United States indicted the Arab countries and urged a resolution charging them with breach of the peace.17 • Soviet delegate Andrei Gromyko told the Security Council, May 29, 1948: “This is not the first time that www.whyisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/The-Green-Line.jpg the Arab states, which organized the invasion of Pal- The war's outcome: the Arab countries signed armistice (cease-fire) agreements with Israel in 1949. estine, have ignored a decision of the Security Council or of the General Assembly. The USSR delegation deems it essential that the council should state its opinion more ° When Israel declared its independence in May 1948, it had limited means: Israel did not have a single clearly and more firmly with regard to this attitude of the 18 cannon or tank, no matching artillery, and its air force Arab states toward decisions of the Security Council.” consisted of nine out-of-date planes, making offensive • The fighting calmed after July 15, 1948, when the action in the first days of the war almost impossible.12 Security Council threatened to cite the Arab • Israel had little more than small arms in scarce quan- governments for aggression under the Charter. tities, which had been available to the Haganah (an Outcome: The Arab countries signed armistice (cease- unofficial Jewish military organization in the former fire) agreements with Israel in 1949, but ignored the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948).13 agreements and kept firing at Israeli civilians for years after the war. ° On May 28, the Haganah merged with other Jewish defense groups to form the Israel Defense Forces. • Agreements began with Egypt (February 24, 1949), • Although the Haganah had 60,000 trained fighters, followed by Lebanon (March 23), Jordan (April 3) only 18,900 were fully mobilized, armed, and pre- and Syria (July 20). pared for war. On the eve of the war, chief of opera- ° Iraq was the only country that did not sign an tions Yigael Yadin told David Ben-Gurion: “The best agreement with Israel. we can tell you is that we have a 50­/50 chance.” • Both sides agreed that the 1949 armistice lines (which ° More weapons supplies arrived after the first few days outlined the borders being fought over [see map]) of the war, although Israel received little international would act as temporary cease-fire lines. These lines aid. changed, however, in 1967, when surrounding Arab The UN held the Arabs responsible for the violence that armies again attacked Israel; Israel legally gained triggered the war. territory in a defensive war (see “1967 Borders”). • On February 16, 1948, the UN Palestine Commission • Some of these Arab countries did not uphold the reported to the Security Council: “Powerful Arab cease-fire they signed. interests, both inside and outside Palestine, are ° Jordan placed snipers in Jerusalem and shot at Israeli defying the resolution of the General Assembly and civilians on Israel’s side of the border. are engaged in a deliberate effort to alter by force the settlement envisaged therein.”14 ° Syria fired upon Israeli civilians from the Golan Heights in the north. • The Arabs also explicitly stated their responsibility for starting the aggression and eventual war. ° These attacks on civilians only stopped in 1967 when Israel won the 1967 war (see “1967 Borders” ° Jamal Husseini told the Security Council on April 16, for more information).19 1948: “The representative of the Jewish Agency told

8 ° In fact, many Arabs and Muslims today serve in the Nakba Knesset (Israeli parliament) and the Israel Defense Definition: Forces. For more information on this, please see “Apartheid” and “Nakba” is an Arabic word that translates into “catastrophe.” “Israel Defense Forces.” This “catastrophe” refers to the Palestinian Arab population leaving British Mandate Palestine before and • It should also be noted that Israel agreed to splitting during the 1948 War of Independence and becoming British Mandate Palestine into two parts before its displaced persons. establishment: a Jewish state and a second Palestinian- Arab state. However, Arab leaders refused this offer, Myth: and, to date, have refused a total of four offers for a two state solution (Israel agreed to all four). The Palestinian Arab population became displaced due to relocation by Israel. ° These instances include: 1937 (Peel Commission), 1947 (Partition Plan), 2000 (Camp David Accords), Fact: and 2008 (Israeli PM Ehud Olmert’s offer for state- hood). • Most of the Palestinian Arabs who left were NOT exiled by Israeli leaders; Arab leadership encouraged For more information on this, please see “Refugees” and them to leave. Arab leaders told the Arab residents “1948 War of Independence.” of British Mandate Palestine to evacuate before they attacked Israel (which took place less than 24 hours after Israel declared independence). ° The Jordanian newspaperFalastin wrote on February 19, 1949: “The Arab States encouraged the Palestine- Arabs to leave their homes temporarily in order to be out of the way of the Arab invasion armies.” ° Many also fled after hearing false reports of massacres committed by Jewish forces. • For example, Arab newspapers widely reported a massacre of hundreds of Arabs at Deir Yassin by Jewish forces. These media outlets told Palestinian Arabs to leave their homes so they would not be killed. This massacre, however, never happened.1 In fact, one reporter of that “massacre” admitted on the BBC 50 years later that the reports were fabricated.2 For more information on this, please see “Refugees” and “1948 War of Independence.” •The individuals who left became refugees afterArab leaders refused to stabilize them or incorporate them into the society of their new place of residence. Israel has made multiple attempts to stabilize these people. ° The term “refugees” is often misused. ° Palestinian Arabs have been forced to live in squalid conditions due to lack of aid from Arab leadership. For more information on this, please see “Refugees.” • Those individuals who stayed in British Mandate Palestine were granted full citizenship, full rights, and full legal representation by the Israeli government.

9 Law of Return - Definition: Anyone of, descended from, or married to someone of Jewish faith is eligible for automatic Israeli citizenship. Myth: The Law of Return is a discriminatory law.

Facts: www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BritLibCottonNeroDiiFol183vPer secutedJews.jpg English manuscript shows the yellow badge Jews were forced to wear The Law of Return aims to provide a safe-haven for Jews in the Middle Ages. who have faced persecution for millennia (see “Refugees” for more information). It aims to provide that safe-haven ° For example, in 1941, Arab nationalists murdered in the biblical, ancestral, and legal homeland of the Jewish roughly 175 Jews and injured 1,000 in Baghdad. people. The attackers looted Jewish property and destroyed • Israel is the legal, ancestral, and biblical homeland 900 Jewish homes.1 of the Jewish people. ° After 2,000 years of European anti-Semitism, the ° Legal: The 1917 Balfour declaration, the 1920 Nazis and Nazi sympathizers exterminated 6 million San Remo Accords, and the 1922 League of Nations Jews during the Holocaust and World War II. Mandate for Palestine reaffirmed the Jews’ right • Countries throughout history (including modern to the land of Israel; the international community democracies), have refused to allow Jewish refugees recognized the right of a Jewish homeland in the fleeing for their lives to settle within their borders. historic land of Israel. The Law of Return aims to solve this problem. ° Ancestral: Jews have continuously lived in Israel ° Allied democracies during World War II proved this. for more than 3,500 years. From 1250-586 BCE and • In 1941, an Australian delegate to the internation- from 536 BCE-70 CE, the Jews lived sovereignly al Evian conference said about the Jews, “We have and/or with religious freedom in Israel. In 1948, no real racial problem, we are not desirous of Jews reclaimed their home. importing one.”2 Biblical: According to Jewish tradition, G-d gave the ° • Even the United States refused to allow entry to Jews one homeland: Israel. That is the only place in most Jews trying to flee the Nazis. the world where the Jews may erect their holy temple. • Before, during, and after the Holocaust, the British • Jews faced heavy persecution throughout the world Navy drowned boats of Jewish refugees fleeing the before the reestablishment of Israel. Nazis.3 European countries attacked Jews for millennia ° • Jews around the world still face persecution (even leading up to the reestablishment of Israel. in Western democracies) which proves that Jews ° Arab countries treated Jews as second-class citizens still need the Law of Return. and often encouraged massacres of Jewish civilians. ° The rise of Islamic extremism in France and other Western European nations has led to an increase Ancient Jewish Libyan community. No Jews remain in Libya. in attacks against Jews. • For example, an Islamist murdered a rabbi and three children at a Jewish school in 2012 in Toulouse, France.4 • Jews throughout Western Europe continue to feel threatened, which is evidenced by the fact that many are moving to Israel every year to flee the anti-Semitic atmosphere in Europe. ° Neo-Nazi and far-right parties throughout Europe are growing and are currently more popular than 5 JIMENA’s Facebook page. Facebook JIMENA’s they have ever been since World War II. 10 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Definition: The IDF is the defense force for the State of Israel. The Israeli government in 1948 (upon Israel’s independence) named the military a “defense force” because it is meant solely for the defense of the State of Israel and its people.

Myth: www.spiegel.de/international/germany/berlin-exhib nacht-a-931733.html www.spiegel.de/international/germany/berlin-exhib Kristallnacht, November 1938. Anti-Israel activists claim that the IDF acts recklessly and purposely kills civilians. They also claim that the Israeli army • The Golden Dawn party in Greece, the Svoboda is made up of (only male) Jewish members. party in Ukraine, and the Jobbik party in Hunga- ry, for example, control numerous seats in their Facts: respective parliaments. All of these parties openly express anti-Semitic views. The IDF serves to defend Israeli civilians from terrorist threats in the region. • Some of these far-right parties have now infil– trated the European Union parliament as well. • Terrorist and other forces threaten Israel on all of its borders and the broader Middle East. ° Even the United States stills sees anti-Semitism spreading. “Pro-Palestinian” groups on college ° In Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), the campuses continuously intimidate Jewish students, Palestinian Authority (PA) controls roughly 98% for example. These groups are gaining popularity of Palestinian Arabs in the area. The PA promotes and making life for Jewish students very difficult. and supports terrorist attacks against the Jewish • Israel has the right, like every other country in the state; its leaders and media outlets continuously world, to choose to whom it offers citizenship. tell their people to hate and kill Jews as well as 1 • Jews of any race/nationality/sexual orientation support the destruction of Israel. qualify for the Law of Return. There is no racism • See “Two-State Solution” for more in-depth in a law that is equal to Jews of Chinese, Ethiopian, information on incitement. or any other descent. ° In Gaza, Hamas and other US-designated terrorist ° An LGBTQ couple in 2011—one of which was organizations continuously carry out attacks against Jewish and the other Christian—received Israeli Israeli civilians. Since 2001, these terrorist groups citizenship under the Law of Return. have launched more than 19,000 rockets at Jewish • Arabs and Muslims who stayed in Israel when Israel and Arab civilians. Additionally, Hamas leaders— became independent in 1948 have full civil rights as well as the Hamas charter—call for the genocide under the law. Arabs and Muslims in Israel are of the Jewish people and the destruction of the the only Arabs with the right to vote, the right to Jewish state.2 a free press, and the right to civil equality with other citizens. ° In Lebanon, Hezbollah (an Iranian-backed terror- ist organization) calls for Israel’s destruction while 3 Arab youth desecrate Israeli flag. stockpiling missiles aimed at the Jewish state. - ° In Syria, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, along with Hezbollah, are fightingal-Qaeda, ISIS, and other terrorist organizations in a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Both sides promote the annihilation of Israel and some of the groups involved have threatened to attack Israel when the Syrian war is over.4 ° In Iran, the Iranian government is trying to develop nuclear weapons. It also threatens to wipe Israel off the map.5 www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/60984/dias pora-jews-fearful-in-light-of-anti-israel-sentiment.html 11 www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Operation_Gaza_factual_and_legal_aspects_use_of_force_Hamas_breaches_law_of_ armed_conflict_5_Aug_200.aspx Map showing weapons and Hamas headquarters adjacent to UNRWA school and hospital.

° Other terrorist groups in the Middle East (such ° We are not leading our people to execution…. as ISIS) threaten instability in the region. We are leading them to death—I mean, to confrontation. The IDF goes above and beyond to avoid civilian casualties while deterring terrorist threats. ° Hamas fighters do this because they know that Israel is much less likely to strike at a civilian target, and if • The IDF is constantly faced with Hamas war-tactics, Israel does strike, it will kill more civilians and take which disregard Palestinian Arab civilian safety and more blame from the international community. lead to hundreds of tragic deaths. • In response to Hamas’s skewed war tactics, The IDF Hamas uses its own civilians as human shields, ° has developed the following methods to protect which is a war crime according to the UN: Palestinian Arab civilians: • Hamas launches rockets from civilian areas.6 ° Phones calls and text messages: The IDF makes • It hides weapons in schools, mosques, and phone calls and text messages warning Gazans hospitals.7 of planned air strikes, giving them time to flee • Hamas militants frequently hide among civilian to a safe zone. populations while fighting Israel.8 •As evident from the Hamas spokesperson’s • During the 2014 Gaza War, A Hamas spokes­ quote above, however, Hamas tries to stop person boasted of his organization’s use of human civilians from fleeing and ensure that they shields:9 are in harm’s way. Leaflets: In times of war, the IDF drops hundreds ° “[Israel] has been sending tens of thousands ° of voice messages to citizens’ phones…asking of thousands of leaflets over Gaza, warning Gazan them to evacuate their homes by a certain civilians to escape for their safety and giving them time.…There is no reason to be concerned time to remove themselves from dangerous areas. by them or pay attention to them and by no ° Roof knocking: The IDF employs the tactic of means should they be heeded.” roof knocking, or preceding a forceful air strike 12 with a harmless one to warn of coming danger and minorities who feel compelled to protect their country, to encourage evacuation. The IDF has employed regardless of religion, gender, sexual orientation, and race. this tactic in all of its major Gaza operations. • In 2014, Christian Arab enlistment in the Israeli army Pinpoint Strikes: In many instances, instead of increased, doubling the number of each of the preced- ° 13 using air strikes on a target, the IDF uses drones ing three years. and laser-guided missiles to hit an exact target • Arab-Israelis are not required to serve in the IDF, but and limit collateral damage. many choose to volunteer. ° The IDF has in many cases postponed attacks ° Of the minorities that serve in the IDF, roughly 15% on areas within Gaza to allow residents more are Muslim.14 15 time to evacuate to a safer location before Many Bedouins serve as trackers (among other positions) carrying out air strikes. It has also rerouted in the IDF’s elite tracking units, tasked with securing the missiles aimed at militants if the militants run border from infiltration.16 Of the minorities that serve in to civilian-populated areas. the IDF, 65% are Bedouin.17 Israel maintains a diverse military, works to create a • Druze soldiers regularly join combat units, attaining high positive environment for all who serve, and is structured ranks and commendations for distinguished service. similarly to other democratic armies. It has many More than 83% of Druze men serve in the army.18

A leaflet dropped by the IDF to warn Gazans of an attack. Translation: “From these areas, rocket fire is being launched against the State of Israel. For your safety, you are requested to leave your homes immediately and travel towards Gaza City by Wednesday at 8 a.m. The IDF does not wish to harm you or your families. Clear the area to safeguard your lives. Do not return to the area until further notice. Anyone who does not heed these instructions… endangers his life and that of his family.” 12 www.punditfromanotherplanet.com/tag/sunday/ 13 • Women have served in Israel’s military since before the ° In 2010, Israel developed “Nahshol,” the world’s founding of the state in 1948; women comprise 33% of first female-only unit dedicated to combat intelli- all IDF soldiers and 51% of its officers (as of 2011).19 gence missions.21 ° The 2000 Equality amendment to the Military • The IDF incorporates individuals with special needs Service law states that “The right of women to into their ranks. It integrates young people with disabil- serve in any role in the IDF is equal to the right ities into the army for three years, with the ultimate of men.” As of 2013, roughly 92% of all roles in goal of preparing them for an independent life in the IDF are open to female candidates,20 while greater society.22 women can be found in 69% of all positions. www.vosizneias.com/175220/2014/08/12/jerusalem-israeli-soldiers-leave-frontline-to- recite-gomel-at-western-wall/ Israeli soldiers dance at the Kotel in celebration of the holidays. www.ibtimes.co.uk/simhcat-torah-jewish-holiday-reading- cycke-photos-509328 Israeli soldiers dancing with the Torah and Israeli flag. - www.israellycool.com/2014/07/31/photo-of-the-day-proud-israeli-muslim- mom-2-idf-sons/ A proud Israeli Muslim Arab mother with her two IDF soldier sons. www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Israel_Defense_Forces_-_Female_Sol diers_Take_a_Break_in_the_Desert_Sun.jpg A group of Ashkenaz, Sephardi and Ethiopian women soldiers in the IDF.

14 newspaper of the Palestinian Authority) on April Temple Mount 14, 2014: Definition: “The Ministry disclosed that for more than two years it informed all Muslims and Arabs…about the nature The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as Har HaBayit of the Judaization plan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.…The is the holiest religious site in Judaism. It is (תִיַּבַה רַה) Israeli government has been carrying out this plan on located in the ancient Jewish city (known as the “Old City”) a daily basis, and the rate of escalation and repression of Jerusalem, the holiest city in Judaism. It is the site of both against Al-Aqsa is increasing…towards dividing it (the the First and Second Holy Temples and has been a Jewish Temple Mount) geographically and according to time, religious site for thousands of years. destroying it and building what is referred to as ‘the This site is also holy to Muslims; in fact, it is the third Temple’ in its place.”1 holiest place in Islam. The First and Second Jewish Temples resided here more than 2,000 years ago. However, the These accusations are untrue. Israel has not stated a Muslim Al-Aqusa Mosque currently sits at this site. desire to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque, nor has it taken action toward doing so. As a result of this, Jews are only permitted to travel there under heavy restriction and are not permitted to pray there • The PA Islamic-Christian Council for Jerusalem when visiting. The location of the Mosque stands in the (in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida) called Jewish prayer on the same place as the holiest area of the Holy Temple; this place Temple Mount an “assault [on] the Al-Aqsa Mosque” is called “Holy of Holies” in the Bible. (April 23, 2014): ° “The aim…is to build the alleged Temple on the ruins Myth: of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the expropriation of the sover- 2 (1) The Temple Mount is not holy to Jews and (2) Jews want eignty of these holy sites from the Arabs and Muslims.” the Al-Aqsa Mosque destroyed and a Third Temple built This statement is untrue, prevents coexistence, and (this myth is told by the PLO and Hamas, a US-designated undermines respect for different holy places. terrorist organization). • “[They]…aim for the destruction of the Islamic and Christian holy places in order to construct their alleged Fact: Temple on the ruins of the houses of Allah and the places This site is holy to Jews and has been for thousands of of worship.” —Op-ed in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March years. See above for details. 24, 20143 No distinguished Jewish and/or Israeli leader has ever ° Not only is this statement false, but the son of Sheikh stated a desire to eradicate the holy mosque and Israel Hassan Yossef, one of Hamas’ founders and leaders in has never made a single attempt to remove it. Israel Judea and Samaria, stated that Hamas intends to estab- respects the religious importance of this site. lish supremacy over Jewish and Western civilizations. • While Jews have prayed for a third Temple for 2,000 • “Hamas is looking for conquest and domination. years, no major Jewish and/or Israeli leader has ever The destruction of Israel is not the final destination attempted to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque and rebuild of Hamas. [It is] establishing an Islamic state on a third Temple. the ruins of others—this is the ultimate goal of the movement.” —Mosab Hassan Yossef, 2014 (he has • In fact, Israel is proud of its religious diversity and is since dissociated himself from the terror group).4 home to Jews, Muslims, Christians, and more, all of whom are granted full rights and full legal representa- • A PA TV news host, featured on Official Palestinian tion. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that Authority TV (August 3, 2012), falsely claimed that grants religious freedom. Israel was using chemicals to ruin Al-Aqsa Mosque’s foundations and plans to build a Temple in its place.5 Palestinian Arab leaders perpetuate the myths outlined above, which are blatant anti-semitic and hateful lies. • Sheikh Muhammad Al-Tawil, a teacher at Al-Aqsa These myths incite hatred of Jews throughout Palestinian Mosque School, called Jews who visit the Temple Arab-controlled areas and are disseminated throughout Mount “assistants of monkeys and pigs” on official the media and the schools. PA TV (September 27, 2013).6 • The PA Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in the Note: To learn more about the centrality of Israel and Jerusalem Al-Hayat Al-Jadida news outlet (the official daily in Judaism, please see “Zionism/Zionist”.

15 1948 War of Independence Nakba 10 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Oper- 1 Jewish World Review, 20 Facts about Israel and 1 Morton A. Klein, Deir Yassin: History of a Lie, ation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects, July the Middle East, May 21, 2002 March 9, 1998. 29, 2009 2 Toledo Blade, Arab Stand on Palestine Presents 2 Historical and Investigative Research, Was There 11 Israel Defense Forces, IDF Strikes Houses in United Nations With Urgent Problem, Septem- a Massacre at Deir Yassin?, November 20, 2005 Gaza Used for Military Purposes, July 10, 2014 ber 30, 1947, p. 2 (Newspaper) 12 NBC News, Israel Drops Leaflets Warning of 3 Frontpage Mag, Voices of Palestine: Haj Amin Law of Return Northern Gaza Air strikes, July 13, 2014. al-Husseini, November 8, 2011 1 The Atlas of Jewish History, William Morrow 13 Time, Israeli Army Sees Rise in Christian Arab 4 Terence Prittie and Walter Nelson, The Eco- and Company, 1993. Page 114. Recruits, March 7, 2014 nomic War Against The Jews, (London: Corgi 2 Christian Today, 1938 EVIAN Conference still 14 The Times of Israel, His deep, dark secret: He’s Books, 1977); Dan Chill, The Arab Boycott of haunts Australia, January 9, 2012. Arab, Muslim and serves in the IDF, November Israel, (NY: Praeger, 1976), p. 10. 3 The Daily Beast, Exclusive: WW2 Britain Blew 10, 2012 5 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli War of Indepen- Up Jewish Refugee Ships, September 19, 2012. 15 Israel Hayom, An officer and a Muslim Zionist, dence: Background & Overview 4 The Economist, Murders in the Midi-Pyrénées, September 7, 2012 6 New York Times, December 1, 1947. March 24, 2012. 16 Al Arabiya News, Muslim Arab Bedouins serve 7 Facts on File, 1948, p. 48. 5 Anti-Defamation League, ADL Highlights Top 10 as Jewish state’s gatekeepers, April 24, 2013 8 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli War of Indepen- Issues Affecting Jews In 2012, December 12, 2012. 17 Israel Hayom, An officer and a Muslim Zionist, dence: Background & Overview September 7, 2012 18 The Jerusalem Post, Covenant of Blood, Janu- 9 Jewish Virtual Library, Geography of Israel: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Etzion Bloc (Gush Etzion) ary 15, 2009 10 “Interview with Abd al-Rahman Azzam Pasha,” 1 Palestinian Media Watch, Glorifying Terrorists 19 Israel Defense Forces, More female soldiers in Akhbar al-Yom (Egypt), (October 11, 1947); and Terror. more positions in the IDF, November 30, 2011 translated by R. Green. 2 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas to kids: Shoot 20 The New York Times, Looking to Israel for 11 Jewish Virtual Library, The War of Indepen- All Jews, May 5, 2014. Clues on Women in Combat, January 25, 2013 dence: Arab Armies Invade 3 Israel Defense Forces, Prepared for Hezbollah’s 21 YNet Magazine, Queens of the Desert, July 15, 2010 12 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli War of Indepen- Next Act of Terror Against Israel, December 3, 22 United with Israel, IDF Soldiers with Special dence: Background & Overview 2013. Needs, 2014 4 The Algemeiner, Three Years Into Syrian Civil 13 Jewish Virtual Library, The War of Indepen- Temple Mount dence: Arab Armies Invade War, Neighboring Israel Faces Familiar and 14 Security Council Official Records, Special Emerging Threats, March 21, 2014. 1 Palestinian Media Watch, PMW Bulletins: PA Supplement, (1948), p. 20. 5 Anti-Defamation League, The Iranian Nuclear Foreign Ministry libel: Israel plans to destroy 15 Security Council Official Records, S/Agenda/58, Threat: Why It Matters, August 10, 2014. the Al-Aqsa Mosque, May 19, 2014 (April 16, 1948), p. 19. 6 US News and World Report, Hamas Lies And 2 Ibid 16 John Bagot Glubb, A Soldier with the Arabs, the Media Believed It, August 12, 2014. See 3 Palestinian Media Watch, Jewish History (London: Staughton and Hodder, 1957), p. 79. video also: The Washington Post, Watch: Rare Rewritten: Official PA daily: “Judaization” of 17 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli War of Indepen- videos that actually show Hamas firing rockets Jerusalem based on “myths and fables,” March dence: Background & Overview into Israel, August 6, 2014 24, 2014 18 Security Council Official Records, SA/Agen- 7 The Blaze, Ambulances, Schools and Mosques: 4 Jerusalem Online, Son of Hamas: Their Goal is da/77, (May 29, 1948), p. 2. Hamas’ Top 10 Hiding Places That Are Frustrat- Not Only To Annihilate Israel, August 8, 2014 19 Roaming Chile, Pray for Mercy as Nations Con- ing Israel’s Fight Against Terror, July 23, 2014 5 Palestinian Media Watch, Libel: Israel to sider Dividing Jerusalem, September 8, 2011 8 NewsMax, Hamas Sacrifices Civilians as a destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque Military Tactic, November 19, 2012 6 Palestinian Media Watch, Demonization of 9 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas belittles those Jews/Israelis, Case Study: Portraying Jews as who criticize high civilian death toll, June 16, 2014. “Apes and Pigs”

16 Palestine

Palestine Facts: The Palestinian Arabs today have no historic connection to ancient “Palestine,” (ie. Palestine dating from before Definition: British Mandate Palestine). “Palestine” refers to the land that was under the British • The word Palestine comes from Philistine, referring Mandate of Palestine, which included all of modern-day to a group of people that originated from the Aegean Israel and Jordan. The name “Palestine” originated around region (near Greece and Turkey) and later settled in the turn of the second century CE when the Romans the land of Canaan (modern-day Israel) in the 12th (יהודה renamed what was then called “Judea” ( . century BCE.1 When discussing “Palestine”, people are referring to one The Philistines were not native to the Arab world. of two entities: what we will call (1) legal Palestine and ° (2) geographic Palestine. • The Romans and other nations that were in existence more than 2,000 years ago called much of the land of • Legal Palestine is what people often call the state of Israel ‘Judea,’ as it was the home of the Jewish people Palestine. This state never existed—there was no Pales- (Americans are from America; Jews are from Judah tinian Arab governance, no years of existence, etc. [Hebrew transliteration of Judea]). • Geographic Palestine refers to the place formerly The Romans renamed Judea “Palestine” after ° (יהודה called Judea ( , that was renamed Palestine by they expelled a majority of the Jews from the the Romans in 135 CE to eradicate Jewish identity and land. They did this to try to erase the Jewish claim to the land. This geographical area has altered connection to the area.2 over time as different armies took over the area. • This was the first time anyone referred to the land ° In the decade leading up to Israel’s establishment in as “Palestine.” It was originally called “Judea.” 1948, the British had control over the area (since the end of WWI) and called it British Mandate Palestine. Since Roman times, there has never been a political entity (ie. a state) called “Palestine.” ° This area included all of modern-day Israel and modern-day Jordan. • Under the Ottoman Empire, the term “Palestine” was used as a general term to describe land south of Syria. ° Geographic Palestine existed and was given the name Palestine from the time of the Jewish exile ° Even those living in modern-day Israel often referred from Judea until Israel’s reestablishment. to themselves as “Syrian,” rather than “Palestinian” because they felt more connected to Syria than the Myth: area of Palestine. “Palestine” refers only to modern-day Israel and has been • After World War I, the area known as Palestine came the name of a state in that area for millennia. A state called under British rule. The area became known as “British “Palestine” once existed. Mandate Palestine.” 17 • Palestinian Arab leadership never existed in the area ° These were illegal occupations because (a) both known as modern-day Israel. countries conquered the land in offensive wars— which is illegal under international law—and In the 3,000 years leading up to Israel’s reestablish- ° because (b) the international community never ment—after ancient Israel governed the land— recognized their control of the land. the leadership in what was known as “Palestine” (“geographic Palestine”) consisted of colonial • See “Occupied Territories” for more information British leadership, Turkish leadership, and other about the history of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, foreign powers. and the legal and historical rights of Israel and the Jewish people to “Palestine.” ° Arabs currently have 22 states in the Middle East, but there has never been a Palestinian Arab state. Jordan and Egypt could have established a state called • A land dedicated to Arabs living in “Palestine” “Palestine” in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza if they had has never existed, mostly because Arabs living wanted to when they controlled the areas between in the area over the past 2,000 years have no 1949 and 1967, but they chose not to do so. Instead, legal connection to the land, nor did they ever they persecuted the Palestinian Arabs living there demand an independent state of “Palestine” (see “Refugees” for more information). Additionally, before the 20th century. Jordan illegally annexed Judea and Samaria. • Conversely, modern-day Israel is the third Israel was the first and only country to ever offer the Jewish governance over the land of Judea, now Palestinian Arabs a second independent state. another ancient Jewish • Israel has offered the Palestinian Arabs (people from ,(ישרְׂאָלֵ) known as Israel name. Jews have yearned for an independent British Mandate Palestine who became refugees) state in the land of Israel for millennia and face a sovereign state of Palestine twice in the past 15 years, the land when they pray. but the Palestinian Arab leadership rejected both offers ° Furthermore, during major holidays for the and instead resorted to violence and the attempted past 2,000 years and throughout Jewish liturgy destruction of Israel (see “Camp David Accords” for Jews declare “Next year in Jerusalem.” more information). Under the British Mandate of Palestine, “Palestine” • The Palestinian Arabs could have had a state of covered the areas of both modern-day Israel and modern- Palestine before Israel’s reestablishment by accepting day Jordan. the Peel Commission in 1937 (an offer to establish a Palestinian Arab state next to a Jewish state) and • After World War I, the British received control of in 1947 by accepting the UN Partition Plan, but they modern-day Israel and Jordan and called the area rejected both offers. “British Mandate Palestine.” It is important to note that Jordan was not a separate country. Rather, it was part The land commonly referred to as “Palestine” legally of British Mandate Palestine. belongs to Israel and the Jewish people. ° Jordan became a separate entity when it received •The British and the League of Nations named the independence from the British in 1946. Jordan came geographical area of Palestine “British Mandate about when the British went against the Balfour Palestine” in the early 1920s. At this time, the inter­ Declaration and gave 80% of what was intended to national community recognized its purpose as the be a Jewish homeland to the Palestinian Arabs to homeland for the Jewish people. create Jordan. However, Jordan never identified as a “Palestinian Arab” state; rather, it simply became • The Balfour Declaration of 1917 called for a Jewish another Arab state. homeland in British-Controlled Palestine, which included both modern-day Israel and modern-day Many refer to Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) Jordan. and Gaza as “Palestine.” While “Palestine” can refer to a geographical region, the term “Palestine” is misleading, • The League of Nations affirmed the Balfour Declar­ as a Palestinian Arab sovereign state never existed in the ation at the San Remo Conference (an international “West Bank.” conference to divide land in the Middle East after WWI) in 1920 and officially recognized the legal • After Israel gained independence in 1948, Jordan right of the Jewish people to all of Mandate Palestine. illegally occupied Judea and Samaria, and Egypt illegally occupied Gaza. 18 • When the United Nations was founded after World of the League now administering territories under War II, it officially recognized the British Mandate mandate to continue to administer them for of Palestine and the decisions made at the San Remo the well-being and development of the peoples Conference. This includes the decision to recognize the concerned in accordance with the obligations legal right of the Jewish people to the land of ancient contained in the respective mandates.…” Israel. • The agreement was not fully kept, and the area of ° UN Charter (Article 80) states that the UN will Jordan was not given to the Jewish people (see above). not take action to alter the rights of the mandate system put in place by the League of Nations. • When Jewish leaders declared independence in May The league established that current league members of 1948, the United Nations recognized Israel’s right administering mandates will continue to do so in to exist shortly after and stated so. the UN after the League had been dissolved. ° The UN has never officially recognized a sovereign ° The League of Nations also stated that Mandate state of Palestine. While the UN General Assembly Palestine would remain within the boundaries has recognized “Palestine,” the General Assembly already established (modern-day Israel and has no legal authority to create sovereign nations; modern-day Jordan) after the League ceases to exist. only the UN Security Council can do this. • “[The League Assembly] recognizes that, on Those who refer to ‘Palestine’ today are either referring the termination of the League’s existence, its to Judea and Samaria (and thus using the term in a functions with respect to the mandated territories misleading way) or all of the land between the Jordan will come to an end, but… [the Assembly] takes River and the Mediterranean Sea (and thus denying note of the expressed intentions of the Members Israel’s existence).

Map of modern-day Israel. www.lax2tlvbus404.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/ready/map-of-israel

19 until 1946, when the British gave 80% of the Colonialism Mandate (which it originally designated as a Jewish homeland) to the Palestinian Arabs Definition: to create Jordan. Control by one power over a dependent area or people.1 Simply, colonialism is one country taking over another ° Six months later, Israel established itself as a sov- country. ereign Jewish state. The US and the international community immediately recognized Israel. Myth: Israel’s historical claim to the land proves it is not a colonial power. The creation of the State of Israel • Zionism is colonialism. was the return to the ancient Jewish homeland. ° Israel stole land from the Palestinian Arabs. • Jews have had a continuous presence in the land ° Israel is acting as a Western colony in an Arab region. of Israel for more than 3,000 years. Facts: ° More than 2,000 years ago, the Romans called the land “Judea” (altered from its Hebrew name “Judah,”) The Jewish people have an indisputable and internationally after the Jews that lived there. This name is still used recognized legal and historical claim to the land of Israel, in today to describe what is now commonly referred to addition to strong religious ties to Israel. For these reasons, as the “West Bank.” the Jewish state is not a colonial power. The Jewish people have a long history of sovereignty Israel’s legal claim to the land proves it is not a colonial ° in Israel. Jews believe that Abraham first purchased power. land in Hebron in roughly 1700 BCE. Years later, in • Jewish sovereignty in Israel is legal and recognized 1000 BCE, King David made Jerusalem the capital as legitimate and non-colonial by the international of Israel. community. ° Various colonial rulers exiled the Jewish people from ° Individual Zionist Jews living during the Ottoman the land of Israel in 586 BCE, then again in 70 CE, Empire and British Mandate legally purchased and many instances thereafter. However, Jews land in Palestine. Jews purchased land up until the managed to maintain a constant presence in their creation of the State of Israel. homeland despite facing discrimination and perse- cution by different governing powers. • They purchased largely uncultivated, uninhabited, and cheap land.2 • These exiles prompted what is now the 2,000- year-old Zionist movement to return to the In 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur James ° Jewish homeland and rebuild the Jewish state. Balfour authored what came to be known as the Balfour Declaration. This document announced ° The international community recognized the the British government’s support for the creation renaming of “Palestine” (under the British of a Jewish homeland in what was then British- Mandate) to “Israel” in 1948—one of the controlled Palestine.3 original names of the land used before the Jewish expulsions. ° The international community declared at the San Remo Conference in 1920 that a Jewish state should • Judaism’s holiest sites and cities are in Israel: be created out of British-controlled Palestine. This The Kotel (the Western Wall) is the holiest site in the declaration was (and still is) binding under interna- ° world for the Jewish people. It is the only remaining tional law. gate of the holy temple that once stood in Jerusalem. In 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted the ° Hebron is the second holiest city for Jews. The UN Partition Plan, which would transform Mandate ° ancient city holds the Cave of the Matriarchs and Palestine into both an Arab and Jewish state. The Patriarchs, the resting site of the foremothers and Jewish people accepted this plan, while the Arab forefathers of the Jewish people. League rejected it. Jewish mysticism was developed in the holy city • One should note, however, that British Mandate ° of Safed in the 1500s. Palestine also included all of modern-day Jordan

20 Jews possess a religious claim to the land of Israel as well. ° Returning to Zion, statehood, and Jerusalem is a request found in almost every prayer throughout • Israel and Zionism have been an integral part of the Jewish liturgy. Jewish faith since Biblical times: ° Jews pray three times daily in the direction of ° The term “Zion” originates in the Hebrew Bible and Jerusalem, signifying the importance of their means “marker,” which exemplifies its centrality to homeland. the Jewish people. ° The Jewish grace after meals birkat(“ hamazon”) ° The term for the Jewish return to the land of Israel contains close to no mention of the food itself; is referred to in Hebrew as “Aliyah,” meaning “to the prayer is almost entirely about the land of go up.” This term exemplifies the Jewish connection Israel, the food it produces, and the Jewish to Israel. Leaving Israel is referred to as “yeridah,” desire to return there. meaning “to go down,” symbolic of the loss experi- Conclusion: enced from leaving. Israel has not taken control over another nation’s people or ° The Jewish people observe four fast days each year to its territory. Individual Jews under the Ottoman Empire and commemorate the destruction of the Jewish Temple British Mandate Palestine legally purchased land (that was and the exile from the Jewish homeland. mostly undesirable) up until the creation of the Jewish State ° It is traditional for Jewish family and friends to recite in 1948; they did not steal land from the Arabs living there a verse about Jerusalem before leaving the presence at the time. The establishment of Israel marked a return to of a Jewish person in mourning. (not invasion of) the Jewish homeland and Holy Land, • The land of Israel plays a huge role in Jewish prayer. where Jews have consistently resided for thousands of years.

Map of modern-day Israel.

Judea www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/il.htm and Samaria

21 1 According to international law, most Palestinian- Refugees Arabs are NOT refugees.

A look at the refugees from the 1948 War 2 Unfortunately, Arab governments and the UN have throughout the Middle East perpetuated this crisis by refusing to absorb and give citizenship to their own people. Definition: • Despite the ongoing lack of cooperation from Palestinian “Refugees” refers to stateless people, often a people forced Arab leaders, Israel has made numerous efforts to care to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural for the descendants of the Palestinian Arab refugees. disaster. In the case of the 1948 War, refugees included According to international law, the vast majority of Pales- stateless Palestinian Arabs and Jewish-Arabs. tinian Arabs who claim to be refugees are NOT legally defined as refugees. Rather, they are descendants of refugees. Myth: • Contrary to the internationally accepted practice All refugees are Palestinian Arab and Israel is perpetuating held by the United Nations High Commissioner the refugee crisis by not allowing the refugees to return. for Refugees (UNHCR),2 the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has chosen Fact: to redefine the term “refugee” to include descendants of Palestinian Arab refugees from the 1948 War. Many activists misunderstand the definition of “Palestinian.” A Palestinian is anyone originating from British Mandate ° Palestinian Arabs labeled as refugees are the only Palestine. This includes the areas of: ‘refugees’ in the world where children of the displaced are considered refugees as well. ALL other groups • Modern-day Israel (including Judea and Samaria, of refugees worldwide only refer to individuals who sometimes called the “West Bank”) were displaced as refugees, NOT descendants. • Palestinian Authority (located in areas throughout UNRWA ignored Jewish-Arab refugees (read below Judea and Samaria) and Gaza ° for details on this population) and, in 1950, only • Modern-day Jordan defined a refugee as a Palestinian Arab who left Before 1948, Israel was part of the British Mandate of his/her home during the 1948 war. Palestine. All inhabitants of this area were Palestinian, In 1965, UNRWA created an extension of eligibility including Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other groups. to include three generations of descendants. Palestinians are the modern descendants of all these The bill was again amended in 1982 to entirely remove peoples. See “Palestinian” for a more thorough explanation the limit to the number of generations encompassed of the term. in the definition of “refugee”.3 As a result of the 1948 War, two groups of refugees exist: • This contrary definition skews the statistics of the (1) Palestinian Arab refugees and (2) Jewish-Arab refugees. true number of refugees and does not allow for descendants to live as citizens of their birthplace. Palestinian Arab Refugees • Pakistani, Tutu, Jewish-Arab, Congolese, Sudanese, Overview: and German refugees, among many others, only include first generation displaced persons.Their • Many Palestinian Arabs left Israel (formerly British children are ALL considered citizens of the Mandate Palestine) in 1948 when Israel became countries in which they are born. a state—those who stayed became Israeli citizens and those who left became stateless. ° Palestinian Arab organizations have lied about the number of refugees in existence today. • Arab leaders have forced the Palestinian Arab people to live as refugees, which has perpetuated the crisis • Palestinian Arab refugees are the only refugees discussed in the news today. More than 99% of these in the world who collect money post-death.4 people are descendants of the 1948 refugees1 and For 20 years, the largest Palestinian Arab refugee should have citizenship in the countries in which camp, Aqabat Jaber, had many recorded births they were born (read on for further details). but did not have a single recorded death5—this This crisis is due to two main factors: is impossible. This shows fabricated statistics and finances.

22 ° Because the Palestinian Arabs are the only people More than 500,000 Jewish refugees from Arab countries whose descendants are considered refugees, Palestinian came to Israel after 1948. Under the Arab countries’ Arab refugees increase every year while refugees definition of “refugee,” they would remain refugees even from the rest of the world decrease every year. after receiving Israeli citizenship (Palestinian Arab refugees are considered refugees, even if they have acquired The Palestinian Arab and other Arab leaders perpetuate citizenship, such as Palestinian Arab refugees in Jordan). this crisis. The United Nations has also perpetuated this crisis. History: • Though the UNHCR has aided hundreds of thousands • The Palestinian Arab leaders did NOT create of refugees in the last few years,11 UNRWA continues a Palestinian Arab state between 1948 and 1967, to keep stateless Palestinian Arabs in squalid despite the fact that Arab governments controlled conditions, instead of helping them resettle into Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”) and Gaza. different countries. Many Palestinian Arabs left Israel at the request ° ° This is not due to lack of finances: the United Nations of Arab leaders who asked them to evacuate their spends three times more on a single Palestinian Arab homes until they ethnically cleansed the area of Jews. refugee than on a non-Palestinian Arab refugee.12 • The Jordanian newspaperFalastin wrote February The international community should not force Israel 19, 1949:, “The Arab States encouraged the Palestine to absorb those who (1) are not legally refugees, Arabs to leave their homes temporarily in order to (2) never lived in the land (see below), and (3) rejected the be out of the way of the Arab invasion armies.” opportunity for their own state and instead responded • Those who left became refugees. Of those who aggressively to the reestablishment of the ancient Jewish left, roughly 30,000 still lived as of 2012, according state (alongside a new Palestinian Arab state). 6 to the United States Senate. All others are descen- • Nearly all Palestinian Arab “refugees” are actually dants and NOT legally considered refugees. descendants and never lived in Israel. Arab leaders’ perpetuation of the crisis: • A Palestinian Arab state could allow the descendants of • Unfortunately, many Arab countries refused to Palestinian Arab refugees to become citizens of a Palestin- absorb their own Arab population and have made it ian Arab state. However, the Palestinian Arab leadership clear they do not seek to improve the living conditions has rejected every offer to create its own state. and legal status of the descendants of these refugees. • The Palestinian Arab militias immediately responded ° The Arab countries broke and continue to break with aggression when the UN suggested the partition international norms by refusing to settle the plan in November 1947. descendants of Palestinian Arab refugees born Instead of supporting the creation of a Palestinian- in their countries and grant them citizenship.7 ° Arab state, they attacked the newly established ° Arab countries, such as Lebanon, have discrimina- Jewish state and started the war that would ultimate- tory laws that prevent Palestinian Arabs from ly lead to the current crisis. acquiring adequate housing, high-paying jobs (e.g. lawyer, doctor, engineer), and health care simply ° A day after Israel declared independence in May because of their status as Palestinian Arab by descent.8 1948, five trained Arab armies attacked the one- day-old country of Israel. • Throughout the 1970s,the Arab Block in the UN General Assembly condemned Israel every year for Israel and the Jewish community have made numerous attempting to rehabilitate stateless Palestinian Arabs. attempts to stabilize the refugee crisis. They did this because they worried this rehabilitation • According to British reports, in 1947, right before Israel (1) would require recognizing Israel, (2) would make became independent, 561,000 Arabs lived in the land. the Arab countries accountable for the 900,000+ Arab Jews they forcibly expelled in the 1940s-60s, and (3) ° After the War of Independence truce in 1949, Israel would be contingent upon living in peace with Israel.9 granted full citizenship to the 140,000 Arabs who stayed in the area. If the same definition applied for Jewish refugees (see “Jewish-Arab Refugees” on the next page), there • Israel has made many further attempts to help would be at least 3 million Jewish refugees from Arab rehabilitate those Palestinian Arabs who became countries living in Israel today.10 stateless.

23 ° In the 1970s, the Israeli government built homes to ° Arab persecution of Jews led to more than 1 million settle the refugees in Gaza in an area called Sheikh Jewish refugees and the death of the millennia-old al-Duan. However, the Palestinian Liberation Jewish communities in Arab world. Organization (PLO) opposed this and refused 13 to help its own people. Number of Number of Jews in 1944 Jews in 2004 ° In the 1970s, the UN General Assembly condemned Israel every year for its attempt to rehabilitate the Yemen 55,000 100 Palestinian Arab refugees. Each time it stated, “send Iraq 150,000 16 14 the refugees to the camps.” Algeria 140,000 80 ° Israel (post-1948) and the Jewish people (pre-1948) Egypt 80,000 40 offered to create two states on four separate Libya 38,000 0 occasions, which would have helped prevent or solve this crisis. Syria 27,770 26 Lebanon 5,666 20 • These instances include: 1937 (Peel Commission), 1947 (Partition Plan), 2000 (Camp David Morocco 265,000 5,000 Accords), and 2008 (Israeli PM Ehud Olmert’s Tunisia 105,000 1,500 offer for statehood). • Meanwhile, Palestinian Arabs in Syrian and Lebanese camps often complain of harassment.15 •Arab-Muslim leadership forced Jews to live as Records show that Syria and Lebanon keep the second-class citizens. Palestinian Arabs in camps and use them as The Islamic states of the Middle East forced Jews involuntary reserve soldiers.16 ° (and other minorities) to live as “dhimmis,” or second-class citizens. Jewish-Arab Refugees • Countries such as Syria, Libya, Iraq, Morocco Overview: and Egypt demanded Jews pay al-jizya, a tax • The international community consistently stresses specifically instituted fordhimmis . the importance of aiding Palestinian Arab “refugees.” ° These countries subjected Jews to behavioral codes. The UN General Assembly has adopted roughly 700 For example: resolutions on the Arab-Israeli conflict. More than 100 of those resolutions have dealt with refugees—Palestin- • A synagogue could not be built higher than ian Arab refugees only. a mosque. • Not one resolution condemned, addressed, or even • A Jew could never ride a horse, for fear of being referenced the murder and expulsion of roughly taller than a Muslim. 1 million Jews from Arab lands. Over the course of • Arab governments prohibited displaying the 20th century, Arab leaders oversaw the murder of non-Muslim religious symbols on buildings hundreds of native Jews in their countries and expelled or clothing. many more from their homes. • The number of pogroms increased throughout the ° From the early 1900s through the 1930s, Palestinian Middle East during and immediately after World Arab leader Hajj Amin al-Husseini and others War II, killing even more Jews. incited riots against Jewish civilians throughout the Middle East. ° Many Arab Muslims rioted and massacred Jews. For example: ° During World War II, al-Husseini and other Arab leaders formed close ties with Nazis and promoted • 1941 Farhud: Arab nationalists murdered rough- the killing of Jewish civilians throughout the area. ly 175 Jews and injured 1,000 more in Baghdad. The attackers looted Jewish property and de- • Arab violence against Jews, however, did not end with stroyed 900 Jewish homes.17 World War II and the establishment of Israel. Arab regimes continued to authorize and sponsor the • 1945 Libya Riots: Rioters killed more than murder and mistreatment of Jews for decades until 140 Jews and injured many more in a pogrom 18 few to no Jews remained in the Arab world. in British-military-controlled Tripolitania.

24 • 1947 Aleppo Pogrom: Rioters murdered roughly • Abu Zaabal and Tora, Egypt: President Gamal 75 Jews and wounded several hundred as part of Abdel Nasser’s government imprisoned more than an anti-Jewish wave of unrest across the Middle 500 Egyptian-Jewish men in the Abu Zaabal and East and North Africa. In the aftermath of the Tora prison camps following Egypt’s 1967 war with pogrom, half the city’s Jewish population fled.19 Israel. The guards of the prisons humiliated internees Violence against Jews continued after World War II. in gruesome conditions as “punishment” for being Jewish.21 • Public hangings under Saddam Hussein: In 1968, Saddam Hussein’s regime publicly hanged 14 men (nine Jews) after falsely accusing them of spying for While Palestinian Arab refugees received Israel. Afterwards, the regime encouraged Iraqis to international support from the UN and others, “come and enjoy the feast,” as half a million people Jewish refugees from Arab states received nothing. paraded and danced past the scaffolds where the Israel and the Jewish community abroad men were hanged.20 financed Jewish absorption to the last cent. i.imgur.com/qShuL8w.jpg Jewish Refugees from Arab countries, 1950. www.vosizneias.com/164535/2014/05/14/gaza-un-tells-story-of-palestinian-exodus/ In this 1968 photo, Palestinian Arab refugees have just arrived in Jordan as part of a continuing exodus of Palestinian Arabs from Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) and Gaza Strip. Photo: AP/G.Nehmeh/UNRWA Photo Archives

25 Israel because other Arab leaders asked them to leave. Right of Return For example, the Jordanian newspaper Falastin wrote on February 19, 1949: “The Arab States encouraged the Definition: Palestinian Arabs to leave their homes temporarily in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that order to be out of the way of the Arab invasion armies.” every refugee has the right to re-enter his or her country of origin. Refugees are also entitled to return to their land.1 • In the 1970s, the Israeli government built homes to settle the refugees in Gaza in an area called Sheikh Myth: al-Duan. However, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)opposed this and refused to There are currently 5 million Palestinian Arab refugees help its own people.6 scattered throughout the Arab World. They are originally from areas within Israel. ° In the 1970s, the UN General Assembly condemned Israel every year for its attempt to rehabilitate the Fact: Palestinian Arab refugees. Each time it stated, “send the refugees to the camps.”7 The vast majority (more than 99% ) of Palestinian Arabs claiming refugee status are not from areas within Israel. • The surrounding Arab countries who host the stateless They are therefore not legally defined as refugees. Palestinian Arabs have continuously persecuted them since they arrived in these countries in 1948. • The “refugees” discussed in the media are descendants of refugees and cannot by law be considered refugees. ° Arab countries, such as Lebanon, have discriminato- ry laws that prevent Palestinian Arabs from acquir- Currently, nearly 5 million people claim Palestinian ° ing adequate housing, high-paying jobs (e.g. lawyer, Arab refugee status. Palestinian Arabs who claim doctor, engineer), and health care simply because of to be refugees are the only refugees in the world their status as Palestinian Arab by birth.8 where their children are considered refugees. The children of Pakistani, German, and all other The Palestinian Arabs who left Israel during the 1948 War refugees are not considered refugees. and are claiming the ‘Right of Return’ are not entitled to it under international law. ° According to the US Senate, only 30,000 out of the 5 million (0.6%) are legally defined as “refugees.” 2 • According to The Universal Declaration of Human • Because the Palestinian Arabs are the only people Rights, no country is required to bestow citizenship whose descendants are considered refugees, Palestinian on any person or group. Arab refugees increase every year while refugees from • As mentioned above, the “refugees” in question are the rest of the world decrease every year. not actually refugees; rather, they are descendants of • Palestinian Arab refugees are the only refugees in the refugees. Therefore, they are not entitled to a “Right world who collect money post-death.3 For 20 years, of Return.” the largest Palestinian Arab refugee camp, Aqabat The descendants of Palestinian Arab refugees are the Jaber, had many recorded births but did not have only descendants of refugees in the world to claim 4 a single recorded death —this is impossible. This refugee status and a ‘Right of Return.’ shows corrupt statistics and finances. Since World War II, more than 40 million people have Arab governments perpetuate the refugee crisis. They become refugees. Countries with ethnic, linguistic, or have refused to stabilize Palestinian Arab “refugees” religious ties to these refugees absorbed millions of them. or permit them to live outside of refugee camps. This For example, Israel absorbed almost 1 million Jews from facilitates further suffering. Arab lands who did not even speak the same language • The British reported in 1947 that right before Israel as the other Jews. On the other hand, not a single Muslim became independent, 561,000 Arabs lived in the land. and/or Arab country except for Jordan has absorbed After the War of Independence in 1949, Israel granted stateless Palestinian Arabs or attempted to rehabilitate them. 140,000 Arabs Israeli citizenship. At the highest possible • In 1949, shortly after Israel declared Independence, estimate, 421,000 Arabs left Israel during Israel’s war of Israel offered to allow many families with people both independence and could potentially claim refugee status.5 inside and outside Israel to reunite and even repatriate • Of the 421,000 Arabs who could potentially claim ref- in the reestablished Jewish state. Local Arab countries ugee status, the majority of these Arabs voluntarily left refused and still refuse to allow this.

26 ° Throughout the 1970s, the Arab block in the Palestinian Arabs outnumber Jews, Israel will become General Assembly condemned Israel every year another Muslim-Arab state. for attempting to rehabilitate stateless Palestinian • Egyptian Foreign Minister Muhammad Salah al-Din Arabs. They did this because they worried this stated this: “It is well-known and understood that the rehabilitation (1) would require recognizing Israel, Arabs, in demanding the return of the refugees to (2) would make the Arab countries accountable Palestine…mean the liquidation of the State of Israel.”10 for the roughly 1 million Arab Jews they forcibly expelled in the 1940s-60s, and (3) would be “In fact, what the alleged right of return is, is a way to contingent upon living in peace with Israel.9 do away with the state of Israel without even lifting up any arms… So long that the right of return exists and Arab leaders continuously state that these descendants so long as the Palestinian communities believe that that have a “Right of Return” to ensure that they outnumber exists, there will be a virtual impossibility for peace to Jews in the State of Israel. Israel is a democracy and if develop”11—Eric Cantor, Former House Majority Leader

Arab countries such as Qatar, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt did not take in a single Arab refugee, many of whom fled voluntarily, while Israel took in about 1 million Jewish refugees who were in danger in Arab lands.

27 • Today, the relationship between Israel and the PA is Arab Leadership in the tense, as the PA continues to sponsor the glorification and incentivization of terrorism in various alleys of Arab-Israeli Conflict the public sphere. The PA sponsors TV shows with Definition: explicit anti-Semitic and violent themes; it names soccer tournaments and schools after suicide bombers; “Arab Leadership” refers to the leaders of the largest Arab additionally it awards stipends to convicted Palestinian players in the Arab-Israeli conflict. These groups include Arab terrorists in Israeli prisons. the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and Hezbollah. The PA also abuses the human rights of its own people. It allows for honor killings of women (killing women Myth: for acting “dishonorably” toward their families);3 it per- 4 Arab leaders seek peace and better lives for Palestinian secutes homosexuals; it denies its people the rights to 5 Arabs. freedom of speech and of the press; it uses humanitari- an aid money for paying terrorists in prison;6 and more. Fact: In the spring of 2014, the PA signed a unity agreement with the terrorist group Hamas (see below). Hamas Arab leaders involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict have continuously calls for the genocide of the Jewish people so far proven to seek the destruction of Israel, with little and has fired thousands of rockets at Jewish and regard for the quality of life for Palestinian Arabs. Palestinian Arab civilians.7 See below for more details. Hamas: Media outlets constantly use terms such as “Palestinian leadership,” “Palestinian Authority,” “President Abbas,” • Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2007 as a dictatorship. and more. One should know what these terms mean in the The United States, European Union, and others context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Who are these leaders? classify Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization. What do these groups stand for? Are these leaders and • Hamas (an acronym in Arabic corresponding to groups viable peace partners? “Islamic Resistance Movement”) is a Palestinian Arab “Palestinian Authority (PA):” Islamist organization. • It has committed more than 18,000 war crimes by • The PA is the internationally recognized government launching more than 18,000 rockets at Israeli civilians. of the Palestinian Arabs within Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”). Israel and the Palestinian Arab leader­ ° In fact, a PA official, Ibrahim Khreisheh (Palestinian ship agreed at the Oslo Accords of 1993 (see “Oslo representative to the UN Human Rights Council) Accords”) to create a Palestinian Arab government even admitted in 2014 that Israel follows internation- to represent and exercise control over nearly all Arabs al law, but the PA and other Palestinian Arab factions in Judea and Samaria. do not: “The missiles that are now being launched against Israel [by Hamas]—each and every missile ° The PA currently governs 98% of the Palestinian constitutes a crime against humanity, whether it hits Arab population living in Judea and Samaria. or misses, because it is directed at civilian targets.” 8 • Currently, the Palestine Liberation Organization • Khreisheh made this statement in response to (PLO, also known as Fatah) maintains total control Palestinian Arab factions and advocates who of the PA. Yasser Arafat founded the PLO in 1964 as asked the PA to press charges against Israel in a guerrilla organization whose charter extolled terrorist the International Criminal Court. He said this actions as the official means to achieve Palestinian to clarify that such charges would only backfire statehood and eliminate “the Zionist entity.”1 because Israel is not guilty. 9 • The United States and Israel considered the PLO a • Similar to the PA, it incites its people to hate and kill terrorist organization until the early 1990s, when the PLO Jews and glorifies terrorism. Additionally, Hamas claimed to recognize Israel’s right to exist in peace and trains children to become martyrs (to honorably give supposedly rejected violence and terrorism; in response, up their lives for their ideology), sacrificing the lives Israel officially recognized the PLO as the representative of innocent children to kill Israeli civilians. of the Palestinian Arab people.2 See “Oslo Accords” to • Hamas co-founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated in learn how the PLO in fact has not honored these commit- 1987 that Hamas was founded to “liberate” Palestine ments, as it still calls for the destruction of Israel and has from Israeli “occupation’”and to establish an Islamic consistently promoted terrorism for the past two decades. state in all of Israel. Hamas’s charter states this as well. 28 • Similar to the PA, Hamas also severely abuses the survivor; one “hero” murdered a police officer; human rights of its own people. It uses civilians as and one “hero” murdered 15 Arabs for possibly human shields;10 steals international aid money and cooperating with Israel. resources intended for its people for terrorist purpos- • He wrote his doctoral thesis based on Holocaust denial. es;11 facilitates the death of children through the use of child labor (it used child­ren to build terror tunnels Ismail Haniyeh: Senior political leader of Hamas and former 12 into Israel—more than 160 children died doing this); Prime Minister of Gaza carries out honor killings of women (killing women for acting “dishonorably” toward their families);13 it • Haniyeh continuously incites his people to hate and kill imprisons homosexuals;14 it denies its people the rights Jews. Similar to Abbas, he authorizes his media outlets and to freedom of speech and of the press;15 it murders schools to teach children to kill Jews and destroy Israel. 16 17 protesters, political opposition, and those willing ° A couple of examples of messages spread via Hamas to work with Israel.18 media include: “Killing Jews is worship that draws us close to Allah.” Hezbollah: (2012) 21 • Hezbollah, meaning “Party of God” in Arabic, is “Repeat in the name of your Jihad: Death to Israel!” a US-designated terrorist group based in Lebanon. 22 Many consider the organization a “state within a state,” (2012) as it maintains seats in the Lebanese parliament and A child vows to “Shoot the Jews” on public tele‑ has its own radio and TV station. vision. (2014) 23 • The group controls most of southern Lebanon and came • Here is what Haniyeh has to say about terrorism and to power by way of intense funding and weapons-supply the destruction of Israel: from Iran. Today, Hezbollah is responsible for aiding At a graduation for 13,000 graduates from the many terrorist causes, including Bashar al-Assad’s ° Hamas youth paramilitary camps, designed to dictatorial regime in Syria and Hamas in Gaza. encourage Gazan teens “to follow in the footsteps • With Iranian support, Hezbollah has carried out of the suicide martyrs”: “This is a generation which numerous terrorist attacks against the United States knows no fear. It is the generation of the missile, the and its allies, including the bombing of the US Marine tunnel and suicide operations.” (2014) 24 barracks in Beirut in 1983 that killed 241 Americans. “The Islamic resistance movement of Hamas, by The group has also murdered Jewish and Arab civilians ° definition, is a jihadist movement by the Muslim in Israel and currently has at least 150,000 rockets Brotherhood, Palestinian on the surface, Islamic pointed at Israel. 19 at its core and its goal is liberation.” (2012) 25 • Hezbollah violates the basic human rights of the people of Lebanon. It denies its people the right to freedom of ° In a televised speech in March of 2014, Haniyeh expression; it uses its own people as human shields extolled martyrdom by stating that “out of depriva- tion, we shall establish the balance of terror. Out while trying to destroy Israel; it commits the war crime 26 of preaching the genocide of Jews in its schools; and of the ruins, we shall rock Tel Aviv.” much more.20 Hassan Nasrallah: Leader of Hezbollah, a US-designated Mahmoud Abbas: current president of the Palestinian terrorist group Authority • Nasrallah led Hezbollah in a terrorist operation • Despite preaching peace in the international media, against Israel that scorched much of Lebanon. Abbas continuously authorizes his government to Under his command, Hezbollah war tactics (including incentivize terror and promote the genocide of the the use of human shields) caused the deaths of Jewish people. His government funds anti-Semitic and hundreds of Lebanese civilians. violent children’s TV shows and names public squares • Nasrallah considers himself the champion of the and streets after noted suicide bombers. Palestinian Arab cause, yet he repeatedly and • He publicly honors terrorists who murdered Jewish civil- unapologetically denies citizenship to Palestinian ians in “acts of resistance” and refers to them as “heroes.” Arabs in Lebanon ° He referred to three convicted terrorists as • Nasrallah said in August of 2013 that Israel “is a cancer “heroes” in a speech in Ramallah in December of that must be eradicated.” 28 2013. One “hero” murdered an elderly Holocaust 29 Palestine 19 Jacob Freid (1962). Jews in the Modern World. 7 IDF Blog, Rocket Attacks on Israel from Gaza, 2014. 1 Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Philistine. Twayne Publishers. p. 68. Retrieved 18 October 8 Arutz Sheva, PA Official Admits: Israel Follows 2 Jewish Virtual Library, Ancient Jewish History, 2010. International Law, We Don’t, July 13, 2014 Bar-Kokhba Revolt. 20 Green, David B. “This Day in Jewish History/ 9 Ibid Nine Jewish ‘spies’ Are Hanged in Baghdad.” 10 The Algemeiner, Conclusive Proof that Hamas Uses Colonialism www.haaretz.com. Haaretz, 27 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Palestinians as Human Shields, August 7, 2014 1 Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Colonialism June 2014. 11 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas Steals Medicine 2 Jewish Virtual Library, Pre-State Israel: The Arabs 21 The Forgotten Refugees. Dir. Michael Grynszpan. and Food Sent by Donors, February 5, 2009. See in Palestine Perf. Irwin Cotler and Gina Waldman. IsraTV, Also: Jerusalem Post, The Corruption at the Head 3 The Making of the Modern Near East, M.E. Yapp, 2005. DVD. of Hamas, July 20, 2014 September 1, 1987 12 Tablet Magazine, Hamas Killed 160 Palestinian Right of Return Children to Build Tunnels, July 25, 2014. Palestinian Refugees 1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 13 The Algemeiner, Palestinian Honor Killings 1 Times of Israel, US Senate dramatically scales (www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/) Dramatically Increase in 2013, October 2, 2013 down definition of Palestinian ‘refugees,’ May 25, 2 Times of Israel, US Senate dramatically scales down 14 IDF Blog, Seven Years Later: Gaza’s Reality Under 2012. definition of Palestinian ‘refugees,’ May 25, 2012. Hamas, January 25, 2013. 2 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for 3 The Hostages of Hatred, A film by Pierre Rehov: 15 Al Monitor, Attacks on Freedom of Speech Con- Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, Palestinian A Journey in the Palestinian Territories, Searching tinue in Gaza, May 29, 2013. Refugees (www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees) for the Origins of the Conflict, 2004 16 The Algemeiner, Hamas Police Shoot, Kill Starv- 3 Middle East Quarterly, Why a Special Issue on 4 Ibid ing Gazans a Day After Executing Protesters, July UNRWA?, Fall 2012 5 Katz, Samuel Battleground: Facts and Fantasy in 29, 2014 4 The Hostages of Hatred, A film by Pierre Rehov: Palestine NY, NY 2002 17 Palestinian Media Watch, War coverage bulletins: A Journey in the Palestinian Territories, Searching 6 The Hostages of Hatred, A film by Pierre Rehov: Hamas gangs kill Fatah members in Gaza, January for the Origins of the Conflict, 2004 A Journey in the Palestinian Territories, Searching 18, 2009 5 Ibid for the Origins of the Conflict, 2004 18 Arutz Sheva, Hamas Executes Dozens of Palestin- 6 Times of Israel, US Senate dramatically scales 7 Ibid ians for ‘Collaboration’, August 7, 2014 down definition of Palestinian ‘refugees,’ May 25, 8 “Exiled and Suffering: Palestinian Refugees in 19 Israel Raises Hezbollah Rocket Estimate to 2012. Lebanon” Amnesty International, October 2007 150,000. Times of Israel, Avi Issacharoff, Novem- 7 “Why Is Jordan Keeping Out Palestinian Refu- 9 Official Documents System of the United Nations ber 12, 2015. gees?” Gatestone Institute, April 17, 2012. (www.daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLU- 20 IDF Blog, While the World Celebrates Human 8 “Exiled and Suffering: Palestinian Refugees in TION/GEN/NR0/043/65/IMG/NR004365. Rights, Hezbollah Violates Them, December 10, Lebanon” Amnesty International, October 2007 pdf?OpenElement) 2013. 9 Official Documents System of the United Nations 10 Al-Misri, (October 11, 1949), cited in Jewish Virtu- 21 Palestinian Media Watch, Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), (www.daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/ al Library, The Arab-Israeli Conflict in Internation- November 18, 2012. GEN/NR0/043/65/IMG/NR004365.pdf?OpenEle- al Law, (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1970), p. 109. 22 Palestinian Media Watch, Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), ment) 11 The Hostages of Hatred, A film by Pierre Rehov: November 22, 2012. 10 CAMERA, Why Palestinians Still Live in Refugee A Journey in the Palestinian Territories, Searching 23 Fox News, Terror TV for Tots: Hamas show has Camps for the Origins of the Conflict, 2004 child vowing to “Shoot the Jews,” May 09, 2014. 11 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 24 IDF Blog: Hamas Terrorism 101, 13,000 Teens Arab Leadership in the Arab-Israeli Graduate from Hamas Youth Terror Programs, Frequently Asked Questions about Resettlement Conflict (www.unhcr.org/4ac0873d6.pdf) January 19, 2014. 12 Danny Ayalon: “The Truth About the Refugees: 1 William L. Cleveland, A History of the Modern 25 FrontPage Mag, The New Egypt: We Will Never Israel Palestinian Conflict,” December 4, 2011. Middle East, Westview Press (2004). Recognize Israel, January 4, 2012. 13 The Hostages of Hatred, A film by Pierre Rehov: A 2 Kim Murphy. “Israel and PLO, in Historic Bid for 26 The Middle East Media Research Institute, Hamas Journey in the Palestinian Territories, Searching for Peace, Agree to Mutual Recognition,” Los Angeles PM Haniya Extols Martyrdom, Says: We Shall the Origins of the Conflict, 2004 Times, 10 September 1993. Rock Tel Aviv, March 23, 2014. 14 Ibid 3 The Algemeiner: Honor Killings in Palestinian 27 Passner, Deborah (26 July 2006). “Hassan Nasral- 15 Ibid Authority Territory Double in One Year, February lah: In His Own Words.” CAMERA. 16 Ibid 12, 2014 28 “Pressed on Syria, Hezbollah Leader Urges Focus on 17 Martin Gilbert. The Atlas of Jewish History, Wil- 4 Times of Israel: Gay Palestinian to Court: Deport Israel.” New York Times. 2 August 2013. liam Morrow and Company, 1993. pg. 114. ISBN Me and I’ll be Killed, May 25, 2012 0-688-12264-7. 5 Gatestone Institute: Freedom of Expression? Not 18 Goldberg, Harvey E. (1990), “The Anti-Jewish for Palestinians, February 13, 2013 Riots of 1945: A Cultural Analysis,” Jewish Life in 6 Palestinian Media Watch, PA Salaries to Terrorists. Muslim Libya: Rivals and Relatives, University of See Also: The Algemeiner, Ninth Lesson From the Chicago Press, ISBN 9780226300924. Gaza War: Hamas Will Use Humanitarian Aid for Evil, July 24, 2014

30 Legal Terms & Agreements

• The Palestinian Arabs had the opportunity to have UN Partition Plan their own state and government, controlled by no one but themselves. They rejected that opportunity.3 Definition: • After the UN General Assembly’s approval of the After the British gave nearly 80% of British Mandate Partition Plan, the Arabs promised to ‘throw the Palestine—land originally designated for a Jewish home­ Jews into the sea.’4 land—to the Palestinian Arabs to create Jordan, the UN When Jewish leaders David Horowitz and Abba General Assembly recommended to the Security Council ° Eban attempted to create a last-minute compromise to partition the remainder of the area (of British Mandate with the Arabs, Azzam Pasha (Arab League Secre- Palestine) in 1947 to create a Jewish state and a second tary) informed them that “The Arab world is not in Palestinian Arab state. While Jewish leaders reluctantly a compromising mood. It’s likely, Mr. Horowitz, that accepted this plan (it included far less land than the Zionist your plan is rational and logical, but the fate of nations movement wanted for a Jewish state and left Jerusalem under is not decided by rational logic. Nations never concede; the control of the international community), Arab leadership they fight. You won’t get anything by peaceful means or refused this offer. Instead, Palestinian Arabs and their Arab compromise. You can, perhaps, get something, but only neighbors attacked the newly formed State of Israel. by the force of your arms. We shall try to defeat you.”5 Myth: • After the 1948 war where the Arab World invaded Israel with genocidal intent, Israel gave citizenship The UN Partition Plan took land away from the Palestinian and full rights to the Palestinian Arabs who stayed Arabs. in Israel during the war.6 Facts: • Egypt (in control of the Gaza Strip) and Jordan (in control of Judea and Samaria) did not seek to Since a state of “Palestine” has never existed (see “Pales– establish a Palestinian Arab state in their respective tine” for more information), the UN Partition plan in fact territories.7 In fact, they both rejected all claims of sought to give land to the Palestinian Arabs for the first a Palestinian Arab state to the land. time in history. But Palestinian Arab and other Arab Jordan illegally annexed Judea and Samaria (the leaders rejected the UN Partition Plan meant to create ° “West Bank”) in 1950, but this was recognized only a second Palestinian Arab state and instead attempted by Britain and Pakistan. to destroy the fledgling Jewish state. The Arab World only began calling for a Palestinian • The UN Special Commission on Palestine (UNSCOP) Arab state in Judea and Samaria and Gaza after Israel recommended the creation of two states, one Jewish took control of the territories in 1967, when the Arab and the other Arab, and that Jerusalem become an World again tried to destroy Israel. international protectorate.1 • Israel gained more land than the UN authorized in the • Under the Partition Plan, 60% of the land the Jews Partition Plan in the 1948 War only afterArab armies would receive was desert, while the Arabs would invaded Israel.8 The Jewish state won the land in a de- receive the majority of the agricultural land.2 fensive war, which international law defines as legal. 31 stole Palestine…and established the so-called State Oslo Accords of Israel.” [Arabic Language, Analysis, Literature Definition: and Criticism, grade 12, page 104] “All these reports about [the Palestinian Authority] • In the early 1990s, Israeli leaders worked with Arab ° recognizing Israel are false. It’s all media nonsense…. leaders to create the first Palestinian Arab govern- [We] will never relinquish the armed struggle no ment in history (after Jordan failed to identify as a matter how long the occupation continues.” Palestinian Arab state, despite legally being defined —Rafik Natsheh, Palestinian Authority Minister/ as one). This government (the Palestinian Authority) Chairman Fatah Disciplinary Court [July, 2009] was established through the Oslo Accords. “Believe me, if we had nuclear weapons we would • The Oslo Accords are a set of agreements between ° use them tomorrow morning.”—Jibril Rajoub, the government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation PA Deputy Secretary-General [May, 2013] speaking Organization (PLO): the Oslo I Accord, signed in Oslo about Israel in 1993 and the Oslo II Accord, signed in Taba in 1995. • PA President Yasser Arafat admitted that the Oslo • The PLO became the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Accords was simply the first step in Israel’s phased the internationally recognized governing body of the destruction. Palestinian Arabs. In 1974, the PLO created the “Phased Plan” for • The PLO agreed to the following conditions: ° Israel’s destruction, which stated the following:2 1. Recognize the right of Israel to exist. ° The PLO will provoke an all-out war in which ° 2. Edit the PLO charter to remove the component Israel’s Arab neighbors will destroy it entirely. calling for Israel’s destruction. Through “armed struggle” (i.e., terrorism), the ° 3. Commit to a peaceful resolution. PLO will establish an “independent combatant national authority” over any territory “liberated” ° 4. PLO assumption of security responsibility. from Israeli rule. ° 5. Cease all incitement of hatred towards Israel (and Jews). The PLO will continue the struggle against Israel, using the territory it gained under the Oslo In response to these concessions from the Palestine Agreement as a base of operations. Liberation Organization, Israel agreed to recognize the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian Arabs.1 ° Arafat went on Jordanian television the same evening he publicly agreed to the Oslo Accords and said the Accords represent the first phase in Israel’s Myth: destruction.3 The Palestinian Arab leadership recognized Israel and truly • The PLO never changed its charter that calls for wanted peace to result from this accord. The PA upheld its Israel’s destruction.4 side of the agreement. ° The PLO charter still says today that “The liberation Fact: of Palestine, from an Arab viewpoint, is a national (qawmi) duty and it attempts to repel the Zionist and The Palestinian Authority (PA) never honored its imperialist aggression against the Arab homeland, agreements from the Oslo Accords. and aims at the elimination of Zionism in Palestine.”5 • After Oslo, PA leaders continued to call for Israel’s • The PA has consistently failed to prevent the destruction, thus refusing to recognize the right of recruitment of terrorists for service in the Israel to exist. Here are just some of many examples: Palestinian Police. The PA promised in the Oslo ° “I say once more that Israel shall remain the principal Accords to notify Israel of all recruits for its police enemy of the Palestinian people, not only now but service, but it fails to do so.6 also in the future.”—Freih Abu Middein, PA Minister • The Palestinian Authority failed in its responsibility of Justice in a speech read in the name of PA to confiscate and disband militias in its newly created President Yasser Arafat (May 1995) security territories. Due to the PA’s inaction, numerous ° “Palestine’s war ended with a catastrophe that is terrorist groups (ranging from Hamas to Islamic Jihad) unprecedented in history, when the Zionist gangs now populate this small area.7 In addition, it has failed 32 to extradite terrorists to Israel, something it promised to do under the agreement.8 The Palestinian Authority has failed to stop the incite- ment to hate and kill Jews. ° Multiple schools sponsored by the Palestinian Auth- ­ ority quote Hitler on their Facebook pages: “I could have killed all the Jews in the world, but I left a few so that you would know why I killed them.” ° “The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones and trees will call: ‘Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’” —PA Mufti Muhammad Hussein on January 9, 9 2012. The mufti is one of the main religious authori- www.cj303addict.wordpress.com/2015/05/16/brave-finn-told-the-truth-enemy-jews-have-a- death-grip-on-u-s-finance-and-media/ 10 Published in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, a Palestinian Arab newspaper, this image ties in the PA. depicts Jews as in control of America. It is one of many examples of anti-Semitic propaganda published in PA media, November 11, 2009. ° The cartoon at right, which depicts Jews as in control of America, was published in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, a Palestinian Arab newspaper, on November 11, 2009. This is just one of many anti-Semitic cartoons the PA publishes in its media outlets. ° A PA-sponsored magazine, Zayzafuna, which is directed towards children, consistently implores ° Palestinian Arab textbooks teach children that Israel its readers to destroy Israel. 12 should not exist.11 The textbooks do not even show Israel on the map. These textbooks also deny Jewish • Conversely, Israel has honored the Oslo Agree- history in Israel and teach children to violently take ments, as it teaches children that the PA is the rec- control of all of Israel. ognized governing body of the Palestinian Arabs.

33 ° Palestinian Arabs would control Arab neighbor- Camp David Accords hoods in Jerusalem and Muslim holy sites. Definition: ° Palestinian Arab “refugees” would be allowed to re- turn to the new Palestinian Arab state with monetary In July of 2000, President Clinton, Palestinian Authority (PA) compensation from the international community. President Yasser Arafat, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak met at Camp David to try to agree on a peace deal. • It is important to note that these “refugees” are not actually refugees; rather, they are the descen- • Clinton and Barak gave many potential land offers dants of refugees. to Arafat, all of which he dismissed. Palestinian Arab prisoners (most of whom Israel offered 94-96% of Judea and Samaria (the ° ° are convicted criminals) would be released “West Bank”) to Arafat. from Israeli prisons. • In December, Arafat rejected Clinton’s comprehensive • Arafat refused to negotiate within this generous and generous offer for a Palestinian Arab state. framework offered by President Clinton and • Instead of finding a solution to peace, Arafat planned accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Barak. and led the Intifada—a wave of Palestinian Arab ter- Regarding Arafat’s rejection of the Israeli offer, Pres- rorist attacks that resulted in the murder of hundreds ° ident Clinton stated in his autobiography, “I couldn’t of innocent civilians. believe anyone would be foolish enough to let it go.” 3 Myth: ° Clinton also stated, “Arafat’s rejection of my proposal after Barak accepted it was an error of historic Israel is to blame for the failure of peace talks at the Camp proportions.” 4 David Summit. • President Clinton later noted that the “only contribu- Fact: tion” Arafat offered was hisdenial of Jewish history. Arafat claimed that the Jewish Temple was never in Yasser Arafat was never interested in creating peace with Jerusalem and therefore he could not accept Israeli Israel. His refusal to compromise at the Camp David sovereignty in the capital of the Jewish state.5 Summit proved to both American and Israeli leaders that the Palestinian Arab leadership did not want to end the Despite Arafat’s unwillingness to negotiate, Israel offered conflict. historic concessions in an effort to make peace with its Palestinian Arab neighbors. • Yasser Arafat rejected Israeli offers that Egyptian President Mubarak called “historic compromises.” • In the last few days of the Camp David Summit, an Israeli cabinet minister said Israel is ready to accept • Mahmoud Abbas, the current president of the PA shared sovereignty in Jerusalem—the holiest city in and a lead negotiator at Camp David, said before the world for the Jewish people.6 the summit began that the “Palestinian side is unable to make concessions on anything.”1 • Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak presented many Israeli concessions at Camp David. Following the • President Clinton offered the following to both Israeli summit, Clinton praised the Israeli delegation for its and Palestinian Arab leaders in December of 2000. willingness to compromise.7 Israeli PM Ehud Barak accepted this offer, while Arafat rejected it and instead resorted to violence2: Though the Summit ended without a final agreement, all three parties (Clinton, Barak, and Arafat) issued ° Israel would give 94-96% of Judea and Samaria (the a trilateral statement that intended to create an “West Bank”) to the Palestinian Arabs. environment for future negotiations. In the final 8 • This land would include Hebron in the Judean agreement, Barak and Arafat stated: Hills, which is the second holiest city for Jews in • All sides agreed to maintain a peaceful atmosphere the world. until a deal would be reached. ° An international security force would be gradually • All sides also agreed to return to the negotiating table introduced to monitor the situation. to further discuss a final deal. ° The Palestinian Arabs would have an independent Arafat IMMEDIATELY violated this agreement by security force and sovereignty over their airspace. planning and spearheading the Intifada (a wave of

34 terrorist attacks against Israeli Jewish and Arab civilians) • After the failure at Camp David, Arafat traveled to and boasted his pro-war positions to Arab leaders. several Arab states to receive support for his aggressive positions on Israel.9 • Rather than negotiating with Clinton and Barak, Arafat planned a wave of Palestinian Arab terrorism that he • While many mistakenly believe that Ariel Sharon’s visit believed would put extreme pressure on Israel. to the Temple Mount sparked this wave of violence, Suha Arafat (Yasser Arafat’s wife) stated, “He had • During this wave of violence, Palestinian Arab already decided to carry out an Intifada after the Oslo terrorists murdered Israeli civilians through public Accords and the failure of Camp David.”10 bombings, rocket attacks, and mass shootings.

UN Partition Plan Oslo Accords Camp David Accords 1 Palestine Facts, Arabs Reject UN Partition Plan, 1 My Jewish Learning, Why the Oslo Accords Failed. 1 Jewish Virtual Library, 2000 Camp David 2013. 2 iris.org, The PLO’s Phased Plan. Summit: Background & Overview 2 Jewish Virtual Library, Myths & Facts: Partition. 3 The Oslo Syndrome: Delusions of a People Under 2 Ibid 3 Ibid Siege, Levin, Kenneth, March, 2005 3 Ibid 4 Israel Diplomatic Network, The Partition Plan- 4 Likoed Nederland, Amending the PLO Covenant, 4 Jewish Virtual Library, Bill Clinton Administra- 65 Years Later, November 29,2012. October 1, 1997 tion: Reflections on the 2000 Camp David Summit 5 Palestine Facts, Arabs Reject UN Partition Plan. 5 Yale: The Avalon Project: The Palestinian National 5 Ibid 6 Israel Diplomatic Network, The Partition Plan- Charter. 6 BBC: Camp David Timeline 65 Years Later, November 29,2012. 6 JTA, Israel Cites Violates by Palestinian Authority, 7 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Conclusion of 7 Myths and Facts, UN Resolution 181- The Parti- October 30, 1996 the Camp David Summit- Key Points, July 25, 2000 tion Plan. 7 Freeman.Org, Prime Minister’s Office Issues List 8 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trilateral State- 8 Palestine-Israel Journal, Why the UN Partition Of Major Plo Violations Of The Oslo Accords, ment on the Middle East Peace Summit at Camp Plan Wasn’t Implemented October 24,1996 David, July 25, 2000 8 Wildolive.co.uk, The Oslo Accords 9 Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, The Peace 9 Palestinian Media Watch, PA Mufti: Muslims’ Process After Camp David, August 5, 2000 destiny to kill Jews, January 25, 2014 10 Palestinian Media Watch, Arafat planned and led 10 Veracity Voice, Fool Me Once, Shame On You; the intifada: Testimonies from PA leaders and Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me, July 16, 2011 others, November 28, 2011 11 The New York Times, To Shape Young Palestinians, Hamas Creates its Own Textbooks, November 3, 2013 12 Palestinian Media Watch, Children as Combatants

35 Terrorism & Counterterrorism

of August 9, 2001 at the Sbarro restaurant in down- Intifada (2000-2005) town Jerusalem.2 Definition: • A Palestinian Arab bus attacker (Khalil Mohammed Abu Alba) killed 8 young adults on February 14, is an Arabic word that translates into (ةضافتنا) Intifada 2001 outside Tel Aviv.3 “shaking off,” referring to theattempt to eradicate the Jewish people. This term is used by Palestinian Arabs and • These same aggressors also killed Palestinian Arab describes the terror they inflicted on Israeli civilians. civilians by using them as human shields and shoot- Many people falsely translate the term to mean “resistance” ing those suspected of collaborating with Israelis. or “rebellion,” but this is inaccurate. • Palestinian Arab leaders incited their people to commit acts of terror and murder civilians. Myth: ° “Corruption is in the nature of the Jews all over the world, The Second Intifada started when Palestinian Arabs acted as to the point where only rarely do you find corruption freedom fighters to resist the Israeli government after soon- that Jews are not behind.” —Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (official to-be Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount. Palestinian Authority newspaper), July 11, 19984 Facts: ° “Oh, Allah, destroy America as it is controlled by Zionist Jews… Allah will avenge, in the name of his Prophet, the The Palestinian Arabs involved in the Intifada colonialist settlers who are the descendants of apes and intentionally murdered civilians, thus acting as terrorists. pigs… “ —Ikrima Sabri, Head of the [Palestinian] The Second Intifada was a period of intensified Palestinian Organization of Clerics and Disseminators of Islam and Arab murder and violence towards Israeli civilians. It was former Mufti of Jerusalem, in sermon, Radio Voice of 5 the second Palestinian Arab violent uprising of its kind. Palestine (Fatah), July 11, 1997 • Palestinian Arab terrorists murdered hundreds of ° “Blessed is he who dons a vest of explosives on himself Israeli civilians in suicide bombings, mass shootings, or on his children and goes into the depth of the Jews and rocket attacks. They carried out these attacks on and says: ‘Allahu Akbar, blessed be Allah.’ Like the public buses, restaurants, shopping centers, and more. collapse of the building upon the heads of the Jews in their sinful dance-hall, I ask of Allah that we see the ° These “freedom fighters”committed hundreds Knesset collapsing on the heads of the Jews.”—PA TV, of acts of terror against civilians during the 5-year- June 8, 20016 long Intifada. Here are just a few examples: These statements show that Ariel Sharon’s visit to the • A Hamas suicide bomber murdered 21 civilians Temple Mount (the holiest site in the world for Jews) (mostly youths) and injured 120 more outside in September of 2000 did not start this Intifada. a nightclub in Tel Aviv on June 1, 2001.1 • Prior to Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount, PA • A suicide bomber (from Hamas) murdered 15 President Yasser Arafat and other PA leaders had been civilians and injured about 100 more on the evening 36 inciting their people to hate and kill Jews for years; ° “Whoever thinks that the Intifada started because of this incitement led Palestinian Arabs to start an the hated Sharon’s visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque (Temple unprovoked Intifada. Mount) is mistaken…This Intifada was already planned since [Arafat] the President returned from Leading up to the Intifada, the Palestinian Arab ° the recent talks at Camp David (July 2000).” government increased its militant broadcasts, —Arafat’s PA Minister of Communications Imad established Palestinian Arab military training Faluji, December 200010 camps, extended Palestinian Arab armed forces beyond their signed agreements in the Oslo ° “If we want to be truthful and open, history will reveal Accords, failed to confiscate illegal weapons, and one day—that it (the Intifada) and all its directives permitted frequent releases of terrorist detainees belong to the President and Supreme Commander from Palestinian Arab prisons.7 Yasser Arafat.”—Deputy Director of the PA’s Political and National Education Authority, Mazen Izz • “ Arafat didn’t lack fighters. In the Intifada, when 11 Arafat wanted something, he asked his security Al-Din, May 2002 services, 40% of which were either killed, Shahids ° “We [the PLO and PA security services] are the ones (Martyrs), or prisoners.” —PA TV Sept. 28, 2010 who started it.”—PA TV September 28, 201012 • Numerous PA leaders admitted that Arafat planned ° While Sharon agreed to all requests made by the this wave of terror despite Sharon’s visit to the Temple Arab leadership regarding his visit, his visit was 8 Mount. followed by five years of terror and murder. The ° “He had already decided to carry out an Intifada after incitement listed above clearly outlines Arafat was the Oslo Accords and the failure of Camp David.” the cause of this terror. -Arafat’s wife, Suha Arafat, July 20009

Civilians carry an injured woman to an ambulance after Palestinian- Arab suicide bomber kills five and wounds 87 in a crowded Jerusalem restaurant. August 9, 2001. www.jr.co.il/terror/israel/index18.htm

Suicide bombing in Tel Aviv destroyed a bus and killed six in 2002. www.jewishcurrents.org/september-19-palestinian-terrorism-in-israel-31907 37 • As a result, the IDF intercepted 1,000 major Separation Wall terrorist attacks, one-third of which were planned 4 Definition: kidnappings. A security barrier is put in place for security reasons ° For the first time in four decades, no Israelis were between two governing bodies in many places throughout killed in terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria in the world. For example, there is a security barrier between 2012 (although there was an increase in the number the US and Mexico. of attacks in Judea and Samaria, from 320 in 2011 to 578 in 2012.).5 The security barrier in Israel, often falsely referred to as a “separation wall,” was built to stop the infiltration of • One should note that nine Israelis, however, died terrorists into the Jewish state. The term “separation in terrorist attacks in other areas of Israel in 2012. wall” is misleading, as the intent of the barrier is to protect ° Eight Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks in 2009 Israeli civilians from terror and not to separate Israelis and (after the near-completion of the security barrier), Palestinian Arabs. compared to 457 in 2002 (before the security barrier).6 The barrier stands around and within different areas of • There isno difference between the reason the Israeli Judea and Samaria (the ‘West Bank). While the barrier often security barrier was erected and the reason for the separates Palestinian Arab and Israeli communities, the Turkish security barrier on the Syrian border in purpose of the barrier is not to separate civilians; rather, the 2014: to block out danger. In the case of Israel, PLO purpose is to separate areas governed by Israel and areas and Hamas terrorists carried out hundreds of attacks governed by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, who and terrorized Jewish and Arab Israeli civilians. have—and continue to—endorse and fund acts of terror. ° While terrorists still attempt to infiltrate the Jewish The term is also misleading because more than 90% of the 1 state, the security barrier allows the IDF to contain barrier is a fence, not a wall. these attempts and prevent them from resulting in mass murder. Myth: The security barrier does not eliminate the flow of goods; The security barrier was put up to separate Palestinian the transfer of goods is closely monitored for security Arabs from Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens. It also restricts purposes, but is in no way prohibited. the flow of goods. • Israel provides crossing points to allow for the move- Fact: ment of people (both Israeli and Palestinian Arabs) and the transfer of goods.7 Please see “Checkpoints” The security barrier did not exist before 2002. However, for more details. the terror from the Second Intifada (a period of intense Palestinian Arab violence and aggression against Israeli Note: The checkpoints, like the security barriers, exist across civilians), forced the Israeli government to construct a security the globe between separately governed territories. This is not barrier that would prevent Palestinian Arab terrorists from a separation between ethnic groups. Arab-Israeli citizens live conducting vicious attacks and killing civilians. as Israelis within Israel’s borders. • The presence of the security barrier has significantly Just as Americans—regardless of ethnicity—are checked decreased the amount of terrorist attacks and civilian at the Canadian border, so too are Israelis and Palestinian deaths since 2002.2 Arabs passing over into separately governed territories. ° In 2012, the IDF caught roughly 1,500 people trying It should also be noted that the Palestinian Arab population to enter Israel either illegally or with weapons.3 Before more commonly crosses over the border than do Israelis: the security barrier existed, these terrorists would not Palestinian Arabs living in PA governed territory in Judea have been caught (as they could have crossed freely and Samaria are permitted to cross over the border into Israel; into Israel at any given place); this previously led to conversely, Israelis are not permitted to enter Area A of Judea the massacre of Jews. However, as a result of the and Samaria (see “Settlements” for more details). security barrier, the IDF caught these people at border crossings (see “Checkpoints”).

38 The presence of the security barrier has significantly decreased the number of terrorist attacks and civilian deaths since 2002. www.israelmuse.com/2010/07/stats-west-bank-barrier-and-its-effect.html#.VcPYqmTF9h4

39 Checkpoints Border Crossings Ensure Safe Passage for Civilians Palestinian Arab terrorists frequently commit the war Definition: crime of using ambulances as a means to transport weapons and explosives.3 The border crossings, often referred to as “checkpoints” in Israel, are the security border crossings stationed at the • Before the border crossings were established, these borders between two governing bodies: in this case, Israel weapons, as well as suicide bombers, entered unmoni- and the Palestinian Authority. These “checkpoints” are tored into Israel. They often gained access to Israel by similar to those between the United States and Mexico, driving or riding in Red Crescent (similar to the Red for example. Cross) ambulances. They still misuse this medical route as a means to transport weapons, but the border Myth: crossings help the IDF to limit terror by stopping these weapons from entry before they are used to harm The checkpoints were put in place to (1) discriminate civilians. against minorities by separating Palestinian Arabs from Israelis, (2) abuse civilians, and (3) deprive Palestinian ° The terrorist use of this tactic has reaffirmed the Arabs of basic access to social services and daily resources. necessity for checkpoint use. This is yet another example of how terrorists are making life unneces- 4 Fact: sarily difficult for innocent Palestinian Arabs. Border crossings exist between any two governing bodies Although terrorists often take advantage of the “medical in the world, not just between Israel and the Palestinian route” to infiltrate Israel, Israel permitted more than Authority. 18,000 Palestinian Arabs from Gaza and 175,000 from Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), including approximately 7,500 children, to travel to hospitals Israel, like all countries, institutes border crossings in Israel in 2010, despite the fact that Israel has no for one reason: to maintain and monitor obligation to allow entry to non-citizens.5 the safety of its civilians. • Many of these patients receive life-saving treatments In Israel’s case, the border crossings serve to prevent in Israel that are not otherwise made available to them Palestinian Arab terrorists from infiltrating Israel. by their own governments in the Palestinian Arab 6 • In 2012, the Israel Defense Forces caught roughly territories. These governments do not lack money; 1,500 people trying to enter Israel either illegally or but the money they possess is often used for terrorist with weapons.1 Only 9 people were killed in 2012, purposes rather than to build educational and medical 7 while 457 were killed in 2002 (before these safety infrastructure. precautions went into effect).2 According to IDF guidelines, any Palestinian Arab in The checkpoints were erected as a result of the Second need of urgent medical care is allowed passage through Intifada (the second wave of Palestinian Arab terrorism border crossings. against Israeli Jewish and Arab civilians). • Because the governing body of Gaza (Hamas) and areas under the Palestinian Authority do not offer Because terrorist groups and individuals continuously ° adequate medical treatment and resources*, Israel brought a heavy volume of weapons into the country, is sensitive to the medical needs of Palestinian Arabs Israel established border crossings to monitor entry including providing aid for basic surgery, emergency into Israel, much like the border patrol between the treatments, childbirth, and other medical needs.8 US and Mexico. * There are hospitals and pharmacies in Gaza All individuals going through the border crossings— ° (“Pharmacies look as well-supplied as a typical Israelis and Palestinian Arabs alike—are questioned RiteAid in the United States.” —Washington Post, and searched before crossing the border. June 2010);9 however, there is still a deficiency in Unfortunately, the ‘checkpoints’ are an inconvenience to medical coverage. This deficiency is not due to lack innocent Palestinian Arabs and Israelis seeking to pass of funding, but rather due to Hamas’s dishonest use through. However, these border crossings are a necessary of money (stealing for personal use10 11) or for security measure. Monitoring content brought over the terrorist purposes (compensating convicted terror- borders in either direction prevents terror and saves ists, launching rockets, and building tunnels to attack innocent lives, both in Israel and surrounding countries. Israelis).12 13 40 • Palestinian Arabs are even permitted to enter Israel for routine medical care unless there is a security problem. In those cases, Palestinian Arabs can appeal decisions and are offered other options, such as transfer 14 to neighboring states. • The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Code of Ethics includes a clause outlining Purity of Arms, which strictly and explicitly requires soldiers to disobey commands which promote unlawful treatment.15 “Israeli hospitals extend humanitarian treatment to Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and West Bank. These efforts continued when all other cooperation between www.demotix.com/photo/1471660/palestinian-vendor- displays-his-stock-fruit-market-gaza Gazan markets are flooded with Israeli products.19 Palestinians and Israelis came to a halt during the most recent intifada.”—Palestinian obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, 2005 - Resource accessibility The border crossings do NOT prohibit resources from crossing the border; their sole purpose is to disable terrorist efforts. • In fact, every month the Israeli government transfers hundreds of truckloads filled with medicine and other forms of aid to Gaza.16 • Israel has given construction materials as aid to Gaza in the past. Unfortunately, Hamas has used these materials for terror and harm, such as building tunnels

through which it kidnaps, injures, and kills Israeli www.ukmediawatch.org/2012/07/13/the-gaza-youll-never-see-in-the-guardian/com ment-page-1/a civilians,17 while also harming its own civilians in the A street vendor prepares shwarma at the Friday market in Gaza City.20 process (Hamas used child labor to build these tunnels and killed 160 children in the process).18 As a result of this, Israel is now more hesitant to send construction materials to Gaza.

41 Intifada (2000-2005) Separation Wall: Security Barrier 8 Breaking Israel News, Israeli Hospital Treats 1 World Heritage Encyclopedia, List of Israeli 1 Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Report- Palestinian Patients Despite Rockets, July 11, Civilian Casualties in the Second Intifada ing in America, Security Barrier, July 11, 2008 2014. See also: Arutz Sheva, Israeli Hospital 2 BBC News, Israel Stunned by Jerusalem Blast, 2 The Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Calev My- Saves Lives of Two Pregnant Women from August 9, 2001 ers—The Wall, Israel’s Response to Palestinian Gaza, February 18, 2014 3 World Heritage Encyclopedia, List of Israeli Terror, May 27, 2014. 9 StandWithUs, Update on the Situation in Gaza: Civilian Casualties in the Second Intifada 3 IDF Blog, What’s the Truth Behind Check- Life Improving Despite Hamas Rule 4 Palestinian Media Watch, Op-eds & Books: points and Crossings in Judea and Samaria?, 10 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas Steals Medi- Antisemitism among Palestinian Authority May 6, 2013 cine and Food Sent by Donors, February 5, 2009 Academics, June 1, 2008 4 Charisma News, Terror Attacks Against Israel 11 Jerusalem Post, The Corruption at the Head of 5 Palestinian Media Watch, Palestinian News Increased, Death Toll Decreased in 2012, Hamas, July 20, 2014 Item: Zionists are Descendants of Apes and Pigs, February 2, 2013 12 Palestinian Media Watch, PA Salaries to Terrorists Radio Voice of Palestine (Fatah), July 11, 1997 5 Ibid 13 The Algemeiner, Ninth Lesson From the Gaza 6 Islam’s War Against the Jews: Quotes from the 6 Jewish Virtual Library, West Bank Security Fence: War: Hamas Will Use Humanitarian Aid for Palestinian Authority, Aish.com, July 21, 2001 Background & Overview, updated July 2005. Evil, July 24, 2014 7 My Jewish Learning, The Second Intifada 7 Jewish Virtual Library, Fact Sheets: Israel’s 14 Jewish Virtual Library, Myths & Facts: A Begins: In September 2000, A New Wave of Security Fence, updated July 2010. Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Chapter 18: Violence Erupted Human Rights 8 Palestinian Media Watch, Arafat planned and Checkpoints: Border Crossings 15 Israel Defense Forces, The IDF Code of Con- led the Intifada: Testimonies from PA leaders 1 IDF Blog, What’s the Truth Behind Checkpoints duct: Human Values in Every Soldier’s Pocket, and others, November 28, 2011. and Crossings in Judea and Samaria?, May 6, 2013 December 10, 2011 9 Palestinian Media Watch, PA and Fatah 2 Jewish Virtual Library, Terrorism Against 16 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Increased personalities: Yasser Arafat, Official Palestinian Israel: Number of Fatalities. Humanitarian Aid to Gaza After IDF Opera- Authority TV, November 12, 2011 3 The Washington Times, Terror Ambulances, tion, June 26, 2010 10 Palestinian Media Watch, Arafat planned and September 1, 2006. See also: Jewish Virtual 17 Israel Defense Forces, Gaza Terror Tunnel led the Intifada: Testimonies from PA leaders Library, Al-Aqsa Intifada: IDF Checkpoints & Opening Uncovered on Israeli Side of the and others, private filming of speech by Faluji, Palestinian Ambulances, updated June 2002 Security Fence, October 13, 2013 Dec. 5, 2000 4 Jewish Virtual Library, Chapter 18: Human 18 Tablet Magazine, Hamas Killed 160 Palestinian 11 Palestinian Media Watch, Official Palestinian Rights; Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Children to Build Tunnels, July 25, 2014. Authority TV, May 28, 2002 Arab-Israeli Conflict 19 Demotix, Palestinian vendor displays his stock 12 Palestinian Media Watch, Arafat planned and 5 Jewish Virtual Library, Myths and Facts: of fruit in a market in Gaza, September 23, led the Intifada: Testimonies from PA leaders A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Chapter 2012. See also: Arabian Gazette, Hamas bans and others, November 28, 2011. 18: Human Rights Israeli fruit imports to support Gaza farmers, 13 Yossef Bodansky, The High Cost of Peace (Prima 6 Ibid September 25, 2012 Publishing, 2002), ISBN 0-7615-3579-9 p.353–354 7 Mail Online, Palestinians ‘give our foreign aid 20 The Electronic Intifada, There’s More to Gaza 14 My Jewish Learning, The Second Intifada money to convicted terrorists’: Cash ‘is given to than Broken Slabs of Concrete, July 7, 2011 Begins: In September 2000, A New Wave of inmates in Israeli prisons’, April 27, 2014 Violence Erupted

42 Disputed Territories

the area 2,000 years ago, Jews continuously lived in West Bank Judean cities such as Jerusalem and Hebron for those 2,000 years of exile; during this time they often suffered Definition: abuse, expulsion, and were frequently treated as second The term “West Bank” refers to the west bank of the Jordan class citizens. River. The original name of the territory is “Judea and Samaria.” It is the historic home of the Jewish people. Nobody called the area the “West Bank” until 1949. After Jordan illegally occupied Judea and Samaria starting in Myth: 1949, it renamed the territory, as it wanted to erase any Jewish connection to the land. The land has always been called the West Bank and there has always been a state called Palestine there. • After Jordan (along with other Arab armies) invad- ed the newly founded Jewish state with the intent of Facts: wiping it off the map, it conquered Judea and Samaria. Jordan renamed the territory the “West Bank.” The historic name for the “West Bank” is“Judea and Samaria”; The southern portion of the territory isJudea ° Jordan’s control of this territory was illegal because it and the northern portion of the territory is Samaria. won the land in an offensive war. Only land acquired • The Jewish people have a rich history in Judea and through a defensive war legally comes under the Samaria. The Romans and other nations in existence ownership of that country. Furthermore, with the more than 2,000 thousand years ago called much of the exception of the UK and Pakistan, no country recog- area ‘Judea,’ as it was the home of the Jewish people. nized Jordan’s claim to the area. ° Jews have lived continuously in Judea for more than • Jordan did not recognize Israel or any Jewish claim 3,000 years to the land; the Jordanians therefore did not retain the • The two holiest sites in Judaism sit in Judea. region’s name of the land as “Judea,” despite the fact that it is the birthplace of Judaism. ° The Temple Mount in eastern Jerusalem is the holiest site for Jews in the world. Jews from around Judea and Samaria legally and historically belong to Israel the world pray facing the Temple Mount every day. and the Jewish people. The international community has recognized the right of the Jewish people to the land. The Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs sits in ° Furthermore, Israeli “settlements” in Judea and Samaria Hebron in the middle of the Judean Hills. This is are legal under international law. the oldest Jewish holy site in the world. Despite expulsions and persecution, Jews have continuously • See “Occupied Territories” for more information on lived in Judea and Samaria for thousands of years. the legal and historical rights of Israel and the Jewish people to Judea and Samaria. • Despite not receiving sovereignty in their holiest cities since the Romans expelled the Jewish population from

43 • See “Settlements” to learn why the “settlements” in • The Palestinian Arabs could have had a state of Judea and Samaria are legal under international law. Palestine before Israel’s reestablishment in 1948 by No Palestinian Arab state of “Palestine” has ever accepting the Peel Commission (an offer in 1937 existed in the “West Bank.” Israel and the international to establish a Palestinian Arab state next to a Jewish community offered to create a Palestinian Arab state in state) and in 1947 by accepting the UN Partition Judea and Samaria many times, but the Palestinian Arabs Plan offer, but they rejected both offers. rejected every offer and instead resorted to violence. • Israel was the first and only single country to offer • Before Israel became a state in 1948, the British the Palestinian Arabs an independent state. controlled Judea and Samaria for 31 years. Before ° Israel has offered the Palestinian Arabs a sovereign the British, various non-Palestinian Arab empires state of Palestine twice in the past 15 years, but the controlled the land, including the Ottomans, Palestinian Arab leadership rejected both offers Mamluks, Crusaders, Romans, and more. and instead resorted to violence and the attempted Palestinian Arabs never controlled the land. destruction of Israel (see “Camp David Accords”). • Jordan could have established a state called “Palestine” Israel also withdrew from Gaza in 2005, giving the in Judea and Samaria when it controlled the area ° Palestinian Arabs an opportunity to establish a state between 1949 and 1967, but it chose not to do so. Instead, it persecuted the Palestinian Arabs living there in Gaza (see “Gaza Withdrawal”). (see “Palestinian Refugees” for more information).

The dotted line outlines Judea and Samaria (“the West Bank”).

google maps

44 • Jordan never acted as the legitimate power in Judea and Occupied Territories Samaria. Because of this, when Israel won the land in a defensive war (which is legal under international Definition: law), it gained control of land with no legitimate pow- Possession of the territory of the legitimate power by the er. Therefore, by definition, this is not an occupation. occupying power. • Egypt also conquered Gaza illegally and was never • The term “legitimate power” refers to “a High Contract- considered to be the legitimate ruler of the land. There- ing Party,” as defined in the Geneva Convention: fore, Israel’s former control of Gaza was not an occu- ° To be a High Contracting Party (according to this pation. Additionally, Israel completely withdrew from convention), the power must be a state that has Gaza in 2005; not one Israeli remains in the area. signed the Geneva Convention. (3) The territories often claimed to be “occupied territories” Many people commonly misuse the term “occupied” to are the territories gained by Israel during the Six-Day War describe Israel’s governance over Judea and Samaria (the of 1967 from Egypt and Jordan. “West Bank”) and Gaza. Some also refer to these areas as • These areas consist ofJudea/Samaria and eastern “disputed territories.” Israel has historical claim and Jerusalem. legal ownership of Judea and Samaria and withdrew all presence and governance from Gaza in 2005. • This area previously included theGaza Strip (which Egypt illegally occupied since 1949), although Israel completely Myth: disengaged from Gaza in 2005 (see below for details). Israeli security troops and Israeli “settlements” (Israeli towns To explore these three points, please see the timeline below. and cities within Judea and Samaria) are unlawful. These The territories of Judea/Samaria and Gaza legally belong territories are “occupied.” to Israel and never legally belonged to modern-day Jordan, Egypt, or the Palestinian Arabs. Here’s why: Facts: 1920: The international community affirmed the Balfour • The international community (League of Nations) Declaration (issued by the UK in 1917), which called established the land of British Mandate Palestine as a Jewish for a Jewish national homeland in all of British Mandate state in 1920, at which point the countries began to discuss Palestine (modern-day Jordan and Israel), at the San ownership. At the time of Israel’s 1948 reestablishment, Remo conference, which gathered to discuss the status of British Mandate Palestine did not legally belong to anyone. the former territory of the Ottoman Empire. Two British Israel later legally gained the areas of Judea/Samaria and mandates were discussed to establish an Arab state in Iraq Gaza in the 1967 War after four surrounding Arab armies and a Palestinian-Jewish state in Palestine. The League of attacked Israel in an attempt to eradicate its existence. Nations (precursor to the UN) voted to legally recognize (1) Israel has both legal and historical rights to Judea/ a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Samaria and Gaza. It is impossible to occupy land that TheBritish Mandate for Palestine states “recognition legally and historically belongs to that country. has thereby been given to the historical connection of • The international community has recognized Israel the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for and the Jewish people’s right to Judea/Samaria and reconstituting their national home in that country” Gaza. It has recognized Israel’s legal and historic right 1945: UN Charter (Article 80) states that the UN will not to be there; it has not recognized anyone else’s right take action to alter the rights of the mandate system put in to the land since the British voluntarily left in 1948 place by the League of Nations. The league established that (see timeline below for more details). current league members administering mandates will continue (2) It is impossible to occupy land that has no legitimate to do so in the UN after the League had been dissolved. ruler. When Israel took control of Judea/Samaria and League of Nations, 1946: “[The League Assembly] Gaza, the areas had no legitimate ruler. recognizes that, on the termination of the League’s • In 1950, Jordan unilaterally annexed Judea and Samaria, existence, its functions with respect to the mandated ter- but the international community never recognized its ritories will come to an end, but… [the Assembly] takes claim. Jordan illegally occupied the land because it won note of the expressed intentions of the Members of the it in an offensive war; it was never the legitimate ruler League now administering territories under mandate to of the land (see timeline highlighted in blue). continue to administer them for the well-being and de- velopment of the peoples concerned in accordance with • Jordan relinquished all claims to Judea and Samaria in 1989. the obligations contained in the respective mandates….” 45 1946: The UK gives nearly 80% of British Mandate Palestine to create the Palestinian Arab state of Jordan, although that area was earlier legally agreed upon to be the Jewish homeland. 1947: The UN General Assembly votes on the Partition Plan (Resolution 181) to partition the remainder of British Mandate Palestine into two states. • This partition plan splits the rest of Mandatory Palestine into two parts: a Jewish state and a second Palestinian Arab state (map at right). Judea and Samaria were offered to the Arabs as part of this independent Palestinian Arab state. • This never became law, as the Arabs rejected this resolution. Because they rejected this, they never became the legitimate rulers of the land. Therefore, Israel is not “occupying” the land from the Arabs (because again, a legitimate power for the land must exist in order for it to be “occupied”). • Israel became the legitimate power in its portion of the partition plan because the UN voted to accept Israel as a legitimate country after its war for independence. ° The international community, however, never recognized Jordan and Egypt’s illegal occupations in Judea/Samaria and Gaza, which is why there were

never legitimate powers in those areas. www.ijs.org.au/UN-Partition-Plan-1947/default.aspx Israel as it looked under the UN Partition Plan. Although the Jewish people accepted the portion offered to them, the Arabs flatly rejected the offer, wanting the whole of Palestine or nothing at all, although the British Mandate for Iraq was established to create a second Arab state. In other words, both Jews and Arabs resided in the region, and areas were set aside for both populations. to exist, thus refusing to keep the name of the territory as “Judea and Samaria.” Jordan unilaterally annexed the “West 1949: The 1949 Armistice Agreement (ceasefire) between Bank”, but only the UK and Pakistan recognize this (Jordan Israel and Jordan states and defines the armistice line, which later relinquishes this claim in 1989). is not a legal boundary but rather an interim boundary, between Israel and Jordan. 1949-1967: Though their claim over the territory was never recognized by the international community, Jordan ruled 1949 Armistice Agreement: “No provision of this over the West Bank from 1949 until 1967. Agreement shall in any way prejudice the rights, claims, and positions of either party hereto in the peaceful a• Arab leaders could have established a Palestinian settlement of the Palestine questions, the provisions to Arab state in Judea/Samaria and Gaza in the 19 this Agreement being dictated exclusively by military years they controlled the land between 1948 and the considerations.” Six-Day War in 1967. Unfortunately, Arab leaders neglected their people and did not establish one. In other words, the “green line” (see “1967 Borders”) merely It is important to note that two Palestinian states served to delineate between Israeli and Jordanian forces ° currently exist: Israel and Jordan. They are Palestin- because this was a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. That is to say, ian states in the true sense of the word because they this line was never meant to be a political border and does are carved out of British Mandate Palestine. not define territory. 1967: Jordan again attacks Israel during the Six-Day War. 1950: Jordan invents the term “West Bank” to describe the territory in Israel that it occupied in 1949. The Jordanian • The result of this war was that Israel legally liberated regime was anti-Semitic and did not recognize Israel’s right Judea, Samaria, Eastern Jerusalem, and the Old City

46 from Jordan. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its • “Judea” refers to part of the Jewish Kingdom of Judah capital and sovereign territory. (Southern Kingdom—930 BC) ° The Old City of Jerusalem contains the holiest Jewish • “Samaria” refers to part of the ancient Jewish Kingdom sites in the world. Jordan controlled this area before of Israel (Northern Kingdom—1250 BCE) 1967 and ethnically cleansed it of Jews. ° There has been a continuous Jewish presence in ° Israel’s capture of this territory was legal because it these areas, as well as throughout greater Israel, for won the territory in a defensive war. the past 2000 years, despite many empires’ attempts 1993: Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization to ethnically cleanse Jews from the land. (PLO—see “Arab Leadership” for further details) signed • Jews who remained in Israel after the greater the Oslo Accords; both sides agreed to split up Judea Jewish community was expelled were often and Samaria such that the PLO would control nearly mistreated, murdered, and legally limited (this all Palestinian Arab communities in the area. took place for thousands of years; for examples • As a result of this, the PLO currently controls 98% of modern Middle Eastern persecution, please of Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria. see “Jewish-Arab Refugees” under the “Refugees” heading). • It is impossible to occupy people that a country does not control. Because of this, the term “Occupied Terri- See “West Bank” for more information tories” is misleading and inaccurate, as it implies Israeli on the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria. control over the Palestinian Arabs. 2005: Israel withdraws all civilians and armed forces from The Gaza Strip the Gaza Strip to allow for the creation of Palestinian- • There has been a Jewish presence in Gaza for millennia. Arab autonomy in the area. ° Gaza is a part of the boundaries of the tribe of Judah It is impossible to occupy land in which a country has (“Shevet Yehuda”) in Biblical Israel.2 zero presence. ° Abraham and Isaac both lived in the Gerar area of Gaza. There are no Israeli soldiers, government officials, ° ° Gaza was the primary Jewish port of Israel for inter- or communities in Gaza. In fact, Israelis are legally national trade and commerce in the 4th century.3 not permitted to enter at all. ° Great medieval rabbis such as Rabbi Yisrael Najara • Hamas (a US-designated terrorist organization) took and renowned Mekubal Rabbi Avraham Azoulai over the Gaza Strip in 2007 and functions as a self- lived in Gaza Jewish communities.4 governed entity. Hamas runs a dictatorial regime and • Jews were also ethnically cleansed from this area has committed thousands of war crimes by launching repeatedly throughout history. thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians. The Romans forcibly removed the Jews from Gaza Instead of getting peace in return for withdrawing ° ° in 61 CE; later instances of Jewish expulsion include from Gaza, Israel received even more terrorism. the Crusaders, Napoleon, the Ottoman Turks, the History: Israel also has historical rights to Judea/Samaria British, and the contemporary Egyptians.5 and Gaza, which is why the League of Nations and United • Nonetheless, a small Jewish presence remained in Nations recognized Judea/Samaria and Gaza as a part of Gaza throughout the centuries, particularly in the the homeland for the Jewish people. nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Jewish community also grew in Gaza in the 11th century.6 Judea, Samaria, and Eastern Jerusalem ° However, violent Arab riots forced the expulsion A more accurate term for the “West Bank” or ‘Occupied of the Jewish community of Gaza in 1929. Territories’ is “Judea and Samaria” (Hebrew: Yehuda • After the riots and the death of nearly 135 Jewish- Before the year 135 CE, when Arabs, the British prohibited Jews from living in .(ןֹורְמֹוׁשְו הָדּוהְי ,veShomron the Romans renamed the area “Syria Palaestina,” it was called Gaza due to intimidation from Palestinian Arabs. for more than 1,000 years because it was the (הָדּוהְי) Judea home of the Jews. Italians are from Italy, Jews are from Judea. • From 1967-2005, thousands of Jewish citizens created homes in Gaza, until they were forced Judea and Samaria today cover a portion of the ancient to leave when Israel withdrew all presence in Biblical territory of Judea and Samaria. Judaism began in the area in exchange for peace, which Israel the Judean Hills roughly 4,000 years ago. never received.

47 • Israel took control of Judea and Samaria in 1967 when Settlements four Arab nations (including Jordan) again attacked Israel with the intent of destroying it. Israel won Judea Definition: and Samaria in a defensive war, which is legal under “Settlements” refers to the Israeli housing units in the international law. disputed territories of Judea and Samaria. • Israel therefore legally controls Judea and Samaria and has the internationally recognized right to the Myth: land. Israeli “settlements” are illegal under international law Israel only builds ‘settlements’ in areas that the and are the obstacle to peace. Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel agreed would remain under Israeli control.3 Facts: • In 1995, Israel and the PA agreed to divide Judea and Settlements are legal under international law (see Samaria into three areas (see map): “Occupied Territories” for greater detail; see below for an overview).1 Israel has the legal right to build in ° Area A: Under PA administration and security the sections of Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) • Roughly 98% of Palestinian Arabs live here; designated for Israeli control. all major Palestinian Arab cities are here. • The British adopted the Balfour Declaration in 1917, Area B: Under PA administration and joint Israeli- which called for the establishment of a Jewish home- ° PA security. land in British-controlled Palestine. Area C: Under Israeli administration and security. ° British-controlled Palestine consisted of Judea and Sa- ° The PA is responsible for education and healthcare maria (where modern-day “settlements” sit), as well as 4 the rest of modern day Israel and modern day Jordan. for non-Israeli citizens. • The international community—by way of the League • Israel builds communities in Area C only, complying of Nations—affirmed the Balfour Declaration and the with agreements set forth by the PA and the Israeli Jewish people’s legal right to the land (including Judea government. and Samaria) at the 1920 San Remo Conference. ‘Settlements’ are not the obstacle to peace. ° The international community formally recognized • If ‘settlements’ were in fact the obstacle to peace, the the Jewish people’s and a future Jewish state’s legal Arab- Israeli conflict would be over. This is evident -be right to Judea and Samaria. cause Israel has offered the Palestinian Arabs a sovereign 6 • Before disbanding after World War II, the League of state in Judea and Samaria twice in the past 15 years Nations acknowledged that all mandates would re- (see “Two-State Solution” for more information). main in place. The United Nations then confirmed that If settlements were the obstacle to peace, they would the British Mandate and all legal rulings over the land have accepted the offers and created their own state. would continue in Article 80 of its founding charter.2 Israel would no longer have control of that land and ‘settlements’ would not even be possible. ° This means the UN recognized the legal right of the Jewish people to Judea and Samaria. ° Israel offered 95% of Judea and Samaria to the PA during the Camp David Accords in 2000. Yasser • After five Arab armies invaded the newly established Arafat rejected the offer. US President Bill Clinton State of Israel in 1948 with the intent of destroying it, was outraged that Arafat rejected this offer.7 Jordan—one of the invading Arab countries— conquered Judea and Samaria and renamed the ° Israeli PM Ehud Olmert offered nearly all of Judea territory “West Bank.” Jordan illegally occupied Judea and Samaria in 2008. PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Samaria from 1949 until 1967. rejected the offer. ° Jordan’s occupation of the land was illegal because it • Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, removed acquired the land in an offensive war. Furthermore, all Israeli ‘settlements’ in the region, and handed the international community never recognized control of the area over to the PA. Instead of receiving Jordan as a legal power in the land. According to past peace and a resolution to the conflict with Gaza, Israel international legal conferences, the Jewish people still received thousands of missiles from terrorist organiza- had the legal right to the land. tions that took over Gaza. 48 www.america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2014/7/west-bank-security.html 5 Areas A and B make up roughly 40% of Judea and Samaria. Around 98% of Arabs live in areas A and B; there are roughly 2.2 million Arabs in Judea and Samaria. Area C constitutes about 60% of Judea and Samaria.

49 www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/13 7201/israeli-settlements-not-just-legal-necessary-steven-plaut www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/13 A Jewish community in the hills of Judea.

° Israel withdrew all of its ‘settlements’ from Gaza, • PA TV displayed a poem recited by young but this only made the situation worse. If ‘settle- Palestinian Arab girls referring to Jews as “barbar- ments’ were the real obstacle to peace, this move ic monkeys, and wretched pigs” in July 2013.11 would have brought peace. • The PA posted a statement on Facebook telling Anti-Semitic incitement and terrorism perpetrated by Israel, “Prepare all the bags you can for your body Palestinian Arab leadership stands as the real obstacle parts” on July 7, 2014.12 to peace. • Hamas stated on its media channel that, “killing ° Both the PA and Hamas call for Israel’s destruction and Jews is worship of Allah” following its rocket the killing of Jews in their charters. attacks against Israel in 2012.13 • Fatah (leading party in the PA) Charter: “Com- ° This incitement has devastating consequences, seeing plete liberation of Palestine, and eradication of as Palestinian Arab terrorists continue to launch rock- Zionist economic, political, military and cultural ets into Israel, commit suicide bombings, and murder 8 existence.” Israeli civilians. • Hamas charter: “The Day of Judgment will not • Two Hamas operatives kidnapped and murdered come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing three innocent Israeli teenagers on June 12, 2014.14 the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O • In 2012, the IDF caught nearly 1,500 people trying Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind to enter Israel either illegally or with weapons me, come and kill him.”9 through border crossings. ° PA and Hamas leaders and media outlets promote the ° See “Checkpoints” to learn more about terrorist hatred and killing of Jews and Israelis. attacks originating from the PA. • During Operation Protective Edge in July of 2014, • Hamas has launched more than 18,000 rockets into Hamas TV released a music video that stated, Israel since 2000.15 “Fire your rockets…blow up Tel Aviv.”10

50 • From 1949 to 1967, Israel respected the boundaries 1967 Borders and remained behind the “Green Line.” During this Also known as “the Green Line” time, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria frequently shelled Israel and allowed terrorists to infiltrate the Jewish state from Definition: each of their territories.2 Israel stopped these attacks • The “1967 Borders” refer to the 1949 Armistice (cease- once it captured territory beyond the “Green Line” in a fire) Lines between Israel and its Arab neighbors from defensive war in 1967 (which saw four Arab countries the Israeli War of Independence. attack Israel with the goal of wiping it off the map). • Many people erroneously call these ‘borders’ “1967 ° Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”): Jordan borders” rather than 1949 Armistice Lines for two divided Jerusalem (the holiest city in the world for possible reasons: Jews) and placed snipers to kill Jewish civilians in the Israeli controlled areas.3 It also threatened to destroy 1) These people believe the ‘borders’ are from the 1967 Israel from the hills of Judea and Samaria, which war (which saw four Arab armies invade Israel to try overlook Israel’s major population centers. to wipe it off the map). 2) They incorrectly believe these lines were meant to • The distance between the hostile Jordanian forces be actual borders. and the Mediterranean Sea (the width of Israel) was as narrow as nine miles. Proponents of a “two-state solution” propose using the “1967 borders” to delineate borders between Israel and ° Golan Heights: In the Northeast, Syria continuously a Palestinian state. attacked Israelis, making life unbearable for civilians living in the area. Myth: • Syrian forces used the high ground in the Golan Heights in the Northeast to fire upon Israeli The basis of the Arab-Israeli conflict is Israel’s refusal to towns in the valleys below and cut off Israel’s give the land over the 1967 line, sometimes referred to main water supply.4 as “Green Line”, to the Palestinian Authority. The 1967 line is a previously negotiated border between Israel ° Sinai Desert and Gaza: Egypt continuously threat- and a Palestinian state. ened to annihilate the Jewish state from Israel’s southern border.5 Facts: When four Arab states attacked Israel in 1967 and The 1949 Armistice Lines never existed as borders. Both attempted to destroy the Jewish state, Israel took control of the Arabs and Israelis agreed these were not official borders. the Golan Heights from Syria; Judea, Samaria, and Eastern Therefore, referring to the lines as “borders” is inaccurate. Jerusalem from Jordan; and the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt to stop Arab attacks on Israeli civilians. • Leading up to the armistice agreement, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Iraq attacked Israel the day after The “1967 Borders” remain indefensible today. Israel declared itself an independent state. After a year • Judea and Samaria: of fighting, each country agreed to negotiate an armistice, which was based solely on where each country’s army ° The Palestinian Authority—which still seeks Israel’s sat at the time. destruction and promotes terrorism against Israel —would take over a future Palestinian Arab state • Israeli and Arab generals used a green pen to draw and threaten Israel’s existence. For this reason, Israel a line on the map—later called the “Green Line”— cannot withdraw from Judea and Samaria. to roughly demarcate the armistice ‘border’ between Israel and the neighboring Arab countries. ° If Israel gives up Judea and Samaria and returns to the armistice lines, it would be giving complete control • According to the Armistice Agreement: “The Armistice of the hills overlooking Israel’s major population Declaration Line is not to be construed in any sense as centers to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which a political or territorial boundary, and is delineated continuously calls for Israel’s destruction. without prejudice to rights, claims and positions of either Party to the Armistice as regards ultimate settlement of • Golan Heights: 1 the Palestine question.” ° The Syrian Civil War spills over frequently into Israel, For 18 years, the 1949 Armistice Lines proved to be where both government forces and rebels attack indefensible for Israel. Israeli positions and call for the destruction of Israel. 51 www.christians-standing-with-israel.org/map-israel-declaration-independence-al-nakba-1948.html Map of Israel at Time of Establishment as Sovereign Nation, Christians Standing With Israel.

° If Israel gives the Golan Heights back to Syria, either ° Israel imposes a naval blockade on Gaza for security the Syrian regime or rebel forces could take over the purposes only; it is put in place to prevent the area and recreate the pre-1967 situation by firing smuggling of weapons that would target Israeli and upon Israeli civilians in the valley below. Gazan civilians. • Gaza: See “Blockade on Gaza” for more information on ° Israel withdrew in 2005 from the Gaza Strip, a strip the blockade. ruled by internationally recognized terrorists infa- Calling the Armistice Lines “borders” inaccurately describes mous for civil rights abuses. lines that had no political significance. Demanding that Israel ° Since Israel withdrew from Gaza, Islamic terrorists withdraw from those boundaries remains suicidal, as Israel have fired more than 15,000 rockets at civilian would not be able to properly defend many of its citizens from populations in Israel.6 terrorists seeking its destruction.

52 casualties (losing 1% of its population) but managed to UN Resolution 242 survive the invading Arab armies.2 Definition: • In 1949, Israel signed separate cease-fire agreements with Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria, which called • The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution for hostilities to end at the lines where the fighting 242 to try to pave a path toward peace in the region after stopped (the “Armistice Lines”). the 1967 War, which saw four Arab countries attack Israel with the intention of destroying it. ° The Armistice Lines left Israel with only a 9-mile wide country at its narrowest point, and only a tiny • UN resolution 242 recommends the following:1 fraction of the areas promised by the Balfour ° “Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories Declaration and San Remo Conference. occupied during the recent conflict.” ° Historic areas of Jerusalem and Judea/Samaria • This means Israel must withdraw from territories (the “West Bank”), where Jews had lived for (but not all) it captured from the attacking Arab thousands of years, ended up on the Jordanian armies in 1967. Read below to see how (a) Israel side of the Armistice Lines. withdrew from a majority of the territory it All sides to these agreements acknowledged that the captured and (b) how withdrawing from the rest ° 1949 Armistice Lines did not represent permanent of the territory would endanger the existence of the borders. In fact, the signed Armistice agreements Jewish state. state: ° “Termination of all claims or states of belligerency “The basic purpose of the Armistice Demarcation and respect for and acknowledgment of the sover- Lines is to delineate the lines beyond which the eignty, territorial integrity and political indepen- armed forces of the respective Parties shall not move. dence of every State in the area and their right to The provisions of this article shall not be interpret- live in peace within secure and recognized bound­ ed as prejudicing, in any sense, an ultimate aries free from threats or acts of force.” political settlement between the Parties to this • Read below to see how any further Israeli with- Agreement.…The Armistice Demarcation Lines drawal from the remaining captured territory defined in…this Agreement areagreed upon by would lead to Israel’s loss of “secure and recognized the Parties without prejudice to future territorial boundaries free from threats or acts of force.” settlements or boundary lines or to claims of either Party relating thereto.” 3 Resolution 242 Background: Important Facts Leading Up to 242 • The 1949 Armistice Lines proved to be indefensible borders. Between 1949 and 1967, Arab forces regularly • In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour attacked Israelis. Declaration, which called for a Jewish national home in British-controlled Palestine. This consisted of ° Jordanian snipers shot at Israeli civilians in western modern-day Israel and modern-day Jordan. Jerusalem on a daily basis and threatened Israel from the Judean mountains overlooking Israel’s 9-mile- • In 1920, the international community (by way of the wide coastal plain. League of Nations) adopted the Balfour declaration as official policy at the San Remo Accords. The internation- ° Syrian forces used the high ground in the Golan al community hereby recognized a Jewish homeland in Heights in the Northwest to fire upon Israeli towns all of British-controlled Palestine (Israel and Jordan). in the valley below. Syria also attempted to cut off Israel’s water supply from its only freshwater lake • In 1946, the British gave roughly 80% of British Man- in the northeast of Israel. date Palestine to the Arabs to create the first Egyptian forces in the Sinai Desert on Israel’s Palestinian Arab state: Jordan. ° southern border continuously threatened to • In 1947, a UN Partition Plan proposed to divide the annihilate the Jewish state. remaining 20% of British-Mandate Palestine into one • In 1967, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq attacked Israel Jewish state and another Palestinian Arab state. The with the goal of wiping it off the map and ethnically Arabs rejected the plan. Palestinian Arabs and five cleansing the Jewish people from the land. Arab leaders neighboring Arab nations then attacked Israel with expressed their goals of the war as follows:6 the goal of wiping it off the map. Israel suffered severe

53 Myth: “We aim at the destruction of the State of Israel.” ° Israel violates UN resolution 242 by not withdrawing from —Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser on the territories captured in this war of self-defense. November 18, 1965 ° “[Syria’s forces are] ready not only to repulse the Facts: aggression, but to initiate the act of liberation itself, Israel has not violated UN Resolution 242. and to explode the Zionist presence in the Arab homeland. The Syrian army, with its finger on the • Resolution 242 does not require Israel to withdraw trigger, is united… I as a military man, believe that the from all territories captured while defending itself time has come to enter into a battle of annihilation.” in the 1967 War. —Syrian Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad on May Israel withdrew from territories it captured. 20, 1967 ° • Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1979 (which ° “This is a fight for the homeland—it is either us or the consisted of most of the territories Israel captured Israelis. There is no middle road.The Jews of Palestine during the war) following the Camp David will have to leave.” —Ahmed Shukairy, Chairman Accords with Egypt. Israel also disengaged from of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Gaza in 2005, giving the Palestinian Arabs June 1, 1967 control over the territory. “We shall destroy Israel and its inhabitants and as ° ° Israel was not required to withdraw from Gaza, for the survivors—if there are any—the boats are ready but it did so in hopes for peace. See “Gaza With- to deport them.” —Ahmed Shukairy, Chairman of the drawal” for more information. PLO on June 1, 1967 ° According to Resolution 242, Israel has legal owner- ° “The existence of Israel is an error which must be ship over the areas it controls, as the United Nations rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe out the did not specify which territories from which Israel ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal must withdraw. The language says “territories,” not “the is clear—­to wipe Israel off the map.We shall, God territories.” In other words, Israel was only required to willing, meet in Tel Aviv and Haifa.” —Iraqi President withdraw from at least some territories it captured. Abdel Rahman Aref on May 31, 1967 • Arthur Goldberg, US Ambassador to the UN • Israel won the 1967 War and expanded its territory at the time, said the following: in response to the aggressive Arab attacks; Israel subse- quently created more defensible borders. International “The notable omissions in language used to refer law dictates that territory gained in a defensive war is to withdrawal are the words the, all, and the June considered to be legally won, and therefore Israel has 5, 1967, lines.…In other words, there is lacking a legal right to the area. a declaration requiring Israel to withdraw from the (or all the) territories occupied by it on and ° Israeli forces took the Golan Heights to prevent Syrian after June 5, 1967. Instead, the resolution stipu- forces from firing on Israeli towns from the high ground. lates withdrawal from occupied territories without defining the extent of withdrawal. Andit can be Israeli forces took control of the mountains in Judea ° inferred from the incorporation of the words and Samaria from Jordan. This neutralized the threat secure and recognized boundaries that the ter- of Jordanian forces overlooking Israel’s population ritorial adjustments to be made by the parties centers and economy. in their peace settlements could encompass less ° Israel also united Jerusalem by taking control of the than a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces eastern half of the city, which stopped Jordanian from [territories captured].”7 forces from sniping Israeli civilians on Israel’s side • Although Israel has since made peace with Egypt of the city. This paved the way for equal prayer rights and Jordan, enemies who have gained a presence for all religions in the city for the first time in nearly in the area along Israel’s borders still pose major 2,000 years. threats to its security and make returning to the ° Israel took control of the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt 1949 Armistice Lines suicidal. In fact, returning to in order to provide a buffer between hostile Egyptian these lines would violate Resolution 242 as it would forces and Israeli civilians in southern Israel. not protect “the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence” of Israel. 54 www.theocracywatch.org/christian_zionism_1967_war.htm www.mapsnworld.com/middle-east-political-map.html 4 5 Israel as it appears on a map of the Middle East.

° In Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), the • Requiring withdrawal from lands captured in a defen- Palestinian Authority (PA) continuously promotes sive war encourages further Arab aggression and war. terrorism and calls for Israel’s destruction.8 ° If the Arab countries and the PA know they can • The PA spreads anti-Semitic incitement through attack Israel and not risk giving up land, they have its media outlets, schools, mosques, and more. It no incentive to remain peaceful; they can attack teaches its people from birth to hate and want to Israel, and if they lose, they will get their land back kill Jews. See “Two-State Solution” for details and and try again. examples of this incitement. • In other words, the Arab countries know that they • If Israel gives up Judea and Samaria and returns to have nothing to lose by attacking Israel. the armistice lines, the PA would have complete ° On the other hand, if they know they can lose terri- control of the mountains overlooking Israel’s tory by attacking, they have more of an incentive to major population centers (Jordan relinquished act peacefully. all claims to this land in 1988). • There was no sovereign state in Judea, Samaria, ° If Israel gives the Golan Heights to Syria, either the and eastern Jerusalem prior to 1967, as Jordan Syrian regime or rebel forces—both of which are illegally occupied that land for the 18 years leading backed by terrorists and continuously call for Israel’s up to the war. destruction—could take over the area and again • Many perpetuate the myth that Israel took control attack Israeli civilians in the vallies below. of Judea and Samaria from a sovereign Palestinian- ° When Israel gave the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in Arab state. However, this is not true. As mentioned 1979 in exchange for peace, Egypt refused to take earlier, Jordan illegally occupied the land before back the Gaza Strip. Israel won it legally in a war of self-defense. • Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 to advance ° Jordan could have established a Palestinian Arab peace with the Palestinian Arabs living there. state while it controlled the land. However, it did not However, since the disengagement, the US- do so. Furthermore, Palestinian Arab and other Arab desig­nated terrorist group Hamas took over leaders did not call for a Palestinian Arab state in and has launched thousands of rockets at Judea and Samaria during Jordan’s occupation. Israeli civilians. See “West Bank” for more history of the land. 55 • Its leaders refuse to accept Israel and coexist peace- Two-State Solution fully. Definition: ° PA President Mahmoud Abbas called convicted murderers of civilians “heroes” during a rally in A “two-state solution” would mean the creation of a Ramallah honoring the prisoners Israel released Palestinian Arab state next to Israel. in hopes for peace on December 31, 2013. One A “two-state solution” must, by definition, solve the conflict, “hero” murdered a police officer and another with a halt to the promotion of terrorism and with full stabbed a 76-year-old Holocaust survivor to death. recognition of the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state— “I believe that God will gather the Israelis so we can steps the Palestinian Authority (PA) refuses to take—and ° kill them.”—Abbas Zaki, Senior Member of the Israel’s recognition of a Palestinian Arab state. Fatah Central Committee, close advisor of President 1 Myth: Abbas, on March 12, 2014. • PA media, religious establishments, and education The current conflict is a territorial dispute and the two-state system promote hatred and violence against Jews solution will create peace. and the Western world, as well as promise the even- Facts: tual destruction of Israel. (1) The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs is not a land dispute; it is an ideological dispute. Therefore, a “two-state solution” will not solve the conflict. If the Palestinian Arabs accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State in the historic Jewish homeland, then the creation of an independent Palestinian Arab state would soon follow. • Current PA President Mahmoud Abbas lies and denies Jewish history in Israel, thus denying the right of a Jewish state to exist. ° “They imagine that by brute force they can invent a [Jewish] history, establish claims and erase solid religious and historical facts.”—Mahmoud Abbas, www.vimeo.com/9151973 January 17, 2014 ° The PA uses its media outlets to teach its citizens that Jews are evil and that they must destroy Israel. The • PA Founder and former President Yasser Arafat PA does not permit basic freedoms such as freedom promised to never recognize a Jewish state. of the press, so Palestinian Arabs living in PA-gov- “We plan to eliminate the state of Israel and establish a erned areas hear only negative messages about Jews purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for in the PA-run media. Jews by psychological warfare and population explosion. ° Former Hamas government spokesman, Ihab Al- ­ We Palestinians will take over everything, including all Ghussein, stated, after a private meeting with the of Jerusalem.”- Yasser Arafat, 1996 PA president on June 8, 2014, that PA president • The PA uses the media to tell Palestinian Arabs that Mahmoud Abbas is lying to Americans in his all of Israel will be a future “Palestine.” public statements in order to “trick Americans”. ° “I wish I could enter my country with no borders…I will (Recounting Abbas’ statements): “When I [Abbas] go about in Bethlehem and in Al-Aqsa [Mosque], which go out [publicly] and say that the [PA] government is held captive…I do not forget Jenin or Nablus, and is my [Abbas’] government and it recognizes ‘Israel’ the Galilee, I do not forget you, Jaffa… To Jerusalem, to and so on, fine—these words are meant to trick the Ramle, to Acre, to Haifa, oh Lord…I wish I could enter Americans.” —[Ihab Al-Ghussein’s Facebook page, my country with no borders.”—PA TV, Feb. 9, 2012 June 8, 2014] (2) The PA, which would lead a new Palestinian Arab Hamas, the US-designated terrorist organization based state, promotes terrorism and continuously calls for the in Gaza, with whom the PA made a unity government destruction of Israel. Under these circumstances, in June 2014, uses a similar tactic: a Palestinian Arab state would be no “solution” to the ° The PA also funds children’s magazines that promote Arab-Israeli conflict. Nazism. 56 www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=472&fld_id=473&doc_id=1639

A young boy calls into a Palestinian Arab children’s TV show singing “Daddy gave me a present, a machine gun and a rifle” on February 5, 2010.2

Palestinian Arab cartoon of a Jew licking the Dome of the Rock (a holy Muslim site) like an ice cream cone. The PA continuously lies and tells its people that the Jews intend to disrespect this holy site and even destroy it.3 www.palwatch.org.il/main.aspx?fi=773

• One PA-funded children’s magazine (called Zayza­ • The Palestinian Authority denies its people basic free- funa) praised Hitler for killing Jews and claimed doms and human rights. Here are just a few examples: that Jews are responsible for spreading destruction 4 ° The PA suppresses freedom of the press by jailing throughout the world. journalists who write negatively about PA leaders.7 ° PA-sponsored religious leaders call for the murder • The PA jailed a man for six months in 2013 for of Jews and the destruction of Israel. ‘liking’ a post on Facebook that depicted PA 8 ° Many PA schools also glorify Hitler and quote him President Mahmoud Abbas in a negative fashion. 5 on their Facebook pages. ° Honor killings (the killing of women by relatives for • The PA Iktaba high school for girls (along with other acting “dishonorably”) in PA-controlled territories PA schools) posted the following quote from Hitler doubled in 2013. Laws curtailing these vicious on its Facebook page: “I could have killed all the murders are limitewd and contain exceptions for 9 Jews in the world, but I left a few so that you “extenuating circumstances.” would know why I killed them.” ° From June 2007 through December of 2011, (3) As the prospective government for a Palestinian Arab PA security forces detained more than 13,000 state, the PA already governs 98% of the Palestinian Arabs Palestinian Arabs. The PA tortured 96% of them, in Judea and Samaria.6 It has proven to be a corrupt and causing the death of six detainees and causing 10 undemocratic regime that abuses its people’s human “chronic illness” in others. rights. Creating a Palestinian Arab state under the PA ° The PA executes civilians for selling land to Jews.11 would cement the Palestinian Arabs’ future under this The PA persecutes homosexuals, Christians, and oppressive regime; it would be creating yet another Arab ° other minorities.12 Freedom of religion and dictatorship. expression does not exist in the PA. 57 Hamas on American TV: Hamas in Reality: www.twitter.com/jenniferktoby

“Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.” www.israelifrontline.com/2012/01/israel-to-probe-jerusalem-muftis-call.html PA Mufti Muhammad Hussein.

(4) A territorial war is solvable. An ideological war is not. Commission) and again in 1947 (see Partition By refusing Israeli offers for territorial compromise, the Plan). Israel agreed to both plans while Palestinian PA has proven it is in fact waging an ideological war on Arab leaders refused both. Israel; the PA is not interested in a state of its own living peacefully next to Israel. Conclusion: • Israel was the first and is still the only single country • The Palestinian Authority is not a genuine partner for since 1948 to offer the Palestinian Arabs a sovereign the creation of a peaceful Palestinian Arab state. It has state, but the Palestinian Arabs have refused both failed to display the characteristics of a government offers and have instead resorted to violence. willing to take the necessary steps to create a state able to co-exist peacefully with Israel. ° Israel offered roughly 95% of Judea/Samaria and Gaza to the Palestinian Arabs in return for peace • Perhaps in the future, if a peace-promoting Pales- at the Camp David Accords in 2000. tinian Arab government arises, the creation of a ° Israeli PM Ehud Olmert offered nearly all of Judea/ Palestinian Arab state in Judea and Samaria will be Samaria and Gaza to the Palestinian Arabs in 2008. possible. But the facts show that today, the “two-state solution” is not a realistic solution. ° Israel also offered a two-state solution twice before its reestablishment in 1948: once in 1937 (Peel

58 Defensible Borders Definition: Borders which allow for a country to maintain security from invading armies.

Myth: If Israel gave away Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), Israel’s borders would be secure.

Fact: Israel is a minuscule country; it is slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey. If Israel gave away Judea and Samaria, its narrowest region would be only nine miles wide, reaching between hostile forces in Judea and Samaria and Israel’s populated coastline.1 This is not enough area for any country to defend itself from an invading army or from rocket attacks. The government that would take over Judea and Samaria—the Palestinian Authority (PA)—continuously calls for Israel’s annihilation and for the genocide of the Jewish people. If Israel were to withdraw from Judea and www.jcpa.org/defensible_borders_to_ensure_israels_future/ Samaria, it would be exposed to the dangers from this 2 hostile and aggressive government and vulnerable to Distances Between Israeli Population Centers and Pre-1967 Armistice Lines. their attacks. • See “Two-State Solution” for more information on this. Before 1967, when Jordan illegally controlled Judea, Golan Heights Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, its hostility proved Definition: to be dangerous and lethal to Israeli civilians. The Golan Heights is a mountain range located in northern • Arab forces based in Jordan repeatedly threatened Israel and southwestern Syria. It is controlled in part by to destroy Israel from the mountains of Judea and Israel and in part by Syria. Samaria and attacked civilians. They also used Jeru­salem as a terrorist base to snipe Israeli civilians Myth: living on the Israeli side of the border. Israel’s presence in the Golan Heights is unjustified and this ° See “UN Resolution 242” for more area should be given away to Syria. information about how Israel’s borders proved to be indefensible before 1967. Facts: The expression to “return to the 1967 borders” (see “1967 Israel gained control of the Golan Heights from Syria Borders” for more details) would mean that Israel would during the 1967 War, which saw four Arab countries give away Judea and Samaria, thus surrendering its ability (including Syria) attack Israel with the goal of destroying to maintain security for its citizens. it. Israel won the land in a defensive war, which is legal under international law. Nonetheless, Israel has made this offer four times before, • Prior to Israel’s ownership of the land, the Syrian mil- with the hope that it would bring peace. These instances itary used this area to attack the Jewish communities include: 1937 (Peel Commission), 1947 (Partition Plan), below from the top of the Golan Heights.1 2000 (Camp David Accords), and 2008 (Israeli PM Edut Olmert’s offer for statehood). Palestinian Arab leaders ° The Syrian army used the Golan’s high ground to refused all four offers. open fire almost every day on Israelis in the valleys below; they wounded and killed many innocent

59 Israeli civilians. Northern Israeli civilians were forced • Based on information from an Israeli senior to sleep in bomb shelters on a regular basis for pro- intelligence official, the number of jihadists tection against Syrian attacks.2 in Syria grew from 2,000 to more than 30,000 between 2012 and 2014.6 • During the Six-Day War (1967), Israel conquered the Golan and pushed the Syrian army away from this • There have not been daily attacks from this border area; in doing so, Israel created safety for its civilian since Israel gained it in 1967—there is no case for population living in the area. giving away a region that is at peace. • In 1973, the Syrian army attacked Israel—for the third • Furthermore, release of this militarily strategic time since 1948—on the holiest and most somber region would render Israel’s borders indefensible. day in the Jewish calendar. This attack and response These indefensible borders would expose innocent became known as the Yom Kippur War. civilians to attacks, which constantly occurred before 1967. ° After Israel successfully defended itself against Syrian aggression, both countries signed an armistice in ° See “1967 Borders” for more information. 1974. A UN observer force has been in place on the What has Israel done with this area in the wake of this peace? ceasefire line since then. • Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981. • Excavated an area known as Kursi and restored the ruins of a 5th-6th century CE church and monastery, ° There is an estimated 20,000 Israelis and an estimat- the largest Byzantine monastery in Israel. Excavations ed 20,000 Syrians (mostly Druze) living in the area.3 were completed for the Israel Antiquities Authority, 7 • Israeli ownership of the Golan Heights is important mostly between 1971 and 1974. to Israel’s militarily because it allows Israel to main- • Uncovered and partially restored an area known tain safety for Israeli civilians, it disables Syrian terror as Katzrin, an ancient Jewish town dating back to attacks, and it enables peace in the region. This region between the 4th and 7th centuries, and a 4th century is also elevated, which is militarily advantageous. synagogue.8 ° From the top of the Golan Heights, security person- • Establish a nature reserve in Gamla, an area that was nel can monitor possible attacks. This is in contrast home to a Jewish town in the Second Temple period to Syria’s regular shelling of northern Israel from and the site of ancient Jewish ruins.9 1948 until 1967. • Created a visitors area to see Hippos, the site of Although Israel’s ownership over this region is both legal a Roman city from the 3rd century BCE and the 7th and has enabled peace, Syria has asked for this territory century CE (at the time of Roman-controlled Palestine back in the past. after Rome eradicated Jewish Middle Eastern life there) 10 • However, this would mean a return to terror. This that were culturally Greek and Roman. would also be unwise because Syria is in a state of • T he Golan has provides about one third of Israel’s turmoil; giving over land to a state in turmoil widens water supply.11 the borders where terrorists operate and in turn puts Jewish and Arab Israelis in danger. Giving the land to Syria would also not provide relief for Syria’s internal struggles. ° Giving Syria land would, in effect, be giving this region to Assad, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, or other terrorist groups, all of whom facilitate the murder and torture of hundreds of thousands of their own people.4 • Assad explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel, denies the Holocaust,5 and has ready access to chemical weapons, which are a threat to the entire Western world. • Al-Qaeda is a US-designated terrorist group that plotted, carried out, and celebrated the 9/11 attacks.

60 Samaria are not utilizing this access to water re- Water Access in Judea/ sources: the water is still untapped underground Samaria and spills into the Dead Sea.2 ° In accordance with the Israeli/Palestinian Arab Definition: agreement, about 40 sites were approved for drilling Two sources of water exist in Judea and Samaria. In the into the aquifer in the eastern Hebron hills region. Palestinian Arab Territories, the Palestinian Authority (PA) Permits were granted to the Palestinian Arab com- 3 monitors water access and distribution for Palestinian Arabs. munities by the Israel-PA Joint Water Committee. In the Israeli area of Judea and Samaria, the Israeli government • Nevertheless, over the past 20 years, the PA has monitors the water access and distribution to Arab and Jewish drilled at just one-third of these sites, despite Israeli citizens. the fact that the international community has offered to finance the drilling of all sites. If the Myth: PA were to drill and develop all these wells, they Propagandists make the following claims: (1) Israel is could have solved the existing water shortage in stealing water from the Palestinian Arab people and the Hebron hills region.4 (2) Israel bars Palestinian Arabs from accessing resources. • The Palestinian Arab leaders do not adequately fix water leaks in city pipes; Palestinian Arab urban Facts: water infrastructure upkeep is often neglected.5 Israel is a desert country; water is scarce and must be used Up to 33% of water in Palestinian Arab cities sparingly. Many Israelis wash laundry by hand, limit shower ° is wasted through leakage.6 time to conserve water, rarely water the lawn, and so on. There is, unfortunately, a particular water shortage in • By comparison, leakage from Israeli municipal Palestinian Arab communities in Judea and Samaria. water pipes amount to about 10% of water usage.7 What are the causes of Palestinian Arab water supply • The PA refuses to build water treatment plants,despite shortages? its obligation to do so under the Oslo agreement. Sewage flows out of Palestinian Arab towns into local streams, Professor Haim Gvirtzman, a professor of hydrology at 8 the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of which pollutes the environment and aquifer. Jerusalem, a member of the Israel Water Authority Council, ° Despite the willingness of donor countries to fully and long-time advisor of the Israel-PA Joint Water fund the building of treatment plants, the PA leader- Committee, stated the cause of these water supply shortages: ship refuses to build these facilities to help its people.9 “Water shortages in the Palestinian Authority are the result • Palestinian Arab communities often use fresh water, of Palestinian policies that deliberately waste water and rather than recycled sewage water, to irrigate their destroy the regional water ecology. agricultural fields.10 The Palestinians refuse to develop their own significant underground water resources, build a seawater desalination ° Irrigating Palestinian Arab agricultural fields with plant, fix massive leakage from their municipal water pipes, recycled, rather than fresh, water would free up large build sewage treatment plants, irrigate land with treated quantities of water for home usage and reduce water sewage effluents or modern water-saving devices, or bill their shortages in many Palestinian Arab communities. own citizens for consumer water usage, leading to enormous ° By comparison, more than half of the agricultural waste. At the same time, they drill illegally into Israel’s water fields in Israel are irrigated with treated waste water.11 resources, and send their sewage flowing into the valleys and streams of central Israel. In short, the Palestinian Authority • Some Palestinian Arab farmers irrigate their fields by is using water as a weapon against the State of Israel. It is not flooding, rather than with drip irrigation technology. interested in practical solutions to solve the Palestinian Israeli farmers almost exclusively use drip irrigation, people’s water shortages, but rather perpetuation of the which brings water directly to the root of each plant, 12 shortages and the besmirching of Israel.” (February 4, 2014)1 and reduces water consumption by more than 50%. • The Oslo agreements grant the Palestinian Arabs the • Although anti-Israel activists claim these shortages right to draw 70 million cubic meters from the Eastern are a result of Israel stealing water, there are in fact Mountain Aquifer (ground water reservoir). However, no water pipes leading from Judea and Samaria the Palestinian Arab communities in Judea and (the “West Bank”) into Israel.13

61 • However, Israel supplies about 50 million cubic Israeli farmers to reduce their agricultural plantings, meters of water from Mekorot, Israel’s national water which affects Israelis and Palestinian Arabs alike.22 company, each year to the PA (the PA pays Mekorot 14 • It is also important to note that most Palestinian Arab for just 80% of the cost of the water it consumes). homes and businesses in Judea and Samaria do not The amount Israel provides is more water than it have water meters on pumping wells. Most also do is obligated to provide to the PA under the Oslo not pay the PA for the water they use. It is therefore Accords.15 impossible for the PA to measure the amount of money owed by individual consumers, making management The PA does not provide an adequate amount of of water and practical eco-planning impossible; it also water for its own people, despite the fact that it leads to widespread water waste.23 states in wants to govern an independent state. Lack of action in these conservation practices is not due How can Palestinian Arab communities solve the water to lack of funding. The international community has shortage problem? offered millions of dollars of aid and support to the PA, 24 The Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria and much of it is specifically devoted to water resources. consume some 200 million cubic meters of water If the PA were to correct its misuse of water supplies, it annually. The Palestinian Arab communities could would boost its economy in addition to providing better easily access at least 50% more, without any additional lives for its people. assistance or allocation from Israel or elsewhere.16 • The PA does not share and exchange any of its water Here’s how: with Israel or other neighbors in the region, although it would be able to do so if the PA managed its water • Begin drilling the Eastern Mountain Aquifer, at the supply more responsibly. sites already approved for drilling; this would secure an additional 50 million cubic meters of water per year.17 ° The PA could use its water to advance its crop and cattle growth, and thus expand its industry. This • Fix the main leaks in their urban water pipes to reduce would drastically jump-start its economy and create urban water waste from 33% to 20%; Palestinian Arab a thriving job market. communities would immediately benefit from 10 million additional cubic meters of water annually.18 In contrast to the PA’s misuse of water, the Israeli government and Israeli residents have worked to maintain • Collect and treat their urban waste water; this would an adequate water supply, despite the dry desert region. lead to at least an increase of about 30 million cubic meters of water per year.19 • Not only do Israeli farmers and gardeners use specially made advanced agricultural systems to reduce water ° This fresh water, which is currently used for agri- waste, but Israel has also developed much of the culture, could be allocated to home usage—thereby money-saving and water-saving irrigation (and other improving urban home water supply. farming methods) now used commonly around the world. One example of Israeli-developed eco-friendly • Adopt drip irrigation technology; this would save 10 technology is the first effective surface drip irrigation million cubic meters each year and allow for Palestin- emitter, developed in 1959, mentioned above.25 ian Arab farmers to expand irrigated lands.20 • Additionally, Israeli toilets are built to flush with Unfortunately, the PA’s policies and careless agricultural reduced water quantities and the Israeli government practices have led to it providing negligent quantities of regularly urges residents to conserve daily water use. water to its own people. • Israel also treats 92% of its wastewater and reuses 75% In fact, many of the PA’s actions have been illegal or in agriculture, the highest rate in the world.26 irresponsible. • Israel creates artificial water (desalinated seawater and • Israel has found illegally drilled wells in the PA. As of recycled sewage), thus minimizing water shortage, 2010, the Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria had despite having experienced many years of drought.27 drilled about 250 unauthorized wells into some Aqui- • In fact, Israel is a net exporter of water. Israel supplies 55 fers, in violation of the Oslo agreements. The number million cubic meters of water each year to Jordan, and of unauthorized well-digging has continued to rise.21 sells 50 million cubic meters to Palestinian Arabs.28 ° This has caused a reduction in the natural flow of water in the Beit Shean and Harod valleys, forcing

62 Occupied Territories 6 Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Re- 3 BBC News, Golan Heights Profile, May 21, 2013 1 Myths and Facts, “Mandate for Palestine” The porting in America, Updated: Anti-Israel Ads 4 Some examples, among many: CNN World, Legal Aspects of Jewish Rights on Boston Public Transit System, June 23, 2014 Exclusive: Gruesome Syria photos may prove torture by Assad regime, January 22, 2014. 2 Genesis 15, Joshua 15:47, Kings 15:47 and UN Resolution 242 Judges 1:18 See also: BBC News, Hundreds die in Syria’s 3 Jewish Virtual Library, The Gaza Strip: History 1 United Nations: Security Council, Resolution ‘deadliest week’, July 23, 2014 of Jewish Settlement 242 (1967) of November 22, 1967 5 Global Jewish Agency, AJC Denounces Syrian 4 Ibid 2 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli War of Indepen- Support for Holocaust Denial, February 1, 2000 5 Ibid dence: Background & Overview. 6 The Jerusalem Post, Israeli expert on Syria: The 6 Jewish Virtual Library, Pre-State Israel: Jewish 3 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, The Fallacy West and Israel are not in hurry to get rid of Claim To The Land Of Israel of the “1967 Borders” – No Such Borders Ever Assad, January 27, 2014 Existed, December 21, 2010. 7 Israel Experts, Map of Israel: The Golan Heights Settlements 4 Travelogue, Blame the British and French for To- 8 Israel Experts, Map of Israel: The Golan Heights 1 “Give Peace a Chance,” European Coalition for day’s Mayhem in the Middle East, May 10, 2009 9 Israel Experts, Map of Israel: The Golan Heights Israel, August 22, 2011. 5 UnitedSuccess, Cultural Intelligence, January 10 Israel Experts, Map of Israel: The Golan Heights 2 “Article 80 and the UN Recognition of a ‘Palestin- 25, 2013 11 Golan Heights Profile, BBC News, November ian State,’” The Algemeiner, September 22, 2011. 6 SixDayWar.org, Precursors to War: Arab 27, 2015. Threats Against Israel 3 “Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the Water Access in Judea/Samaria West Bank and Gaza Strip,” Israeli Knesset, 7 Mythsandfacts.org, UN Security Council September 28, 1995. Resolutions 242 and 338, January 2006. 1 The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, 4 UN Office for the Coordination of Humani- 8 Palestinian Media Watch, PA depicts a world The Truth Behind the Palestinian Water Libels, tarian Affairs, OCHA, 2009, Restricting Space: without Israel. February 24, 2014 2 Ibid The Planning Regime Applied by Israel in Area Two-State Solution C of the West Bank, p. 3 3 Ibid 5 United Nations Office for the Coordination of 1 “Fatah official: ‘God will gather Israelis so we can 4 Ibid Humanitarian Affairs, West Bank: Area C Map, kill them.’” The Times of Israel, March 13, 2014 5 Ibid February 22, 2011 2 “Palestinian children’s song: Daddy’s present is 6 Ibid 6 “Israel Palestinian Conflict: The Truth about a machine gun and a rifle,” Palestinian Media 7 Ibid the Peace Process,” Danny Ayalon, September Watch, February 5, 2010 8 Ibid 12, 2011. 3 “Column One: Mainstreaming anti-Semitism” 9 Ibid 7 “Camp David, 2000,” Palestine Facts, The Jerusalem Post, January 19, 2012 10 Ibid 8 “The Fatah Constitution” MidEast Web. 4 “Israelis Document Incitement by the Palestinian 11 Ibid 9 “Hamas Covenant 1988,” The Avalon Project, Authority,” New York Times, January 6, 2014. 12 Ibid 2008. 5 Ibid 13 The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, 10 “Hamas song: ‘Fire your rockets…blow up Tel 6 “West Bank: Settlements, Communities, and The Truth Behind the Palestinian Water Libels, Aviv,” Palestinian Media Watch, July 10, 2014. Facts on the Ground,” StandWithUs, 2010. BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 238, 11 “Girl on PA TV: Jews are the ‘most evil among 7 Gatestone Institute: Freedom of Expression? February 24, 2014 creation, barbaric monkeys, wretched pigs,’” Not for Palestinians, February 13, 2013 14 Ibid Palestinian Media Watch, July 7, 2013. 8 Jerusalem Post, Palestinian Jailed for ‘Liking’ 15 The Jerusalem Post, Palestinian lies like water, 12 “Fatah to Israelis: Prepare body bags,” Palestin- Anti-PA Web Post, March 31st, 2013 July 11, 2013 ian Media Watch, July 7, 2014. 9 The Algemeiner, Honor Killings in Palestinian 16 The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, 13 “Hamas: Killing Jews is worship of Allah,” Authority Territory Double in One Year, Febru- The Truth Behind the Palestinian Water Libels, Palestinian Media Watch, November 27, 2012. ary 12, 2014 February 24, 2014 14 “US Probe: Terrorists never intended to keep 10 The Jerusalem Post, UK-Based Arab HR Group 17 Ibid seized teens alive,” The Times of Israel, July 9, 2014. Accuses PA of Abuse, December 30, 2012 18 Ibid 15 Israel Defense Forces, Operation Protective 11 Haaretz, Jordan, PA arrest 2 Palestinians for 19 Ibid Edge by the Numbers, August 5, 2014. See also: selling Hebron house to Jew, March 30, 2007 20 Ibid Israel Defense Forces, Rocket Attacks on Israel 12 yourmiddleeast.com, Homosexuals in Pales- 21 Ibid From Gaza tine—The Invisibles, May 6, 2013 22 Ibid 23 Ibid 1967 Borders Defensible Borders 24 The Jerusalem Post, Palestinian lies like water, 1 Egypt Israel Armistice Agreement UN Doc 1 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Defensible July 11, 2013 S/1264/Corr.1 23 February 1949. Borders to Ensure Israel’s Future 25 Hasbara Fellowships, Think Green. Think Blue. 2 Oren, Michael, Six Days of War Oxford Uni- 2 Ibid 26 AskIsrael (Project of StandWithUs), Quick Facts: Environmental Efforts versity Press 2002. Golan Heights 3 SixDayWar.org, Precursors to War: Arab 27 The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Threats Against Israel. 1 Israel Experts, Map of Israel: The Golan The Truth Behind the Palestinian Water Libels, 4 Ibid Heights February 24, 2014 5 Ibid 2 Ibid 28 Ibid

63 Genocide

• Two Palestinian Arab terrorists broke into an arbitrari- Freedom Fighter ly chosen Jewish home and murdered five members of the Fogel family, including a 3-month-old infant, Definition: on March 11, 2011.5 A person who takes part in a violent struggle to achieve a • Two Hamas operatives kidnapped and murdered three political goal, especially in order to overthrow a government; teenage boys, including an American citizen, who someone who fights for freedom. were on their way home from school on June 12, 2014.6 Myth: Hamas executed six Arabs suspected of collaborating with Groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not terrorists; Israel and dragged their bodies through the streets of 7 they are “freedom fighters.” Gaza in November of 2012. These are acts of terrorism against civilians; they in no way Fact: constitute a fight for freedom. These groupstarget and murder Jewish and Arab civilians Palestinian Arab leaders call for the genocide of the Jewish and threaten to harm and terrorize all Western society, as people and the killing of civilians. “Freedom fighters” would is evidenced through their public statements and actions. not do this. They arenot freedom fighters; they areterrorists. • “I believe that God will gather the Israelis so we can In fact, both Hamas and Islamic Jihad are US-designated kill them.”—Abbas Zaki, Senior Member of the Fatah terrorist groups. Central Committee, close advisor of President Abbas, 8 Here are some examples, among hundreds of others, of their on March 12, 2014. terrorist activity: • “The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the • Terrorists in Gaza have fired 18,000+ rockets and stones and trees will call: ‘Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, mortars into Israel since 2001; that is an average there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’”—PA 9 of roughly 4 rocket attacks every day. These attacks Mufti Muhammad Hussein on January 9, 2012. The deliberately target civilian populations. Most of these mufti is one of the main religious authorities in the PA. rockets are aimed into southern Israeli communities These terrorists and supporters of terrorism who claim where civilians have 15 seconds to seek shelter.1, 2 to fight for freedom already control nearly all Palestinian • During the Second Intifada, Palestinian Arab terror- Arab communities in Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) ists murdered nearly 1,100 Israelis (mostly civilians).3 and Gaza. They continuously persecute their own people and deny them all forms of freedom, proving they are not • On August 9, 2001, a Palestinian Arab suicide bomber “freedom fighters.” massacred a large crowd of Israelis and Americans • The PA severely persecutes homosexuals. Its security in a Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem; the attacker forces torture, beat, and interrogate people suspected killed 15 civilians and injured about 100 more.4 of being gay.10

64 • The PA persecutes Palestinian Christians. This To read more about legal and historic ownership and persecution has intensified significantly, resulting Hamas’s stated goal, please see: in mass migrations of Christians from Bethlehem • 1948 War of Independence (a holy city for Christians).11 • Zionism/Zionist • Honor killings (the killing of women by relatives for • Colonialism acting “dishonorably”) in PA-controlled territories • Occupied Territories doubled in 2013. The Palestinian Arab leadership • Anti-Semitism ignores many of these murders.12 Note: Some people also often refer to these US-designated Terror does not and has not ever yielded results. Diplomacy terrorist groups and other independent terrorists as is how society functions. militants who are fighting in aresistance, which is often These terrorists will not achieve statehood by terrorizing said to be against (1) an occupation and harsh treatment Israel and their own people. If Palestinian Arab and (2) land loss. However, (1) Israel has made multiple governments engage in diplomacy and end their terrorist peace deals to divide the land in an effort to create activities, Israeli and Palestinian Arab leaders could develop coexistence, increase Arab-Israeli cohesion, and grant a peace treaty that would achieve lasting results. statehood to Palestinian Arabs and (2) these terrorists have stated they are fighting with the goal of murdering Jews If the governmental organizations (Hamas and PA, (across the globe, not only within Israel). Additionally, Israel among others) and political figures (Ismail Haniyeh has legal and historic rights over the land. and Mahmoud Abbas, among others) governing the Palestinian Arab people wanted to grant their people To read more about past deals and their results, please see: freedom, they could do so; they have the opportunity to • Oslo Accords create statehood in the areas they govern, but do not do • Camp David Accords so. Instead, they persecute their own people. • Intifada • Gaza Withdrawal - www.acdemocracy.org/hamas-terrorist-training-for-gazan-children/ www.thehigherlearning.com/2014/08/10/liberators-or-terrorists-the-ori gins-and-history-of-israel-and-hamas/ Hamas militants in training Children in a Hamas rally www.standwithus.com/news/article.asp?id=724

Hamas’ Suicide Bomber Recruits

65 Genocide ° As of 2014, the population of Gaza was 1.8 million.9 ° In Judea and Samaria and Eastern Jerusalem, the Definition: total population was 2.7 million; of that, roughly 10 According to the United Nations Convention on the 2.2 million are Arabs. Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: The Arab population in Israel has grown ten-fold “Genocide” means taking violent actions with the intent since Israel’s establishment in 1948, while the Arab to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, population in Judea and Samaria has multiplied or religious group. by roughly 3.7, and the Arab population in Gaza has multiplied by five. Examples of Genocide in Recent History: While fighting enemies that want to destroy Israel, • Armenian Genocide 1915-1923: 1.5 million the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) goes out of its way 1 Armenians murdered. to safeguard the lives of Palestinian Arab civilians. • The Holocaust 1938-1945: 6 million Jews murdered.2 • During operations in Gaza, the IDF drops leaflets • Rwandan Genocide 1994: 800,000 murdered.3 4 by air and makes thousands of phone calls to Gazan • Darfurian Genocide 2004-present: 400,000 murdered. homes, warning civilians to stay away from Hamas 11 Myth: facilities and operatives that could be targeted. Israel is committing genocide against Palestinian Arabs. • The Israeli Air Forcewarns civilians before bombing strategic terrorist facilities by using loud but non- lethal ‘warning-bombs’ before targeting the site with Facts: live ammunition. This is known as “roof knocking” The genocide claim against Israel is blatantly false for three and is employed as a way to avoid civilian casualties.12 main reasons: The IDF has even rerouted missiles in mid air to avoid (1) The Arab population in Israel, in the Palestinian Palestinian Arab casualties. Authority, and in Gaza, has grown significantly since 1948— this is the polar opposite of what would take place under a ° In many instances, Hamas militants run into a crowd genocide. of civilians while being targeted, knowing the IDF will reroute the missile. The IDF has video evidence (2) The Jewish State takes more measures than any other of this.13 country in the Middle East, and arguably the rest of the world, to safeguard the lives of all civilians (both Israeli and • The above examples of the IDF going out of its way to foreign civilians). This is also the opposite of the definition avoid civilians casualties show how Israel cares about of “genocide.” See below for more information and see the the lives of all civilians, including the Palestinian Arabs. “IDF” section for greater details. This is the opposite of committing genocide. (3) Israel grants equal rights to all its citizens, regardless of • Israel’s Civilian-to-Combatant Death Ratio is the 14 gender, religion, sexual orientation, and all other identities. lowest of any country in recent history. See “Apartheid” for more information. ° The civilian to militant death ratio in Israel has been The Arab population in Israel and the Palestinian Arab as low as 1:30 in recent years (for every one civilian territories has grown dramatically since the Jewish state’s death, there are 30 terrorists killed).15 During Opera- establishment in 1948. This population growth could not tion Cast Lead 2008-2009, it was roughly 1:2.16 happen if there were a genocide against this population. • The UN estimates that in Afghanistan, the ratio • In 1948, 82% of Israeli citizens were Jewish and roughly is 3:1; In Iraq and Kosovo the ratio was 4:1. 18% were Arab.5 However, in 2007, 76% of Israeli citi- This means four civilians were killed for every zens were Jewish and 20% were Arab (and 4% other).6 one militant.17 ° This translates into 145,000 Arab-Israeli citizens ° According to the Jerusalem bureau chief of The New in 1948 and 1.45 million Arab-Israelis in 2007.7 York Times, during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, about 55% of deaths were fighting-age men, and • In 1967 (when Israel took control of Judea, Samaria, another 11% were listed as “unknown.” This analysis eastern Jerusalem, and Gaza; see “1967 Borders”), was based on Palestinian Health Ministry figures.18 356,000 Arabs lived in Gaza and 599,000 in Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”).8 66 • This number is exceptionally high, considering that Hamas used civilians as human shields Ethnic Cleansing and forced them into harms way. The IDF took precautionary measures to limit civilian deaths, Definition: despite the fact that Hamas used civilian areas The mass killing or expulsion of members of a particular for war purposes. ethnic group, based on their membership in said group, from a geographic area. ° “If the Israelis wanted to wipe out as many Palestinians as possible, never mind commit genocide, they probably wouldn’t issue warnings Myth: to Gazans (by phone and leaflet) to get out of Israel committed ethnic cleansing against Palestinian h a r m’s w a y.” —Jonah Goldberg, LA Times, Arabs in 1948 and still does so today. July 14, 201419 Israel is one of the only countries in the world to help its Fact: 20 enemy’s civilians while under fire. Israel did not ethnically cleanse Palestinian Arabs in the • During Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 (a war 1948 War. fought with Hamas to stop continuous rocket fire • Most Palestinian Arabs who fled Israel in 1948 did on Israeli civilians), Israel delivered more than so due to (a) Arab countries telling them to flee and 1,500 truckloads of food and supplies to the enemy- return once they destroyed Israel or (b) false reports 21 controlled Gaza Strip. of massacres that led to fleeing out of fear. ° Israel delivered aid to enemy territory despite the Arab leaders in Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and other 22 ° enemy’s continuous rocket-fire on Israeli civilians. countries told the Palestinian Arabs to leave their ° For more information on Israel facilitating aid to homes to give the Arab countries more room to Hamas-controlled Gaza, see “Blockade on Gaza.” destroy Israel. They told these soon-to-be refugees that they would return to their homes as soon as The US State Department considers the genocide they won the war. accusation to be anti-Semitic, as it perpetuates age-old anti-Jewish stereotypes. The State Department believes • However, they did not accomplish their goal of that accusing Israel of committing genocide and acting wiping Israel off the map. Those who fled their like the Nazis is a way to demonize and spread lies about homes became refugees. 23 the only Jewish state. See “1948 War of Independence” for more information on • Claiming that Jews are committing genocide against those who fled their homes. Palestinian Arabs spreads the historic anti-Semitic ° Both Palestinian Arab and Jewish leaders perpetuated blood libel that labels Jews/Zionists as murderers. myths that Jewish fighters carried out massacres of • See “Anti-Semitism” for more information on this Palestinian Arab civilians. claim and for an outline of the US State Depart- • Palestinian Arab leaders did this to try to ment’s statement. encourage surrounding Arab countries to get more involved in the fighting (this backfired, as it encouraged massive numbers of Palestinian Arab civilians to leave their homes).1 • Some Jewish leaders did this to try to encourage Arabs to leave their homes (this also backfired, as it created massive amounts of anti-Israel propa- ganda based off lies still seen today).2 See “Nakba” for more information on these perpetuated myths. • David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, wished for coexistence between Arabs and Jews in Israel. He believed there would one day be peace between Palestinian Arabs and Israelis.

67 “In our state there will be non-Jews as well—and all of ° As of 2014, the population of Gaza was 1.8 million.10 them will be equal citizens; equal in everything without In Judea/Samaria and Eastern Jerusalem, the total exception; that is, the state will be their state as well. … ° population was 2.7 million. Of that, roughly The attitude of the Jewish state to its Arab citizens will 2.2 million were Arabs.11 be an important factor—though not the only one—in building good neighborly relations with the Arab states. ° These numbers indicate that the Arab population If the Arab citizen will feel at home in our state, and if in Israel (this data does not include Judea and his status will not be in the least different from that of Samaria) has grown ten-fold since Israel’s establish- the Jew, and perhaps better than the status of the Arab ment in 1948, while the Arab population in Judea in an Arab state … then Arab distrust will accordingly and Samaria has multiplied by roughly 3.7, and subside and a bridge to a Semitic, Jewish–Arab alliance, the Arab population in Gaza has multiplied by five. will be built.” 3 (December 13, 1947) This has been an Israeli goal ever since, as is evidenced • Arabs in Israel on average live 10 years longer than by the FOUR two-state offers (see “Palestinian Refugees”) Arabs in neighboring countries.12 made by Israel—and rejected by Palestinian Arab ° Arab-Israeli life expectancy increased about 27 years leadership—and countless other peace offers (see “Oslo between 1948 and 2002.13 Accords”, “Camp David Accords”, “Two-State Solution”, and “Gaza Withdrawal”). • Arab-Israelis are the most free Arabs in the Middle East. There are no restrictions on education, career • In 1948, when the Palestinian Arabs of Haifa (who choice, or religious choice for Arab-Israelis. They comprised of 10% of the population) left the city, share the same legal status as Jewish-Israelis. This Jewish residents asked the Palestinian Arabs to stay is contrary to the gender, religious, and political and live in coexistence. discrimination in surrounding Arab states. Noted historian Benny Morris wrote of the scene: “… ° ° For example, in Lebanon, Palestinian Arabs are to the astonishment of the British and the Jewish military denied 74 types of employment. Palestinian Arabs and political leaders gathered on the afternoon of 22 are also confined to 12 camps with no medical, April at the Haifa town hall, the Arab delegation an- social, or educational services from the government. nounced that its community would evacuate the city. The In some of those camps, the government bars Jewish mayor, Shabtai Levy, and the British commander, residents from building and repairing homes.14 Major-General Hugh Stockwell, pleaded with the Arabs to reconsider … but the Arabs were unmoved …” 4 ° The average number of years of education for Arab- Israelis doubled from five years in 1970 to ten years In addition, the Israeli labor union, the Histadrut, ° in 2000.15 Educational opportunities are lacking in appealed to the Arabs of Haifa in an effort to resume most Arab countries. In many cases, Arab govern- Jewish-Arab coexistence: “Do not destroy your homes ments do not offer women proper education. … and lose your sources of income and bring upon yourselves disaster by evacuation. The Haifa Workers Arab leaders call for the ethnic cleansing of Israelis and Council and the Histadrut advise you for your own all Jews worldwide; they have done so since before Israel good to stay and return to your regular work.” 5 was established. Israel does not ethnically cleanse Palestinian Arabs • Before Israel’s establishment, the Arab leadership in today. In fact, the Palestinian Arab population has grown British Mandate Palestine continuously incited riots significantly since 1948 in Israel, Judea and Samaria (the against Jews and called for the extermination of the “West Bank”), and Gaza. Jewish people. • In 1948, 82% of Israeli citizens were Jewish and roughly ° Haj Amin al-Husseini (the recognized leader of 18% were Arab.6 However, in 2017, 74.7% of Israeli Arabs living in British Mandate Palestine in the citizens were Jewish and 20.8% were Arab (and 4.5% 1920s-40s and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem) other).7 incited massacres of Jewish civilians in cities throughout British Mandate Palestine and the ° This translates into 145,000 Arab-Israeli citizens in 1948 and 1.8 million in 2007.8 Arab World. • In 1967 (when Israel took control of Judea, Samaria, • These massacres included (but were not limited Eastern Jerusalem, and Gaza; see “1967 Borders”), to) the following: 356,000 Arabs lived in Gaza and 599,000 in Judea Fedayeen (suicide groups) that terrorized 9 ° and Samaria. Jewish civilians in 191916 68 ° 1929 riots in Safed and Hebron, which killed 133 Jews17 Apartheid ° Arab riots of 1936-1939, which killed 415 Definition: Jews18 A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on the ° Al-Husseini also worked closely with Hitler to assist grounds of race. in the extermination of Jews in Europe and elsewhere. Myth: • He traveled to Nazi Germany in 1941 and met with Hitler to gain assistance with his plan to anni- Israel is committing apartheid against the Palestinian Arabs hilate the Jewish population of the Middle East.19 through the use of checkpoints and discriminatory laws. • He recruited Bosnian-Muslim troops for service Facts: 20 in the Waffen SS. These troops went on to Minorities in Israel (including Arabs) enjoy equal rights, exterminate Jews in Croatia and Hungary. making Israel the opposite of an apartheid state. • Palestinian Arab leaders today still call for the annihila- • Israel’s Declaration of Independence states equality for tion of Israel and the Jewish people. all Arab citizens. ° The Palestinian Authority (PA), which oversees “WE APPEAL—in the very midst of the onslaught roughly 98% of Arabs living in Judea and Samaria, launched against us now for months—to the Arab in- uses its media outlets, schools, and mosques to habitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and promote the hatred and killing of Jews. It also teaches participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis its people that Israel does not have a right to exist. of full and equal citizenship and due representation • See “Two-State Solution” for detailed information in all its provisional and permanent institutions.” on incitement within the PA. • Upholding its Declaration of Independence, Israel ° Hamas, which controls all of Gaza, also promotes gives equal rights to all of it citizens, regardless of this anti-Semitic ideology. Hamas has also launched gender, religion, race, or ethnicity. more than 18,000 rockets at Israel since 2001 to try Israeli law today states that “There shall be no viola- to kill as many Jewish civilians as possible. Hamas is tion of the life, body or dignity of any person”.1 a US-designated terrorist organization with the goal 21 Israeli-Arabs use the same public facilities, eat at the of another Holocaust in its charter. same restaurants, access the same housing facilities, • “ The Jews are the most despicable and contemptible work at the same companies, serve in the same combat nation to crawl upon the face of the Earth, because divisions, serve in the government, and much more. they have displayed hostility to Allah.” (Atallah • Israeli-Arabs make up 20% of the population of Israel Abu Al-Subh, former Hamas Minister of Culture, and are active members of Israeli culture, society, 22 aired on Al Aqsa TV, April 8, 2011) and government. “Hamas must lay the foundation for a tomorrow Israeli-Arabs (as of 2015) hold 17 seats in Israel’s without Zionists.” (Hamas leader Mahmoud parliament. 23 a-Zahar, Al-Aqsa TV, January 4, 2009) This is contrary to the rest of the Arab world, where The facts show that not only are the ethnic cleansing claims Arab governments persecute their people. against Israel false, but the Palestinian Arab leadership has Israel does not rule over Palestinian Arabs in Judea and tried to ethnically cleanse the Jewish people from Israel for Samaria (the “West Bank”) and Gaza. It is impossible to decades. commit apartheid without controlling the people. • Gaza Strip No Israeli presence (government, military, civilian, etc.) exists in Gaza. In fact, Israelis are legally not permitted to enter Gaza. Israel cannot practice apartheid over a population it does not control. Since Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the Palestinian Arabs have had full control over the region.

69 Hamas, an anti-Semitic, US-designated terrorist organization, currently controls the Gaza Strip. • Hamas commits war crimes against its own people and abuses their human rights, but one cannot blame Israel for this. Israel legally blockades Gaza to block weapons from reaching Hamas and others who intend to fire those weapons at Israeli civilians.2 • According to international law, imposing a naval blockade is legal to stop the flow of weapons to an enemy. • Israel allows humanitarian aid to reach Gaza even www.israeltoday.co.il/Portals/0/news/141002_yomkippur.jpg while Hamas commits the war crime of launching Cultures come together in the heart of Israel. missiles at Israeli civilians. In fact, during Operation Cast Lead (an Israeli operation to stop the increase in rockets launched measures, seeing as they have been successful in at civilians by Hamas), Israel delivered more than stopping thousands of potential terrorist attacks. 1,500 truckloads of food and supplies to Gaza, • Before these border crossing existed, Palestinian 3 despite the rockets coming from the area. Arab terrorists crossed into Israel and murdered • Judea and Samaria: Jewish and Arab civilians. Ninety-eight percent of the Palestinian Arabs in the Everyone, regardless of ethnicity or citizenship, go region live under the civil administration of the through border crossings within Judea and Samaria. Palestinian Authority, not under Israel. These “checkpoints” preventterrorist attacks against The Palestinian Authority acts as a racist, corrupt, Jews and Arabs. and undemocratic regime that abuses its own In 2012, the IDF caught nearly 1,500 people trying people’s human rights and persecutes minorities. to enter Israel either illegally or with weapons.4 As a result of this, Palestinian Arabs in Judea and The “apartheid” comparison is a false analogy that Samaria face apartheid-like abuses, but not at the aims to spread anti-Israel propaganda. hands of Israel. • It trivializes the suffering that South Africans faced • Anti-Israel propagandists claim that Israel’s security under apartheid. measures discriminate against Palestinian Arabs. They complain that “checkpoints” (what are actually • “Apartheid” is a loaded term meant to elicit an emo- border crossings between the PA and Israel) violate tional response instead of relying on facts. human rights. Border crossings exist in virtually • The term “apartheid” is an integral part of theanti- every country to maintain and monitor the safety Semitic BDS campaign, whose own founders admit of civilians. These border crossings are security that its goal is to destroy the State of Israel.5 www.pbase.com/image/66470758 www.jerusalemchannel.tv/video-muslim-wanted-destroy-israel-happened/ Muslims, Jews and Christians walking in the streets of Jerusalem. 70 Genocide 20 Coordinator for Government Activities in the 14 Stanford Israel Alliance, The Case for Israel 1 History.com, Armenian Genocide, 2010 Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: 15 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli Arabs: Statistics 2 Yad Vashem, The Holocaust: Overview The Humanitarian Efforts in the Gaza Strip, Regarding Israeli Arabs (based on Central 3 United Human Rights Council, Genocide in January 18, 2009 Bureau of Statistics, 2002) Rwanda 21 JewishInStLouis: Gateway to the Jewish Com- 16 Jewish Virtual Library, Arab Riots of 1929, No 4 United Human Rights Council, Genocide in Sudan munity, Operation Cast Lead Summary. Date 5 Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel in Statistics, 22 Coordinator for Government Activities in the 17 Frontpage Magazine, Voices of Palestine: Haj 1948-2007 Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: Amin al-Husseini, November 8,2011 6 Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel in Statistics, The Humanitarian Efforts in the Gaza Strip, 18 Jewish Virtual Library, Pre-State Israel: The 1948-2007 January 18, 2009 1936 Arab Revolts (no date) 7 Jewish Virtual Library, Vital Statistics: Popula- 23 US Department of State, Defining Anti-Semi- 19 YouTube, The Nazis and the Palestinian Move- tion of Israel: 1948—Present, 2014 tism, June 8, 2010. ment, July 30, 2013 20 Eretz Yisroel, The Arab/Muslim Nazi Connec- 8 Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, The Ethnic Cleansing 1967 Census: The 1967 Census of the West tion Bosnian Moslems recruited the Nazi SS by Bank and Gaza Strip 1 Morton A. Klein, Deir Yassin: History of a Lie, Yasser Arafat’s ‘Uncle’, No Date 9 Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact- March 9, 1998 21 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas’s Genocide book: Gaza Strip, June 22, 2014- 2 Ibid Ideology. 10 Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact- 3 Israeli Historical Revisionism: From Left to 22 Anti Defamation League, Anti-Semitism in book: West Bank, June 20, 2014 Right, D.J. Penslar & A. Shapira, 2003 the Muslim/Arab World: Hamas in Their Own 11 Israel Defense Forces, IDF seeks to minimize 4 Benny Morris, 1948 and After: Israel and the Words, May 2, 2011 casualties by warning Gaza’s civilians Palestinians, p. 20, 1994 23 Ibid 5 Benny Morris, The Birth of the Palestinian 12 Israel Defense Forces, How does the IDF mini- Apartheid mize harm to Palestinian civilians? Refugee Problem Revisited, p. 206, 2004 13 Israel Defense Forces, IDF VLOG: Strikes 6 Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel in Statistics, 1 Discover the Networks: A Guide to the Political Aborted to Protect Civilians—Lt. Barak Raz, 1948-2007 Left, Human Rights in Arab Countries January 13, 2009. 7 Vital Statistics: Latest Population Statistics for 2 “The Legal Basis of Israel’s Blockade of Gaza,” 14 The New York Review of Books, The Israeli Israel, Jewish Virtual Library, May 2017 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Army and Human Rights: An Exchange, 8 Ibid July 18, 2010. August 18, 2011 9 Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, The 3 Coordinator for Government Activities in the 15 Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli Air Force: Bomb- 1967 Census: The 1967 Census of the West Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: ing Gaza or Pinpoint Strikes?, March 11, 2012 Bank and Gaza Strip The Humanitarian Efforts in the Gaza Strip, 16 The Jerusalem Post, IDF Released Cast Lead 10 Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact- January 18, 2009. Casualty Numbers, March 26, 2009. book: Gaza Strip, June 22, 2014 4 What’s the Truth Behind Checkpoints and 17 Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli Air Force: Bomb- 11 Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact- Crossings in Judea and Samaria? IDF Blog, ing Gaza or Pinpoint Strikes?, March 11, 2012 book: West Bank, June 20, 2014 May 6, 2013. 18 The Tower, NYT Gaza Death Figures Support 12 Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli Arabs: Statistics 5 BDS is a long term project with radically Israeli Side Over UN & Hamas Claims, Aug. 6, 2014 Regarding Israeli Arabs (based on Central transformative potential, Mondoweiss, 19 American Enterprise Institute, Attacking Israel Bureau of Statistics, 2002) April 22, 2010. with the big lie: Genocide, July 14, 2014 13 Ibid

71 Gaza

• Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza was an opportunity for Gaza Withdrawal the Palestinian Arab people to establish an indepen- Note: For the history of Gaza and Israel’s legal claim to the dent and thriving Palestinian Arab state. Instead, land, please see “Occupied Territories”. Gazans elected Hamas, a US-designated terrorist organization, into leadership; Gazan civilians have Definition: suffered under Hamas’s abusive leadership ever since. Myth: Why Israel Withdraw from Gaza and Who Was Displaced: An Overview There is still an Israeli presence in Gaza.

• In the late summer of 2005, Israel evacuated all Israeli Fact: residents and security personnel from the Gaza Strip in As of 2005, there is zero Israeli presence in Gaza; there are an effort to encourage peace with the Palestinian Arab no Israeli residents, visitors, or military or governmental population living there. personnel there. In fact, Israelis are not legally permitted to enter Gaza. ° Roughly 9,000 Israelis left their homes in 21 Gaza communities (and four in northern Judea and For more information on the Gazan naval blockade, please Samaria beginning August 2005).1 see “Blockade on Gaza”. ° Eighteen percent of the displaced Jewish Gazan resi- Although Israel withdrew all its residents, Israel left dents were still unemployed in June 2010.2 behind infrastructure to provide stability for the Pal- estinian Arab population in the area. ° Instead of receiving peace, Israel saw Hamas and other Palestinian Arab terrorists immediately carry out violent terrorist attacks after Israel evacuated all its citizens from Gaza. Terrorists directed abuse towards both Palestinian Arab civilians within Gaza and over the border towards Israeli civilians. • Hamas inflicted harm, death, and terror on Israeli civilians and killed roughly 1,000 Israelis and injured countless others between September 2000 and 2005.3 The purpose of the unilateral disengagement from Gaza (implemented by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon) was to reduce this terror—Israel gave away Gaza in an effort for peace.

Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005 www.vox.com/2014/7/16/5904691/hamas-israel-gaza-11-things ° Jewish families being evacuated from their homes built on ancient Jewish (see below for details). land. 72 • The Israeli government left behind agricultural centers, and the international community provided schools, community centers and institutions, and other the Palestinian Arabs with an opportunity to public buildings for the Palestinian Arabs4 to aid them create one. and their economy. Israel also left behind construction • Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York materials to be recycled for use in high-rises in Gaza for City, said in 2009: “Since the Israelis pulled out of Palestinian Arab residents. Gaza in 2005, Hamas, rather than trying to build ° However, Israel demolished Gaza’s 38 synagogues up Gaza, has tried to destroy Israel for their own after removing sacred objects (as religious diversity political purposes.”12 is not permitted under Hamas leadership and syna- • Prior to withdrawing all Israelis from Gaza in 2005, Is- gogues would have been desecrated) and evacuated rael built the Erez Crossing, which would have allowed 5 48 graves from Gaza’s Jewish cemetery. for 40,000 Palestinian Arab Gazans to cross per day to • Israel left behind Israeli-owned greenhouses and gave seek jobs in anticipation of continued economic and them to the Palestinian Authority to help stimulate the employment cooperation between Israel and Gaza.13 6 economy in Gaza. ° Unfortunately, after Hamas took over Gaza and ° The greenhouses were intended to provide jobs for at intensified its terrorist attacks against Israel (includ- least 3,000 Palestinian Arabs,7 but the new residents ing attacks on the Erez Crossing), it never began to 14 let the agriculture and economic opportunity go operate as intended. to waste and Palestinian Arab militants destroyed • Hamas forces morality police upon the civilian popu- them.8 lation to monitor them. According to Human Rights Watch, Gaza residents face “capricious imprisonments, The result of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza was torture and arrests for ‘morality offenses’ by Hamas a Hamas takeover and zero peace. police.”15 This is one of many examples of Hamas denying Both Palestinian Arabs living in Gaza and Israelis ° Palestinian Arabs in Gaza basic freedoms such as in Israel suffer from Israel’s pullout from Gaza freedom of speech and expression. and the subsequent Hamas takeover.

Palestinian Arab Suffering and Trauma in Gaza • Palestinian Arabs living in the Gaza Strip elected Hamas (a US-designated terrorist organization) into power in 2007. Gaza is a self-governed entity; Hamas runs a dictatorial regime. It has committed thousands of war crimes by launching thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians and using Palestinian Arabs as human shields while fighting.9 ° Instead of getting peace in return for withdrawing from Gaza, Israel received even more terrorism. • According to human rights groups, between 2006-2007, Hamas killed an estimated 616 members of Fatah (which is the leading party in the Palestinian Authority).10 ° Since then, Hamas has continued to beat, torture, and murder members of Fatah.11 • Palestinian Arabs were also given an opportunity for an autonomous state. ° Hamas failed its people and does NOT provide stability, safety, freedom, or economic growth in Gaza, even after close to 10 years of leadership.

This could-be autonomous state for the Palestinian www.ciibroadcasting.com/2014/07/09/palestinian-rockets-have-israel-reeling/ Arab people did not succeed, even though Israel 45 Rockets in One Hour. 20 73 • Hamas tortures and murders political rivals. Hamas has committed “willful killings, extra-judicial execu- tions,” and “killings inside hospitals.”16 Golan Israeli Suffering and Trauma in Israel Heights • In the year 2008 alone, Hamas launched a total of 3,278 rockets and mortar shells into Israel.17 ° The number of rockets in 2008 more than doubled compared to the previous year.18 • After Israel withdrew from Gaza, Hamas launched Judea even more rockets at Israeli civilians. and ° Head of the Israel Security Agency, Yuval Diskin, Tel Aviv • Samaria told a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Commit- tee meeting in January 2006 that “The amount of weapons and explosives smuggled into the Gaza Strip from Egypt has gro wn drastically, by more than 300% Gaza ….if before the disengagement they smuggled in 200 to Strip Hebron • Dead 300 rifles a month, they are now smuggling in close to Sea 3,000”. 19 • The greenhouses of Gush Katif, the largest Jewish com- munity that existed in Gaza, produced 15% of Israel’s agricultural exports. The removal of these greenhouses ISRAEL from Israeli workers harmed Israel’s economy. • Hamas has been firing rockets from Gaza into Israel since 2001.21 ° Hamas has fired more than 12,000 rockets into Israel EGYPT JORDAN since the 2005 disengagement.22 ° The terrorists have killed 64 people, nearly all of whom were civilians, and have injured thousands more. • The Israeli army has installed numerous tech- nological defense mechanism in civilian areas to guard against Hamas rockets. This has helped limit civilian deaths. • These defense mechanisms include warning sirens

(allowing for 15 seconds to three minutes to seek www.polosbastards.com/wp-content/uploads/israel_map.jpg Gaza on the map: Gaza shares a border with Israel to its north and east; cover, depending on the area), bomb shelters, missile it shares a border with Egypt to its south. defense systems, and an entire military wing dedicated to protecting civilians—Jewish and Arab alike—from terrorism. ° The rocket assaults also cause psychological trauma • Hamas leaders and media continuously call for the and disrupt and endanger daily life for civilians.23 annihilation of Jews. • Roughly half of the preteens in Sderot (an Israeli ° The official Hamas newspaper,Al-Rissala , (Hamas town close to Gaza) are shown to suffer from weekly) expressed that the extermination of Jews is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the good for humanity, stating: “We find more than one con- rocket attacks.24 In 2008, it was reported that demnation and denunciation of the resistance operations between 75% and 94% of Sderot children ages and bombings [suicide attacks], carried out by Hamas 4-18 suffered from PTSD.25 and the Palestinian resistance branches… [Eventually] everyone will know that we did this only because our Lord

74 commanded so: ‘I did it not of my own accord’ [Quran] and so that people will know that the extermination of Blockade on Gaza 26 Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds.” Definition: ° A poster Hamas posted on its old website stated: “I will knock on Heaven’s doors with the skulls of Jews,” To prevent goods or people from entering or leaving an area with an axe crashing through the word “Jews.”27 by sealing it off. Despite this abuse, Israel provides thousands of tons and Some people believe that Israel imposes a full blockade on millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to Gaza each year. Gaza that is illegal. However, this is false. Israel imposes a legal naval blockade on the Gaza Strip to stop the flow of • In March 2011, while Palestinian Arabs fired weapons from reaching Hamas, which is a US-designated 90 rockets into southern Israel, the IDF oversaw terrorist organization. 3,656 truckloads of aid in the form of food and medical supplies into Gaza.28 Myth: ° The dictatorial regime in Gaza has failed to provide There is a blockade on Gaza that prevents humanitarian aid these essential materials for its people, although the from entering the area, which is illegal under international international community and Israel has provided law. Hamas with money; the Israeli government has therefore reached out to its Gazan neighbors to Fact: support the innocent civilians living there. (1) Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza is legal under inter­ • Israel supplies more water to Gaza than it is national law. All monitoring at the Gazan border is for obligated to under the Oslo Agreements.29 security purposes only, with the aim of stopping the flow • Israel invested roughly $22 million to expand a of weapons into terrorist hands. border crossing in order to accommodate up to 450 (2) Israel sends in thousands of tons and millions of trucks of humanitarian supplies to Gaza every day.30 dollars of humanitarian aid to Gaza every year in an effort ° For more information on the aid Israel sends into to assist Gazan citizens who suffer from terror imposed on Gaza each year and the security situation between the them by Hamas. two areas, please see “Blockade on Gaza”. Why do I keep hearing about Gaza? Israel also makes strong efforts to safeguard Gazan Gaza is controlled by Hamas, which is a US-designated civilians in times of war. terrorist organization. • For example, during Operation Cast Lead (December • Hamas runs a corrupt and dictatorial regime and con- 2008-January 2009), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sistently abuses its Arab population’s basic human rights. warned the Palestinian Arabs to seek refuge by It also commits the war crime of using its own civil- dropping close to a million flyers over Gaza and ° ians as human shields during combat.1 making an estimated 150,000 phone calls to residents in the area. This is common practice for the IDF and ° Hamas has committed more than 15,000 war crimes another such example was during Operation Protective by launching more than 15,000 rockets at Israeli Edge in 2014.31 civilians. • See “IDF” for more information. ° Hamas leaders have been caught on many occasions stealing UN aid intended for the people of Gaza.2 Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza is legal under international law. • International law permits a naval blockade when two sides are in armed conflict. ° Israel and Hamas are in a state of armed conflict, seeing as Hamas has and continues to launch thou- sands of rockets at Israeli civilians. Israel responds by launching attacks against Hamas infrastructure. • The rules on blockades are based on binding interna- tional law, according to Article 38 of the Statute of the 3 www.peter-nicholls.com/palestine-and-israelw International Court of Justice. Israeli girl evacuated from her Gaza home, 2005 75 Israel monitors the flow of goods that enter and exit Gaza ° Israel provided medical treatment to Gazan civilians for security purposes only. when Gaza’s leaders was sending hundreds of deadly 11 • Hamas terrorists often attempt to smuggle people, rockets into Israel in 2014. weapons, and other goods used for terror over the ° During Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 (a war border. prompted by Hamas between Israel and Gaza to stop Before Israel imposed this naval blockade, Hamas Hamas’ continuous rocket fire on Israeli civilians), ° Israel delivered more than 1,500 truckloads of food used ports in Gaza to import weapons and other and supplies to the enemy-controlled Gaza Strip. materials used for terrorism; thus, a blockade was imperative to civilian safety. • Israel delivered aid to enemy territory despite the enemy’s continuous rocket-fire on Israeli civilians.12 ° Hamas also illegally builds tunnels from Egypt into Gaza and then into Israel in an effort to smuggle ° Prior to withdrawing all Israelis from Gaza in 2005, Is- weapons and people across the border into terrorist rael built the Erez Crossing, which would have allowed for 40,000 Palestinian Arab Gazans to cross per day to hands. Israel has discovered hundreds of these tunnels seek jobs in anticipation of continued economic and in the past decade since Hamas took over the area. employment cooperation between Israel and Gaza.13 • The materials used for these terrorist tunnels • Unfortunately, after Hamas took over Gaza (some of which have even been equipped with 4 and intensified its terrorist attacks against Israel electrical supplies and phone lines ) come from (including attacks on the Erez Crossing), it never aid Israel sends across the border for civilian began to operate as intended.14 construction. Unfortunately, Hamas steals Israel supplies more water to Gaza than it is obli- these materials for its own use. ° gated to under the Oslo Agreement.15 • These tunnels are built for weapons smuggling, 5 ° Israel invested roughly $22 million to expand a kidnapping, and other terrorist purposes; some border crossing in order to accommodate up to 450 tunnels were complete with electrical supply and trucks of humanitarian supplies to Gaza every day.16 phone lines.6 Israel has also discovered layout Israel continues to supply Gaza with 125MW of plans for the further construction of the tunnel ° electricity, accounting for 63% of Gaza’s electricity network and plans for attacks on civilians.7 (exact numbers as of 2013).17 Egypt, which also bor- Israel cut off naval transport because of the danger it ders Gaza, only provides it with 20 MW.18 posed to the civilian population. However, despite Hamas ° Israel delivered 1,068,400 tons of aid, 139,118,433 terror, Israel sends in thousands of tons and millions of liters of fuel, and 52,580 tons of cooking gas to the dollars of humanitarian aid to Gaza each year by land. Gaza Strip between January 2009 and June 2010.19 • In an effort to improve the lives of abused Gazans, Israel ° During a massive winter storm in 2013, Israel pro- provides the Palestinian Arabs of Gaza with thousands vided Gaza with 1.2 million liters of fuel and four of tons of aid to help improve the lives of Gazans water pumps to relieve the damage.20 living under the dictatorial regime of Hamas. ° Israel coordinated 93% of requests by the Palestinian ° In March 2011, Palestinians fired 90 rockets into Authority for Gazans to receive treatment in Israeli southern Israel, while the IDF oversaw 3,656 truck- hospitals in 2011, according to the World Health loads of food and medical supplies into Gaza via the Organization.21 8 Kerem Shalom crossing. ° Even though he continuously calls for Israel’s anni- • Israel has created a system to allow for efficient hilation, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh sent aid transportation to Palestinian Arab Gazan his own granddaughter to receive treatment in an civilians. Different crossings are designated Israeli hospital.22 to different types of aid; Israel designated the Hamas continuously launches rockets and other Kerem Shalom crossing for the sole purpose terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. of transferring tools, raw materials, medical equipment such as medicine and wheelchairs, However, Israel still delivers aid to its enemy’s territory and school books that the civilian population in an effort to help alleviate the suffering of in Gaza needs (their government denies them innocent people by sending truckloads of access to these materials).9 humanitarian aid into Gaza on a daily basis. ° In 2013, Hamas used cement given by Israel for jihad If you were Israel, would you continue to send aid terror tunnels instead of schools and houses, which to a region which promotes and implements terror? were its intended purposes.10 Would you loosen security?

76 rods, firebombs, and other weapons to attack the Israeli Flotilla soldiers as soon as they boarded the ship.6 Definition: ° The Turkish captain even admitted that the “activists” on the ship threw weapons overboard before IDF offi- The “Flotilla” incident refers to a Turkish ship carrying cials got there, confirming that Israel’s action of board- weapons that tried to breach Israel’s Gaza blockade. ing the ship were necessary for the safety of Israeli and See below for more details. Gazan civilians (these weapons are used against both Series of Events Israelis and Hamas’s own Palestinian Arab people). • In May 2010, a flotilla of six ships (a flotilla is a fleet • The Turkish captain of the ship said that the “mer- of ships) made its way from Turkey to Gaza. cenaries” threw some of their weapons overboard 7 • The Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Foundation after the Israeli commandos boarded the ship. for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian “The flotilla organizers, intent on sensationalist publicity Relief (İHH) sent the flotilla. The IHH claimed to be and confrontation with Israel, refused these [Israeli offers delivering humanitarian aid, but has direct ties to the to bring aid]. Weeks prior to the launching of the flotilla, US-designated terrorist group Al-Qaeda.1 It was further Israel repeatedly offered the Government of Turkey assessed that members of the group were affiliated with the opportunity to send humanitarian aid to Gaza via international global jihad elements and had undergone established overland routes. Turkey refused, and continued training in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan.2 to support the flotilla effort.” —Anti-Defamation League ° Although aid material was on board, the IDF found Myth: a wide assortment of weapons on the ship being smuggled in for terrorist purposes. The flotilla was a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gazans. The “activists” on board were traveling to Gaza in an attempt • The weapons included saws, knives, metal clubs, to “break through” Israeli preventative measures. slingshots, wrenches, stun grenades, bats, and fire and were used to attack the IDF soldiers on the Facts: deck of the Mavi Marmara. The IDF boarded the The primary purpose of the flotilla’s “activists” was not ship to take out the weapons; they did not attack to provide aid (although it was a secondary motive), the IHH “activists” until the “activists” attacked but to smuggle weapons into the terrorist-controlled and nearly killed members of the IDF. The IDF territory of Gaza. This is evident by the fact that these has video evidence of this.3 “peace activists” had weapons, equipment, and advanced • BEFORE boarding the ship, Israel (1) made repeat- training that made their intention exceptionally clear. ed attempts to avoid confrontation and warned the • Those on-board the ship wore gas masks and ceramic flotilla from a distance (via radio) not to approach 4 bulletproof vests and were armed with weapons such Gaza. Israel also (2) appealed to the organizers of as clubs and wrenches.9 the group to redirect the humanitarian aid aboard the ships to an Israeli port (Port of Ashdod), where ° The IDF’s understanding is that the mercenaries mainly the goods would be directed to Gaza via the appro- chose dual-purpose items rather than guns, since priate and established route.5 opening fire would have made it blatantly clear that they were terrorists and not so-called peace activists.10 ° Israel even offered to deliver the aid under the supervision of the “activists.” • The group’s training was evidenced by the group’s organization; they split up into squads and each squad ° (Israel has created a system to allow for efficient aid was equipped with a Motorola communication device transportation to Gazan civilians; different crossings for passing information to one another.11 are designated to different types of aid. See “Blockade on Gaza” for more details.) • The IDF suspects that the group did have some guns of its own; Israeli officials found casings belonging to • Only after the IDF confirmed the motives of the a weapon that was not used by the IDF commandos. flotilla passengers did it board the Mavi Marmara They also found thousands of dollars in the terror- in order to rid the ship of terrorist weapons. ists’ pockets.12 • However, the “activists” on board had planned an It is commonly mistakenly believed that the flotilla was assault on the IDF soldiers boarding the ship, and a traveling to Gaza in an effort to defy an Israeli blockade. terror attack ensued. The passengers used knives, metal However, Israel’s blockade is (1) legal, (2) for security

77 purposes only (because there is a terrorist regime within • Hamas terrorists often attempt to smuggle people, Gaza) and (3) does NOT block out humanitarian aid. weapons, and other goods used for terror over the border. (1) Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza is legal under international law. ° Before Israel imposed this naval blockade, Hamas used ports in Gaza to import weapons and other • International law permits a naval blockade when materials used for terrorism; thus a blockade was two sides are in armed conflict. imperative to civilian safety. Israel and Hamas are in a state of armed conflict, ° Hamas also illegally builds tunnels from Egypt into seeing as Hamas has and continues to launch ° Gaza and then into Israel in an effort to smuggle thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians. Israel weapons and people across the border into terrorist responds by launching attacks against Hamas hands. Israel has discovered thousands of these tunnels infrastructure. in the past decade since Hamas took over the area.15 • The rules on blockades are based on binding interna- • The materials used for these terrorist tunnels (some tional law, according to Article 38 of the Statute of the of which have even been equipped with electrical International Court of Justice.13 supplies and phone lines16) comes from aid Israel Additionally, Israel’s entrance onto the flotilla was legal sends across the border for civilian construction of both because it was a defensive measure and because the schools, hospitals, and resource centers. Unfortunate- flotilla was stopped on international waters. ly, Hamas steals these materials for its own use.17 • Legality of defensive measures and international waters: • These tunnels are built for weapons smuggling, kidnapping, and other terrorist purposes;18 some ° Under the U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea, tunnels were complete with electrical supply and a coastal state has a “territorial sea” of 12 nautical 19 miles from the coast over which it is sovereign. There phone lines. Israel has also discovered layout plans for the further construction of the tunnel is also a zone of a further 12 nautical miles “called the 20 ‘contiguous zone’, over which a state may take action network and plans for attacks on civilians. to protect itself or its laws.” Beyond this point, the sea (3) Israel does not block out humanitarian aid from Gaza. is international waters.14 Because the flotilla was in- In fact, Israel contributes thousands of tons and millions tercepted roughly 65 nautical miles away from Israel, of dollars of humanitarian aid to Gaza each year. under the law of a blockade, interception can legally • Israel delivered 1,068,400 tons of aid, 139,118,433 liters take place if the ship is bound for a “belligerent” of fuel, and 52,580 tons of cooking gas to the Gaza territory, as was the case with the flotilla. Strip between January 2009 and June 2010.21 (2) Israel monitors the flow of goods that enter and exit Gaza for security purposes only. www.idfblog.com/blog/2010/05/31/pictures-of-weapons-found-on-the-mavi-marmara- flotilla-ship-31-may-2010/ A violent group of terrorists on the Mavi Marmara ship were armed with clubs, wrenches, slingshots, saws, knives, and used live fire to attack the IDF soldiers on the deck of the Marmara, as pictured above.

www.superteachertools.net/jeopardyx/uploads/20140806/middle-east-map-political.gif Flotilla route. 78 ° During the 2014 Gaza War, Israel helped facilitate the numbers as of 2013).24 Egypt, which also borders Gaza, transport of thousands of pounds of aid into Gaza, only provides it with 20 MW.25 despite being under constant Hamas rocket fire. • In an effort to aid Gazan civilians, Israel regularly • On one day alone (July 20, 2014), Israel allowed 148 provides Gazans with medical treatment in Israel that trucks of food and medical supplies, 250 tons of gas, Hamas does not offer them. 22 and 720,000 liters of fuel in Gaza. That same day, ° Israel even provided medical treatment for Gazans Hamas and other terrorists fired 110 rockets at Israeli in Israel while Gaza’s leaders sent thousands of civilians.23 deadly rockets into Israel in 2014.26 • Israel continuously supplies Gaza with 125MW of elec- • To learn more about the aid Israel sends to Gaza, please tricity, accounting for 63% of Gaza’s electricity (exact see “Blockade on Gaza.”

Gaza Withdrawal Blockade on Gaza Flotilla 1 USA Today, Gaza’s 9,000 Settlers Begin Forced 1 The Jerusalem Post, Dealing with Hamas’s 1 The Christian Science Monitor, Targeted by Withdrawal, August 14, 2005 human shield tactics, November 20, 2012. Israeli raid: Who is the IHH?, June 1, 2010 2 Haaretz, June 18, 2010 2 Palestinian Media Watch, Hamas steals medi- 2 The Jerusalem Post, ‘We had no choice’, June 4, 3 USA Today, Gaza’s 9,000 Settlers Begin Forced cine and food sent by donors, February 5, 2009. 2010 Withdrawal, August 14, 2005 3 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, The Legal 3 Israel Defense Forces, Close-Up Footage of 4 Ibid Basis of Israel’s Naval Blockade of Gaza, July 18, Mavi Marmara Passengers Attacking IDF 5 Ibid 2010 Soldiers, May 31, 2010. 6 Ibid 4 The Jerusalem Post, IDF uncovers Palestinian 4 Anti-Defamation League, Israel & The Middle 7 USA Today, Gaza’s 9,000 Settlers Begin Forced terrorist tunnel leading from Gaza to kibbutz in East: The Flotilla. See also: The Washington Withdrawal, August 14, 2005. Israel, October 13, 2013 Post, Chronology of Israeli attack on Free Gaza 8 Haaretz, Palestinian Militants Ransack Former 5 Hamodia, Gaza Terror Tunnel Uncovered By Movement, June 2, 2010 Gush Katif Greenhouses, February 10, 2006. IDF, October 13, 2013 5 Anti-Defamation League, Israel & The Middle 9 The Times of Israel, Top Ten Questions & 6 The Jerusalem Post, IDF uncovers Palestinian East: The Flotilla Answers About the Current War in Israel, July terrorist tunnel leading from Gaza to kibbutz in 6 Israel Defense Forces, Photos of the Mavi Mar- 9, 2014. Israel, October 13, 2013 mara’s Equipment and Weapons, June 1, 2010 7 The Blaze, Security Sources Say Hamas 7 The Jerusalem post, ‘We had no choice’, June 4, 2010 10 The Israel Project Planned a Massive ‘Terror Tunnels’ Attack for 8 Israel Defense Forces, Photos of the Mavi Mar- 11 Ibid September 24, July 27, 2014 mara’s Equipment and Weapons, June 1, 2010 12 CNN interview, 2009. 8 CBN News, IDF Continues Gaza Humanitari- 9 The Jerusalem post, ‘We had no choice’, June 4, 13 Honest Reporting: Erez Crossing an Aid amid Attacks, April 12, 2011 2010 14 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Main terror- 9 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Increased 10 Ibid ist attacks carried out at Gaza Strip crossings. humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, 11 Ibid 15 Human Rights Watch, 2010. June 26, 2010 12 Ibid 16 Palestinian Center for Human Rights 10 Jihad Watch, Cement given to Gaza used for 13 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, The Legal 17 The Israel Project, terrorisminfo.org.il jihad terror tunnels instead of schools and Basis of Israel’s Naval Blockade of Gaza, July 18, 18 Ibid houses, October 15, 2013 2010 19 JPost, Weapons Smuggling into Gaza Rising, 11 Israel21c, Gazan Children Receive Life-Saving 14 Reuters, Q&A: Is Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza January 10, 2006 Treatment in Tel Aviv, July 8, 2014 legal?, June 2, 2010 20 The Times of Israel, Top Ten Questions & 12 Coordinator for Government Activities in the 15 i24 News, ‘Israel unearthed Gaza’s biggest Answers About the Current War in Israel, July Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: smuggling tunnel’, March 21, 2014 9, 2014 The Humanitarian Efforts in the Gaza Strip, 16 The Jerusalem Post, IDF uncovers Palestinian 21 Ibid January 18, 2009 terrorist tunnel leading from Gaza to kibbutz in 22 Ibid 13 Honest Reporting: Erez Crossing Israel, October 13, 2013 23 Pat-Horenczyk, Ruth. “Post-Traumatic Distress 14 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Main terror- 17 Israel Today, Palestinians admit Gaza not in Israeli Adolescents Exposed to Ongoing Ter- ist attacks carried out at Gaza Strip crossings. starving, Hamas steals aid, June 7, 2010 rorism.” Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & 15 The Commentator: Is Israel really to blame for 18 Hamodia, Gaza Terror Tunnel Uncovered By Trauma, 9.3-4 (2005): 335-47. Gaza’s water shortages? February 13, 2013 IDF, October 13, 2013 24 Haaretz, Israeli survey: Almost half of Sderot 16 Haaretz: Egypt’s holy war against Sinai jihadists 19 The Jerusalem Post, IDF uncovers Palestinian preteens show symptoms of PTSD, November leaves many questions unanswered, September terrorist tunnel leading from Gaza to kibbutz in 20, 2012 4, 2012. Israel, October 13, 2013 25 Haaretz, Study: Most Sderot kids exhibit 17 Coordinator for Government Activities in the 20 The Blaze, Security Sources Say Hamas post-traumatic stress symptoms, January 17, Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: Planned a Massive ‘Terror Tunnels’ Attack for 2008 The Civil Policy Towards the Gaza Strip, 2012- September 24, July 27, 2014 26 Palestinian Media Watch, Al-Rissala, (Hamas 2013 21 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Increased weekly), April 23, 2007 18 Al Monitor: Fixing Gaza’s electricity crisis, humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, 27 Palestinian Media Watch, Poster, Hamas Terror November 19, 2013 June 26, 2010 Wing: “Ezz Din Al Kassam” 19 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Increased 22 The Tower, Israeli Humanitarian Aid to Gaza humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, Continues Despite Rockets, July 22, 2014. 28 CBN News, IDF Continues Gaza Humanitari- June 26, 2010 23 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel under an Aid amid Attacks, April 12, 2011 20 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Assistance fire July-August 2014—A Diary, August 5, 2014. 29 The Commentator, Is Israel really to blame for to the Palestinians during December storm, 24 Coordinator for Government Activities in the Gaza’s water shortages?, February 13, 2013 December 17, 2013 Territories, Ministry of Defense, State of Israel: The 30 Haaretz, Egypt’s holy war against Sinai jihadists 21 Israel Defense Forces: Medical Supplies to Civil Policy Towards the Gaza Strip, 2012-2013 leaves many questions unanswered, September Gaza: A Beginners Guide, March 18, 2012 25 Al Monitor, Fixing Gaza’s electricity crisis, 4, 2012. 22 The Jerusalem Post, Israeli hospital treats November 19, 2013 31 The New York Times, Israel Warns Gaza Hamas PM Haniyeh’s granddaughter, Novem- 26 Israel21c, Gazan Children Receive Life-Saving Targets by Phone and Leaflet, July 8, 2014 ber, 19, 2013 Treatment in Tel Aviv, July 8, 2014

79 Campus & Activism

• University of South Florida’s SJP hosted a game show Anti-Semitism featuring questions that falsely accused Israelis of “snatching” Palestinian Arab children from their beds Definition: and “massacring” them on holy Muslim ground.3 Hostility/hatred toward or discrimination against Jews as • Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the anti-Semitic a religious, ethnic, or racial group.1 Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Move- ment, said that Israeli soldiers “shoot Palestinian Myth: children for sport” in a speech at UCLA in Janu- Anti-Israel groups on campus simply criticize Israel and ary of 2014.4 do not cross the line into anti-Semitism. • “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis:” Fact: ° Israel is a democratic country. The Knesset (Israeli The US Department of State labels the demonization parliament) is a coalition government comprised and/or double standards (see below) against Israel as of left-wing and right-wing, male and female, anti-Semitic. Many campus groups, such as J Street U Jewish, Arab, and Muslim members. and Students for Justice in Palestine, spread anti-Semitic messages under this definition. See below for the US ° Anti-Israel groups consistently host events where Department of State’s definition (in bold and in quotes) they portray Israeli soldiers as Nazis. This is not only and examples of campus groups’ anti-Semitism.2 offensive toward victims of the Holocaust, but it is also a libelous comparison, as the accusation is false; Demonizing Israel is Anti-Semitic: the Israeli government is a democracy and conducts • “Using the symbols and images associated with clas- its army based on democratic values (see “Israel sic anti-Semitism to characterize Israel or Israelis:” Defense Forces” for more information on how this accusation is false). ° Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) frequently hosts speakers who spread age-old anti-Semitic rhet- • SJP at San Diego State University launched oric while on campus. Many of these speakers use the a campaign that called any supporter of Israel 5 blood libel against Jews (which says that Jews kill non- “the grandson of a Nazi.” Jews for fun or for ritual) to falsely describe the Jewish • Vassar College SJP posted a Nazi cartoon of Jews state’s role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. For example, stomping over a village on its official website.6 many of these speakers claim that Israelis kill Pales- tinian Arabs for fun, despite the evidence showing • “Blaming Israel for all inter-religious or political the opposite is true (see “IDF” for more information). tensions:” These dangerous accusations in many instances lead ° Anti-Israel groups argue that the sole cause for the to violence against Jews. Middle East’s lack of peace is Israel’s existence. Not only does this exclude examination of Palestinian- 80 Arab leadership (see “Arab Leadership in the ing” of “Palestine between the Jordan River and Arab-Israeli Conflict”), absolve responsibility the Mediterranean Sea, which is all of Israel. of terrorists groups (see “Arab Leadership in the • New York University’s SJP even chanted, “Zionist Arab-Israeli Conflict”), and disregard peace offers state, tear it down!” at a rally in May of 2014.8 made by Israel and often rejected by Palestinian Arab leadership in the past (see “Oslo Accords,” “If in the past year you didn’t cry out when thousands “Camp David Accords,” “UN Partition Plan,” bottom of protesters were killed and injured by Turkey, Egypt of “Two-State Solution,” and “Gaza Withdrawal”), and Libya, when more victims than ever were hanged by but it specifically demonizes the Jewish state and Iran, women and children in Afghanistan were bombed, accuses the Israeli government of causing senseless whole communities were massacred in South Sudan, bloodshed, which is often carried out by Arab 1,800 Palestinians were starved and murdered by Assad leaders who seek to destroy Israel. This accusation in Syria, hundreds in Pakistan were killed by jihadist has led to violence toward Jewish and pro-Israel terror attacks, 10,000 Iraqis were killed by terrorists, students on campuses. villagers were slaughtered in Nigeria, but you only cry out for Gaza, then you are not pro human rights, you are only • “ If we are all wrong, and a collective Jewish presence anti-Israel.” —Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN in the Middle East can only survive by the sword— Watch, July 15, 20149 it cannot be accepted no matter what we do, they hate us for who we are, not what we do— if that’s true, then Israel really ain’t a very good idea.” —J Street Co-Founder Daniel Levy making an anti-Semitic comment implying that Israel should not exist because of its Jewish identity.7 In the recording of his interview, this is not said sarcastically. Holding Israel to a double standard is Anti-Semitic: • “Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation:” ° SJP and the BDS Movement falsely accuse Israel for supposed “human rights violations” but it does not single out countries with actual human rights viola- tions such as Syria, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Authority. ° These groups also expect Israel to stop defending itself against terrorism, while they put no pressure on any other country to stop defending itself in the face of terror. ° According to these anti-Israel groups, when Israel builds border crossings to protect its citizens from terrorism and monitor what passes through its bor- ders, it is a “human rights violation.” But when every other country has these same border crossings, they are seen as acceptable and necessary. Delegitimizing Israel is anti-Semitic: • “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-deter- mination, and denying Israel the right to exist:” ° SJP and other anti-Israel groups continuously call for the destruction of the Jewish state and an end to Jewish self-determination. • Many of its chapters chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” This implies the “free- 81 • The PA persecutes women as well. Honor killings Pro-Palestinian (the killing of women by relatives for acting “dis- honorably”) in PA-controlled territories doubled Definition: in 2013. Laws curtailing these vicious murders are Being “pro-Palestinian,” like being “pro” any group of limited and contain exceptions for “extenuating people, means advocating and taking action on behalf circumstances.”4 of that group. Being “pro-Palestinian” means advocating for a better future for Palestinian Arabs. • The Ramallah-based Independent Commission on Human Rights reported that the PA’s mis- Many campus groups who refer to themselves as “pro- treatment and torture of its own citizens rose Palestinian” use this term in a misleading way. Pro-Israel 50% in 2013.5 activists are often pro-Palestinian as well; that is to say, they are concerned with human rights, and therefore care about ° Hamas (p. 45), which is a US-designated terrorist the treatment of both innocent Israeli civilians and innocent organization that controls Gaza, abuses its people’s Palestinian Arab civilians. human rights and commits the war crime of using its civilians as human shields while fighting Israel.6 While many “pro-Palestinian” individuals might mourn “Pro-Palestinian” groups remain silent on these the suffering of both Israeli and Palestinian Arab civilians, abuses against Palestinian Arabs. many groups that label themselves as “pro-Palestinian” only demonize Israel and advocate for the destruction of the Jewish • Similar to the PA, Hamas allows no freedom of state; they do not advocate for human rights for all, and some speech or expression.7 It also jails and murders do not even advocate for human rights for just Palestinian those suspected of collaborating with Israel.8 Arabs—they solely seek to oppose Israel’s existence. ° Both the PA and Hamas commit the war crime of Myth: inciting their people to commit genocide against the Jewish people (incitement to genocide is a war crime Many groups on campus, such as Students for Justice and according to the United Nations).9 “Pro-Palestinian” Palestine (SJP) and J Street, are “pro-Palestinian.” groups also remain silent on war crimes commit- ted by Palestinian Arab leaders. Facts: • “Pro-Palestinian” groups promote Palestinian Arab Groups that claim to be “pro-Palestinian” are in fact not governments with a long history of harming Pales- pro-Palestinian. Rather, they are anti-Israel and solely tinian Arab civilians. This is not pro-Palestinian. pursue the demonization of the only Jewish state. • “Pro-Palestinian” groups ignore actual human rights ° Groups like SJP promote Hamas ideology and by abuses against Palestinian Arabs committed by the extension support Hamas war crimes (using Pales- Palestinian Arab leadership. If these groups in fact tinian Arab civilians as human shields) against its cared about the Palestinian Arabs, they would speak own people. By standing up for Hamas, these groups out against these violations. also stand up for the human rights violations and war crimes Hamas commits against Palestinian Arabs. ° The Palestinian Authority (PA) controls 98% of Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria (the ° Groups like J Street support the Palestinian “West Bank”). The PA denies its people basic human Authority and promote the idea of the PA controlling freedoms and consistently abuses its people’s human a Palestinian Arab state. This government openly rights. “Pro-Palestinian” groups never mention this. abuses and persecutes its own people. • The PA suppresses freedom of expression by jailing • By supporting and standing up for the PA, these journalists who write negatively about PA leaders.1 groups stand up for the persecution and torture of Palestinian Arab women, homosexuals, and other The PA jailed a man for six months in 2013 ° minorities. These groups also support the PA’s war for “liking”w a post on Facebook that depicted crime of incitement to genocide. PA President Mahmoud Abbas in a negative fashion.2 • “Pro-Palestinian” groups stay silent on human rights • The PA persecutes homosexual Palestinian Arabs abuses and war crimes committed by Arab countries and denies all rights to these people. It even against the Palestinian Arabs. “Pro-Palestinian” tortures and beats them just for being gay.3 groups rarely (if ever) condemn the following:

82 ° More than 2,000 Palestinian Arabs have died in their human rights, Israel offers its Arab citizens equal the Syrian civil war. Many of them were civilians, educational opportunities, the right to express them- murdered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. More selves freely, and the same rights it offers its Jewish than 100 of them died due to starvation.10 citizens. ° Arab countries, such as Lebanon, have discriminato- • Surrounding Arab countries refuse to absorb ry laws that prevent and deny Palestinian Arabs from Palestinian Arabs into their societies. They keep adequate housing, high-paying jobs (e.g. lawyer, them as “refugees” and perpetuate their horrific doctor, engineer), and health care, simply because living conditions (see “Refugees” for more infor- of their status as Palestinian Arab by birth.11 mation). • Many of these alleged “Pro-Palestinian” groups are in fact solely anti-Israel. They not only promote governments that harm Palestinian Arabs, but they advocate for the demonization of Israel and spread lies about the only Jewish state. ° Instead of advocating for an end to PA human rights abuses, groups like SJP chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” (implying the destruction of all of Israel) and “Zionist state, tear it down!” ° These groups spread lies about the Israel defense Forces (IDF) to try to paint a false image of Israeli aggression against Palestinian Arabs. • They claim the IDF commits war crimes in Gaza, despite the evidence showing the opposite; the IDF in fact goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties while fighting Hamas terrorists (see “IDF” for more information). • They claim Israel abuses the Palestinian Arabs’ human rights, despite the fact that the Palestinian Arab governments control nearly all Palestinian Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. They ignore the actual human rights violations committed by Palestinian Arab leaders, while accusing Israel of abusing a population it does not control.

° The PA controls 98% of Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria. ° Hamas controls all Palestinian Arabs in Gaza. There is no Israeli presence (civilians, soldiers, government officials, etc.) in Gaza. • Israel is the only country in the Middle East that offers its Palestinian Arab citizens equal rights. It is also the only country in the region that offers them economic prosperity and does not abuse their human rights. Despite this fact, “pro-Palestinian” groups find it necessary to advocate for Israel’s destruction and support governments that continu- ously terrorize Palestinian Arab civilians. ° While the Arab countries and Palestinian Arab govern- ments deny Palestinian Arabs basic freedoms and abuse

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Founded 1897

ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA