Replies to post #41104 on Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[Zeev Hed]

Aim, I think you have some historical facts a little distorted, Eastern Jerusalem (the walled city) was conquered by Jordan (and the Jewish quarters sacked, and the four Kibutzes in Gush Etzion conquered as well), the rest of Jerusalem, the Israeli managed to defend despite a siege (and no water) that lasted a good six months. When I got to Jerusalem it was still under siege, and I remember vividly the water rationing. The orphanage, where I was "dumped", had a cistern, and once a week a truck would deliver water, and I remember standing by the pipes capturing some of the leaking water....In 1967, Israel conquered the whole west bank including the walled city. The big concrete walls and barbed wires between the two cities were eradicated and the city was reunified. During all that time, Jerusalem (Western Jerusalem, if you wish) was the capital of Israel, even though, the US did not recognize that fact. By the way, the US did not back Israel for a long time, only after 1967 did the relationship between the two countries warm up. The 1948 conflict was won with supply of arms from the eastern block (through Chehoslovakia), from 1953 on France was the major supplier of advanced weapons, and only in the late 60' finally did the US/Israel relationships warmed up.

By the way, I have a degree from the Hebrew University, which is in the capital, Jerusalem, and won that degree long before 1967 (by then I was already in Columbus OH <g>)

[brainlessone]

the citizenship rules are biarrre, but 18% to 22% of the population is non jewish and are citizens. I think for every rule there must be an exception.

I am quite confused about why you refer to land first obtained in the 48 war by Jordan which was previously British and before that Ottoman, and then annexed by jordan and and then ceded by jordan to israel in a peace agreement as "Palestinian lands ". I never heard of the word palestinian until the late eighties unless it was connected with the PLO. The word used in documents going back 25 years is arabs. I have even reviewed UN documents going back many years to try find any references to palestinian land or peoples. the first mention is in reference to arafat. but recognition of a separate Palestinian people or land only slowly comes in to play in the eighties, mostly as propaganda, because if true, then it could not grow from pure air. When the west bank was part of jordan, there was no palestinian people or need for palestinian statehood or mention of the people in the west bank as being distinct from jordanians. If you can find better references please post them. In fact the original letters to weizman from the sheik make reference to the jews as being palestine inhabitants, whereas the arabs are separate

I think the propaganda has had its effect.

And no, the capital has been in west jerusalem for many years before 1967. I was there. It is however very instructive to try to come to grips with why it has not been recognized as such