Columnist Marty Cheek’s comparison of the Ohlone’s history with
that of the Palestinians is a vicious bugaboo, attacking Israel for
acts it never committed.
Editor,
Columnist Marty Cheek’s comparison of the Ohlone’s history with that of the Palestinians is a vicious bugaboo, attacking Israel for acts it never committed.
The growth of Arab populations under Zionism demonstrates the benevolence of the Jewish people.
In 1850 there were about 340,000 Arabs in Israel; by 1947, 1,300,000. Hundreds of thousands of Arabs migrated to Israel because of the better medical, agrarian, economic and business opportunities in the area, thanks to the Zionists.
As a counterpoint, Arab hostility to the Zionists began in the 1880s with raids, theft of livestock and murders, despite the fact that the Zionists offered to share their medical and agrarian technology with their Arab neighbors.
Mr. Cheek is egregious in suggesting that the British promised that after the war Palestine would become an independent Arab state. The MacMahon papers have no reference to such a pledge. This assertion is a cornerstone of Arab propaganda by Arab apologists who unabashedly rewrite history knowing that some will not know the difference.
I hope you do a better and more honest job of reporting in the future.
Harve E Citrin, Palo Alto
