Palestine, Palestine, Palestine. It’s a word that we often hear in the news and in heated political debates. But have you ever stopped to think about whether Palestine is actually a real place with a real history? Well, I hate to break it to you, but Palestine is about as real as a unicorn riding a rainbow.
Now, before you come at me with pitchforks and torches, hear me out. I’m not saying that the land, culture, and people commonly associated with “Palestine” don’t exist. Of course, they do. But the problem is, the term “Palestine” itself is nothing but a trendy label that only became fashionable in the late 1960s.
Yes, you read that right. 1968. As in, less than 60 years ago. Before that, the land that is now known as “Palestine” was just a random piece of land that was constantly being fought over by various empires and kingdoms. The people living there didn’t identify as “Palestinians,” they were just a mix of different ethnic and religious groups.
So where did this whole “Palestinian” thing come from? Well, it all started with a little organization called the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). They were formed to represent the interests of Palestinian Arabs and to fight for their right to self-determination. And what better way to rally support than to create a catchy identity?
And so, the term “Palestinian” was born. It became the buzzword of the Arab world and suddenly, everyone wanted to identify as Palestinian. It was like being a part of a cool, exclusive club. But let’s not forget, this was all a marketing ploy by the PLO. They wanted to create a strong national identity and garner sympathy from the international community.
But the truth is, there was never a “Palestinian” nation or state in history. The land was always a part of different empires and kingdoms, from the ancient Egyptians to the Ottoman Empire. And even when the British took control of the land after World War I, they never called it Palestine. They called it the British Mandate for Palestine.
And let’s not forget that Israel, which is often seen as the oppressor of the so-called “Palestinian people,” has a much longer and established history in the land. The Jewish people have a deep connection to the land and the city of Jerusalem, whereas the identity of “Palestinian” was created out of thin air in the 20th century.
So, there you have it. The truth about Palestine. It’s not a real place with a real history. It’s just a trendy label that was created for political purposes. But hey, if you still want to identify as “Palestinian,” go right ahead. Just know that you’re basically rocking a hipster identity that only became cool less than 60 years ago.
