From: Ellen K. 

I don't know who the folks behind the matzpun site are, but the definitive
facts are contained in the book "From Time Immemorial" by Joan
Peters, ISBN 0-9636242-0-2.

Review excerpts from major publications of all political stripes:

Christian Century:
"The most thoroughly researched and solidly documented work on the
origins of the Arab-Jewish conflict . . . A book that smashes conventional
wisdon . . . Unassailable in its thoroughness . . . It all makes a totally
fresh impact."

New York Times Book Review:
"The massive research Ms. Peters did . . . would have daunted
Hercules. In the course of it she turned up a great deal of interesting
material from Ottoman records, the reports of Western consular officers and
observant travelers and other sources."

Washington Post Book World:
"A remarkable document in itself. . . . The refugees are not the
problem but the excuse."

National Review:
"Everything in this book reads like hard news. . . . One woman walks
in and scoops them all. . . . The great service provided here by Mrs.
Peters -- if only attention is paid -- is to lay a groundwork for peach by
clearing away the farrago of lies. . . ."

New Republic:
"This book, if read, will change the mind of our generation.  If
understood, it could also affect the history of the future."

Atlantic Monthly:
"Fresh and powerful . . . Offers an original anlysis. . . . Makes it
necessary for us to take a second look at, and perhaps even redraw, our
picture of the conflict."

Los Angeles Times:
"The reader comes away not only rethinking the Middle East refugee
problem, but also the extent to which propaganda can be swallowed whole for
lack of information."

Toronto Star:
"With determination, brilliant detective work and patience, Peters
managed to unearth a foundation of factuality, research and committment to
truth."


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 15:15:28 -0500, "Rich Gauszka"
 wrote in message :

>Really?  You have a skewed definition of 'left of their own accord'
>
>http://www.matzpun.com/
>
>In 1948 the state of Israel dispossessed the Palestinians, evicted hundreds
>of thousands of them from their homes into refugee camps and did not allow
>them to return when the war ended. The same state is now preventing the
>victims of 1948 from having even the most basic services in their refugee
>camps and remaining villages and towns.
>
>http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/returnindex.htm
>
> In 1948 the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 194 on the Question of
>Palestine, which "resolves that refugees wishing to return to their homes
>and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the
>earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the
>property of those choosing not to return..."
>
>Today there are more than 3.7 million Palestinian refugees living in refugee
>camps throughout the Middle East and many more exiles worldwide. Their right
>of return is clearly and unambiguously guaranteed by international law under
>the Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the
>International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The refugees have a
>claim to citizenship, financial settlement and, in some cases, return to
>former homes and property in what is today Israel. The government of Israel,
>however, opposes Palestian immigration, in order to maintain the Jewish
>character of the state. Whatever the details of any future agreement, a
>lasting and effective settlement must find a solution for Palestinian
>refugees that recognizes and accommodates their "right of
return" and their
>claim to full citizenship in a state they can call home.
>
>
>"Gary Britt"  wrote in message
>news:4395ee53{at}w3.nls.net...
>> Palestinians weren't kicked out of Palestine.  They left on their own
>> accord
>> thinking the Egyptian and Syrian armies would drive the Jews into the sea.
>> When that didn't happen, they found themselves in a pickle created by
>> their
>> own choice for war and violence.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> "Adam"
<""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near the
bridge"> wrote
>> in
>> message news:4395397f$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> Ellen K. wrote:
>>> > On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 15:40:47 +0000, Adam
>>> > <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the
field.near the bridge"> wrote in
>>> > message :
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >>>>Israel has free speech unless you speak to
someone about another
>>> >>>>religion.  That's a free speech restriction
based solely upon
>> religious
>>> >>>>beliefs being voted into law.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>Let's be honest here.  There is no ban on
"speaking to someone about
>>> >>>another religion", for example in a course on
comparative religions
>> etc.
>>> >>>Proselytization is not at all the same thing as
"speaking to someone
>>> >>>about another religion".   Considering the
Jews' history of being
>>> >>>given
>>> >>>the choice to convert or be killed, banning
proselytization is
>>> >>>completely logical and appropriate.  It should be
noted also that all
>>> >>>religions are allowed to be freely practiced in
Israel, unlike other
>>> >>>middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia.
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >>Or Lebanon? Or Egypt? Or Morrocco?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > In my neighborhood there are five Sephardic synagogues
and ALL of them
>>> > are Morroccan.  I am told some 400,000 Jews lived in Morrocco  a
>>> > generation ago.  There are about 2000 there now.   Why do you think
>>> > that
>>> > might be?
>>> >
>>>
>>> The mass expulsion of the Palestinians from Palestine?
>>>
>>> >>>>The religious Jews and orthodoxy in Israel
>>> >>>>participate in parliament and the creation of
the laws of Israel and
>> are
>>> >>>>deeply intertwined with the kind of laws made.
 So intertwined that I
>> don't
>>> >>>>think Israel can properly be called a secular state.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>The state is secular.  The fact that people run
for office on a
>>> >>>religious platform and get elected, just means
it's a democracy.
>>> >>>People also run for office on other platforms and
get elected.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >>Who gets to decide who is a Jew & thus can live
there in the first
>> place?
>>> >
>>> > A person doesn't have to be Jewish to live in Israel, or to be a
>>> > citizen, as I noted in my post to Gary.
>>> >
>>>
>>> No, He can be born there as a non Jew. However to emigrate there, you
>>> certainly can't be Arab let alone muslim. Whereas a Jew need only turn
>>> up.
>>>
>>> Adam
>>
>>
>

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5