10 Myths regarding the plight of the Palestinians

By Pat Hackett

While talking to observers or media at the peace protests or people outwith the peace protesters I have observed common myths regarding the genocide in Palestine.

I've put together what I see as the common myths. I then put forward an explanation of the misunderstandings and then briefly look at why and where some of these myths come from.

A.Listing the main misunderstandings.

A1. It is not a war between two religions.

A2. Zionism and Judaism are not the same.

A3. Neither the Palestinians defending themselves nor the peace protesters are anti-semitic.

A4. At the peace protests there are no hate marches or speeches.

A5. When Settlers went to Palestine it wasn't a land without people.

A6. Britain is not a neutral partner in this conflict.

A7. It didn't start on October 7th 2023.

A8. The IDF is not just targeting Hamas, it is deliberately targeting ~~anyone resisting ethnic cleansing.~~ any Palestinian in Gaza and the West Bank now.

A9. Even when the facts given by the media are correct, it doesn't mean the narrative is correct.

A10. The statement that Israel is committing genocide isn't conspiracy, a prejudiced belief or an opinion. It is a conclusion beyond all reasonable doubt.

B. Expanding on these myths

B1. It is not a war between two religions:-

*The cause of the war is not religion. Over 100 years ago Semitic people of different cultures or racial groups with Jews, Muslims and Christians all lived in peace before Settlers came to move people out of their homes and land.

Claiming this is a war between two religions implies that the victims are also guilty while simultaneously implying "we" are innocent.

Few in the West would argue that the cause of the holocaust of the Jews was a war between Christianity and Jews.

*Jews all over the world support the Palestine peace movement and say not in our name.

B2. Zionism and Judaism are not the same:-

*Judaism is a religion and is concerned about personal belief, where Zionism is associated with establishing ownership of homes and land in Palestine. No land can be considered to belong to a religion since religion is a belief that exists in the mind.

*Furthermore as previously stated very many , or most Jews around the world deplore the actions of the Israeli government and support the peace protests. These Jews can be proud of their Judaism while deploring Zionism.

B3. Neither the Palestinians defending themselves nor the peace protesters are anti-semitic:-

*Many of the Settlers who force Palestinians out of their homes are not Semites whereas most of the Palestinians who are forced out of their homes are Semites.

• If the protesters were anti-semitic then clearly Jews around the world would not be supporting the Peace Protests.

(Semitism is about ethnicity, Judaism is about religion and Zionism is about a political belief. Clearly anti-judaism, anti-semitic or anti- Zionist are three different concepts. Those who are opposed to zionism are just as likely to be opposed to anti-judaism and anti-semitism.)

B4. At the peace protests there are no hate marches or speeches.

If hate speeches against people of different colour, race, or religion were made not only would the listeners object but arrests would have been made clearly identifying those responsible. The reason why no such evidence is provided is because for all practical purposes it doesn't exist; only the false claims of it's existence.

B5. When Settlers went to Palestine it wasn't a land without people:-

Perhaps many of the American and European Settlers after the Balfour agreement of 1917 believed they were given a land with no people. However they would have soon discovered a land with people, homes, buildings, that were hundreds or thousands of years old.

B6. Britain is not a neutral partner in this conflict:-

It's not about two other far away countries that have nothing to do with the UK.

Apart from the British Balfour agreement whereby the Zionists were given rights over the indigenous people...

• The UK supplies arms to Israel and not Palestine.

• Military planes from a British base in Cyprus fly over Palestine doing surveillance work and passing that information on to Israel.

• There is a Nuclear arrangement that Britain and America have with Israel.

This means that Israel does not have to sign up to international agreements on the Nuclear capabilities (such as safety arrangements or the non proliferation treaty) but it also uniquely has the right to have "a deliberate policy of ambiguity" whereby only Israel knows how much and the whereabouts of the weapons of mass destruction.

The hypocritical irrational nuclear position with Israel.

B7. It didn't start on October 7th 2023.

To make this a stating point is to complete ignore the history and the brutal treatment from Settlers and the IDF leading right up to October 7th 2023.

In particular the Balfour agreement whereby the "fuse was lit" when America and Britain gave people from around the world, in Particular Europe and America to go to Palestine and force people out of their homes and off the land.

• The inhumane brutality that we witness being inflicted on the Palestinians is nothing new (although the ability to inflict more suffering and damage has reached a new level of depravity that the world has ever seen due to the weapons and military equipment made in the West including Britain.). The Nakba starting in 1948 shows episodes of extreme persecution .

Find out more:-

Do an internet search. "My Name Is Rachel Corrie"

B8. The IDF is not just targeting Hamas, it is deliberately targeting anyone in Palestine:-

Every innocent person, man woman and child are subject to this killing.

Those that provides resistance whether Hamas or not are being targeted in the first place. That resistance may be those that humanitarian aid such as medical staff or fishermen etc and also those that are reporting or providing education.

In particular Israel is attempting to stop the existence of the next Palestinian generation in Palestine. When pregnant women are shot in the stomach or babies are shot in the head or heart by bullets from IDF soldiers these are not stray bullets or accidental collateral damage, they have been shot by trained snipers.

B9. Even when the facts given by the media are correct, it doesn't mean the narrative is correct:-

• It is obvious which facts are chosen and which facts are not can completely change the narrative.

• The order in which facts are presented can completely change the narrative.

• The descriptive and emotional language used can completely change the narrative.

For example, died, killed, murdered, slaughtered can be chosen carefully to prejudice the narrative.

Personal description of family lives impacted or just impartial numbers quoted.

• Quoting someone factually even though what they are saying is false can allow the media to wash their hands of or not take responsibility for the deception.

An example would be verifying that Israeli intelligence claims that there are tunnels under hospitals while broadcasting AI generated tunnels. The fact that Israel claims this is factually correct but not necessarily the claim itself . Regardless, the implications are clearly being made by the MSM that shouldn't in any case be used as an excuse to bomb the hospital.

Another example is BBC reporters denying any responsibility of stating that the peace protests were hate crimes because they were only quoting other people.

B10. The statement that Israel is committing genocide isn't conspiracy, a prejudiced belief or an opinion. It is a conclusion beyond all reasonable doubt.

To reach a conclusion, similar procedures are followed in science and law.

From around the world law societies have concluded that genocide has taken place.

Before concluding a scientist will go though objective procedures such as:-

Having evidence.

Having reliable evidence from independent sources.

Initially speculating then on that basis make predictions to test those speculations and looking at alternative explanations before committing to a conclusion.

Lawyers use similar procedures before they are sure beyond reasonable doubt that their conclusion is valid.

In this case we even have the evidence of the statements of many of the aims of Israeli politicians and the boasts of the Settlers and IDF soldiers to reach this conclusion.

For example on the 5th December 2024 "Amnesty International's research has found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza"

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/12/amnesty-international-concludes-israel-is-committing-genocide-against-palestinians-in-gaza/

So rather than consider genocide to be an opinion or prejudice not accepting the evidence and conclusions from many neutral organisations around the world can only be regarded as denial.

C. Why do these misconceptions exist?

Most if not all of these misconceptions could be clarified by our MSM but it is clear that they choose not to or are not permitted. This is some of the evidence that points to the fact that there are countries in the West, including in particular Britain, who are involved and not just bystanders reporting.

Many of these misconceptions are implied or presented or not, through techniques as described in B9 previously.

So the publics misconceptions have the MSM as their source.

So why do these myths exist about two groups fighting each other over religion and nothing to do with "us" being constantly implied? Clearly many in the public are making the inferences that they have been encouraged to do so, probably most of their lives.

It's not religion. it is the abuse of religion.

There are different ways religion is abused:

a) In the case of the Zionists or Settlers there psychopathic behaviour of stealing homes and land of other people attempt to justify there actions because they claim it's about their superior religious beliefs while simultaneously demonising those they are exploiting.

This is about greed, not religion and any attempt to criticise their stance is claimed to be anti-semitism.

b) Unfortunately there is another cynical abuse of religion that is used by countries in Proxy wars. (Although to call the Palestine/Israeli conflict a war is also deflecting this from ethnic cleansing or genocide).

In this case, for example in Britain, much of the population may not realise that this is a conflict that we are apart of. To hide this then it would appear that portraying this as a distant war nothing to do with us can be achieved by blaming this conflict on religious extremism on both sides equally, while ironically and sanctimoniously believing we are a more enlightened scientific understanding society that will eventually have to step in and solve it.

The evidence of the MSM hiding the facts that Jews all around the world including Britain say not in our name and, like good humanitarian Christians and Muslims or any other religion or not, deplore this genocide.

Whenever a peace protest is portrayed on MSM the Jews will be brushed out in spite of Jews and organisers trying every approach to draw this to the attention of the reporters.

This denial of the media must be classified as anti-Jewish since they are implying that Jews around the world don't deplore this Genocide where in fact this is not the case. This western media bias unfortunately will likely tend to increase anti-semitism around world

So beyond all reasonable doubt we have a genocide and one that our government and MSM share responsibility for and not accepting this will be seen as Denial as in Denial of the holocaust.

This conclusion is, I believe, the first important step in making sure never again really means never again.