One of the criticisms that we had on this video is that the sources of quotes were not disclosed. Of course the Israelis and the supporters claim that they were taken out of context. Here is the list of quotes used in the video, their sources and the context:
1. “There is a country which happens to be called Palestine. A country without people”
Chaim Weismann, 1914
In Context:
"In its initial stage, Zionism was conceived by its pioneers as a movement wholly depending on mechanical factors: there is a country which happens to be called Palestine, a country without people, and, on the other hand, there exists the Jewish people, and it has no country.
Source: Nur Masalha, Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 6
2. “… we have come to conquer a country from people inhabiting it”
Moshe Sharett, 1914
In Context:
“We have forgotten that we have not come to an empty land to inherit it, but we have come to conquer a country from people inhabiting it, that governs it by the virtue of its language and savage culture .....”
Source: Benny Morris, Righteous Victims, p. 91
3. “we must expel all Arabs and take their places”
David Ben-Gurion, commenting on the proposed Peel Commission Partition plan in 1937
In Context:
"We must expel Arabs and take their places .... and, if we have to use force-not to dispossess the Arabs of the Negev and Transjordan, but to guarantee our own right to settle in those places-then we have force at our disposal."
Source: Nur Masalha, Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 66
4. “I don’t see anything immoral in it”
David Ben-Gurion, 1937
In Context:
"With compulsory transfer we [would] have a vast area [for settlement] .... I support compulsory transfer. I don't see anything immoral in it."
Source: Benny Morris, Righteous Victims, p. 144
5. “There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population”
Moshe Dayan, 1969
In Context:
“Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population.” Source: Address to the Technion, Haifa, reported in Haaretz, April 4, 1969
6. “Everyone has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements, because everything we take now will stay ours”
Ariel Sharon, 1998
In Context:
“Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours… Everything we don’t grab will go to them.”
Source: Agence France Presse, November 15, 1998.
7. “If I was an Arab leader, I would never make terms Israel…” …”This is natural, we have taken their country”
David Ben-Gurion, 1973
In Context:
"I don't understand your optimism.," Ben-Gurion declared. "Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them?
Source: Nahum Goldman, The Jewish Paradox, p. 99
8. “There is no more Palestine. Finished.”
Moshe Dayan
In Context:
"There is no more Palestine. Finished . . ." [does it really need a context?]
Source: Avi Shlaim, Iron Wall, p.316
9. “No one has the right to put the Jewish people and the state of Israel on trial”
Ariel Sharon, 2001
In Context:
"Israel may have the right to put others on trial, but certainly no one has the right to put the Jewish people and the State of Israel on trial."
Source: Quoted in BBC News Online, 25 March, 2001
1. “There is a country which happens to be called Palestine. A country without people”
Chaim Weismann, 1914
In Context:
"In its initial stage, Zionism was conceived by its pioneers as a movement wholly depending on mechanical factors: there is a country which happens to be called Palestine, a country without people, and, on the other hand, there exists the Jewish people, and it has no country.
Source: Nur Masalha, Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 6
2. “… we have come to conquer a country from people inhabiting it”
Moshe Sharett, 1914
In Context:
“We have forgotten that we have not come to an empty land to inherit it, but we have come to conquer a country from people inhabiting it, that governs it by the virtue of its language and savage culture .....”
Source: Benny Morris, Righteous Victims, p. 91
3. “we must expel all Arabs and take their places”
David Ben-Gurion, commenting on the proposed Peel Commission Partition plan in 1937
In Context:
"We must expel Arabs and take their places .... and, if we have to use force-not to dispossess the Arabs of the Negev and Transjordan, but to guarantee our own right to settle in those places-then we have force at our disposal."
Source: Nur Masalha, Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 66
4. “I don’t see anything immoral in it”
David Ben-Gurion, 1937
In Context:
"With compulsory transfer we [would] have a vast area [for settlement] .... I support compulsory transfer. I don't see anything immoral in it."
Source: Benny Morris, Righteous Victims, p. 144
5. “There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population”
Moshe Dayan, 1969
In Context:
“Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population.” Source: Address to the Technion, Haifa, reported in Haaretz, April 4, 1969
6. “Everyone has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements, because everything we take now will stay ours”
Ariel Sharon, 1998
In Context:
“Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours… Everything we don’t grab will go to them.”
Source: Agence France Presse, November 15, 1998.
7. “If I was an Arab leader, I would never make terms Israel…” …”This is natural, we have taken their country”
David Ben-Gurion, 1973
In Context:
"I don't understand your optimism.," Ben-Gurion declared. "Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them?
Source: Nahum Goldman, The Jewish Paradox, p. 99
8. “There is no more Palestine. Finished.”
Moshe Dayan
In Context:
"There is no more Palestine. Finished . . ." [does it really need a context?]
Source: Avi Shlaim, Iron Wall, p.316
9. “No one has the right to put the Jewish people and the state of Israel on trial”
Ariel Sharon, 2001
In Context:
"Israel may have the right to put others on trial, but certainly no one has the right to put the Jewish people and the State of Israel on trial."
Source: Quoted in BBC News Online, 25 March, 2001
