[S.T.D.]

The BS has only hurt their cause.

Actually I think it has helped their cause, their irredentism needs to be founded in something afterall. It's a lie repeated many many times, and there are very willing believers. From the Left to the Far Right, they have amplifiers to convince the center.

[Lt_Apple]

It most definitely is on your side, but history is full of unmarked mass graves. Too many of them Jewish.

[Peptobismol]

Marc

I already had a reasonable grip on ME Jewish/Arab history as my husband's family were Aleppo/Cairo-born Jews who were booted out by Nasser in the 50's. They had all their assets taken from them (even down to taking their jewellery from them at the port) and in his book, 'Locked Doors', Itamar Levin estimates the total amount stolen to be between $6-$8billion. No reparation,...no right to return. And not a suicide bomber amongst them

I've just read a couple of books by Nonie Darwish, an Egyptian-born American and one-time resident of Gaza. Her father was Mustafa Havez, leader of the Fedayeen. She writes about many aspects of life in the ME but the psychology of the Arab mind in this on-going conflict made for interesting reading.

I've also read Walid Shoebat's 'Why I left Jihad'. Walid has gone from PLO terrorist/activist to Evangelical Christian and some of his book is rather dedicated to the Christ/Anti-Christ, Armageddon theory. That said, he also provides some very interesting historical facts, many of which he can support - because he was there, living in West Bank.

Walid points to many inaccuracies or to situations that are so out of proportion as to be jaw-dropping. For example, he writes about how the Irsraeli building of apartments on land around Jerusalem (I think) resulted in a UN meeting! Millions dying around the world from terrorism and war merited little attention - but the Jews building apartments and the UN hold a meeting!
It's utterly bizarre. I believe the Israeli's were within their rights to build, too.

Another book I've been reading is by the English one-time Jihadi, Ed Husein. A moderate, bordering on the spiritual, muslim, Ed was recruited at college and spent several years in various Islamist groups culminating in Hizb ut-Tahrir. After witnessing a murder he turned away from them- although it took him a while to lose the mindset. Ed really blows the cover off of what is going on in the UK.

I've found these writers really interesting because all of them have been involved with 'jihad' against the West/Israel or, in the case of Nonie, because her father was quite a famous man in the battle against Israel.

[TorryJens]

Walid Shoebat dedicates an entire chapter to Arafat. Another interesting insight into this man comes from Palestinian journalist, Khalid Abu Toameh:


http://zionism-israel.com/israel_new...lestinian.html

I knew an elderly man who had been a British soldier stationed in Palestine. He also gave me some first-hand interesting insights and, as you mention in your post, told me that he only came across Arabs, never 'Palestinians'. In his view, the country was a barren backwater of an old Ottoman empire with various inhabitants of varying nationalities who drifted around and out - but more to the point, drifted in once the Jews returned.

Perhaps ask those who you are contacting to name a few Palestinian leaders prior to 1967; or give some insights into Palestinian language and culture.

Thanks for the link. In case you have not seen this gem...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn4r7ZjG9Nc