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Here’s the Truth About Palestinian National Identity
The Western Wall and Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Of the steady stream of Palestinian Authority (PA) lies, possibly the most farcical is its claim to be a 6,000-year-old nation — combined with its denial of the thousands of years of Israel’s documented history.
The below cartoon appearing on an official Fatah website reinforces the lie.
While the PA knows that there is no such thing as an ancient Palestinian Arab history prior to the last few decades, it appropriates the history of multiple ethnic groups present in the Land of Israel thousands of years ago as its own, declaring them to be “Palestinian.”
This propaganda is constant, coming from all PA leaders, so-called academics, and religious figures — and it is prevalent across all the PA’s controlled education and media. The headline of the cartoon above is called “The history” and the caption states:
The Palestinian people have a long history of culture, and they were part of ancient cultures, as their lands were characterized by diverse cultures over the generations, from the Canaanites to the Phoenicians.
[Falestinona, Fatah’s Information and Culture Commission in Lebanon, Feb. 19, 2025]
Cartoons like these are a snapshot of how the PA systematically brainwashes its people to deny Israel’s right to exist through distortion or denial of history. This education forms the core of how the PA educates children, and is also preached consistently by PA leadership.
One example of how this kind of PA/Fatah false education can be seen in Fatah’s children’s magazine:
Palestine has belonged to the Palestinians for thousands of years. Therefore, the Palestinian people rejected this [UN] resolution that gives rights to our land and our homeland to foreigners who came from all ends of the earth, foreigners who did not know Palestine and did not live in it — neither them nor their fathers and forefathers. Their color is not our color, their skin is not our skin, and their customs are different from our customs. They do not even have one color or one ethnic origin — they are a strange and odd mixture of different races.” [emphasis added]
[Waed, Issue 36, p. 2]
The facts are that Israel/Judea suffered invasion and expulsions by the Assyrian Empire (722 BCE) and the Babylonian Empire (586 BCE); experienced invasion and return from exile under the Persian Empire (538 BCE); occupation by the Greek Empire (329 BCE) and expulsions by the Roman Empire (70 CE and 135 CE), who also renamed the land “Syria-Palestina” in 135 CE.
Since then, Jews remained and survived in the Land of Israel and in exile during 2,000 years of invasions and occupation by foreigners until the State of Israel was reestablished in 1948.
None of this matters to PA/Fatah. Besides denying Israel’s ancient history, it instead rewrites actual aspects of Jewish history as “Palestinian history”:
The Canaanite Arabs settled the land of Palestine … Palestine underwent dozens of invasions, and many peoples entered it such as the Babylonians, the Persians, the Samaritans, the Assyrians, the Hyksos, the Hittites, the Pharaohs, and the Hebrews… One hundred years ago the British invaded it. Their invasion was the most dangerous because they deliberately arrived to give our land to the Jews, whom they brought with them. In the end, Palestine fell under the Zionist occupation, which continues to this very day …
The occupation will cease to exist just as what was before it ceased to exist. As we said, Palestine underwent many invasions that coveted it. All the invaders were defeated, and Palestine returned to be free and Arab.” [emphasis added]
[Waed, Issue 32, pp. 5-6]
Since, according to the PA/Fatah, Palestinians are descendants of the 5,000-year-old Canaanite-Palestinians and since the PA says Jews have no history in the land, Palestinians then have the “absolute right to take back its rights in full” [Waed, Issue 26, page 12] and therefore: “The Palestinian people will not surrender; just as it fought in the past to defend its land, it is returning to fight in order to take it back and return to it… The Palestinian people refused to surrender … Its men and women set out to seek ways to return Palestine to us.”
On the level of the PA leadership, the same nonsense is preached from the highest levels, be it by the former Palestinian prime minister or by Mahmoud Abbas’ top advisor:
Posted text: “[Fatah Central Committee member and former PA Prime Minister Muhammad] Shtayyeh emphasized that all the Israeli attempts to erase our Palestinian heritage, and through it to erase the history of our people and our Palestinian national cause, as well as Israel’s attempts to create a fake history and non-existent heritage, will not succeed because we will continue our steadfast adherence to this rich heritage that passes from generation to generation.”
[Fatah Commission of Information and Culture, Facebook page, Nov. 29, 2024]
Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “We have been living in this land for over 6,000 years. The Palestinian people is the one that created the civilization and history of this land. It is the one who built all the cities in most of the territories of Palestine — the Gaza Strip, which was built by the Canaanites, and Jerusalem, which was built by the Jebusite Canaanites.” [emphasis added]
[Mahmoud Al-Habbash, YouTube channel, Feb. 12, 2025]
The fact is that no amount of cartoons or reinvented education will help the PA escape the facts. The Palestinians have no history prior to the modern period and no connection to the Canaanites or the Phoenicians. On the other hand, Jewish history for thousands of years in the Land of Israel is proven by an abundance of evidence.
Itamar Marcus is Palestinian Media Watch (PMW)’s Founder and Director. Ephraim D. Tepler is a contributor to Palestinian Media Watch. A version of this article originally appeared at PMW.
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Switzerland Moves to Close Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Geneva Office Over Legal Irregularities
Palestinians carry aid supplies received from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Switzerland has moved to shut down the Geneva office of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid group, citing legal irregularities in its establishment.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza in late May, implementing a new aid delivery model aimed at preventing the diversion of supplies by Hamas, as Israel continues its defensive military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
The initiative has drawn criticism from the UN and international organizations, some of which have claimed that Jerusalem is causing starvation in the war-torn enclave.
Israel has vehemently denied such accusations, noting that, until its recently imposed blockade, it had provided significant humanitarian aid in the enclave throughout the war.
Israeli officials have also said much of the aid that flows into Gaza is stolen by Hamas, which uses it for terrorist operations and sells the rest at high prices to Gazan civilians.
With a subsidiary registered in Geneva, the GHF — headquartered in Delaware — reports having delivered over 56 million meals to Palestinians in just one month.
According to a regulatory announcement published Wednesday in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) may order the dissolution of the GHF if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Swiss decision to shut down its Geneva office.
“The GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland … and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered branch,” the ESA said in a statement.
Last week, Geneva authorities gave the GHF a 30-day deadline to address legal shortcomings or risk facing enforcement measures.
Under local laws and regulations, the foundation failed to meet several requirements: it did not appoint a board member authorized to sign documents domiciled in Switzerland, did not have the minimum three board members, lacked a Swiss bank account and valid address, and operated without an auditing body.
The GHF operates independently from UN-backed mechanisms, which Hamas has sought to reinstate, arguing that these vehicles are more neutral.
Israeli and American officials have rejected those calls, saying Hamas previously exploited UN-run systems to siphon aid for its war effort.
The UN has denied those allegations while expressing concerns that the GHF’s approach forces civilians to risk their safety by traveling long distances across active conflict zones to reach food distribution points.
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Key US Lawmaker Warns Ireland of Potential Economic Consequences for ‘Antisemitic Path’ Against Israel
US Sen. James Risch (R-ID) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Washington, DC, May 21, 2024. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) issued a sharp warning Tuesday, accusing Ireland of embracing antisemitism and threatening potential economic consequences if the Irish government proceeds with new legislation targeting Israeli trade.
“Ireland, while often a valuable U.S. partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering,” Risch wrote in a post on X. “If this legislation is implemented, America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties. We will always stand up to blatant antisemitism.”
Marking a striking escalation in rhetoric from a senior US lawmaker, Risch’s comments came amid growing tensions between Ireland and Israel, which have intensified dramatically since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Those attacks, in which roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, prompted a months-long Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has drawn widespread international scrutiny. Ireland has positioned itself as one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s response, accusing the Israeli government of disproportionate use of force and calling for immediate humanitarian relief and accountability for the elevated number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
Dublin’s stance has included tangible policy shifts. In May 2024, Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state, becoming one of the first European Union members to do so following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The move was condemned by Israeli officials, who recalled their ambassador to Ireland and accused the Irish government of legitimizing terrorism. Since then, Irish lawmakers have proposed further measures, including legislation aimed at restricting imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, policies viewed in Israel and among many American lawmakers as aligning with the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
While Irish leaders have defended their approach as grounded in international law and human rights, critics in Washington, including Risch, have portrayed it as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Israel. Some US lawmakers have begun raising the possibility of reevaluating trade and diplomatic ties with Ireland in response.
Risch’s warning is one of the clearest indications yet that Ireland’s policies toward Israel could carry economic consequences. The United States is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners, and American companies such as Apple, Google, Meta and Pfizer maintain substantial operations in the country, drawn by Ireland’s favorable tax regime and access to the EU market.
Though the Trump administration has not echoed Risch’s warning, the remarks reflect growing unease in Washington about the trajectory of Ireland’s foreign policy. The State Department has maintained a careful balancing act, expressing strong support for Israel’s security while calling for increased humanitarian access in Gaza. Officials have stopped short of condemning Ireland’s actions directly but have expressed concern about efforts they see as isolating Israel on the international stage.
Ireland’s stance is emblematic of a growing international divide over the war. While the US continues to provide military and diplomatic backing to Israel, many European countries have called for an immediate ceasefire and investigations into alleged war crimes.
Irish public opinion has long leaned pro-Palestinian, and Irish lawmakers have repeatedly voiced concern over the scale of destruction in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation.
Irish officials have not yet responded to The Algemeiner’s request for comment.
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Israel Condemns Iran’s Suspension of IAEA Cooperation, Urges Europe to Reinstate UN Sanctions
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at a press conference in Berlin, Germany, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday condemned Iran’s decision to halt cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog and called on the international community to reinstate sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),” Saar wrote in a post on X. “This is a complete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.”
Last week, the Iranian parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA “until the safety and security of [the country’s] nuclear activities can be guaranteed.”
“The IAEA and its Director-General are fully responsible for this sordid state of affairs,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
The top Iranian diplomat said this latest decision was “a direct result of [IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi’s] regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency — a full decade ago — already closed all past issues.
“Through this malign action,” Araghchi continued, “he directly facilitated the adoption of a politically-motivated resolution against Iran by the IAEA [Board of Governors] as well as the unlawful Israeli and US bombings of Iranian nuclear sites.”
The Parliament of Iran has voted for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed.
This is a direct result of @rafaelmgrossi‘s regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency—a full decade ago—already…
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 27, 2025
On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a bill banning UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country until the Supreme National Security Council decides that there is no longer a threat to the safety of its nuclear sites.
In response, Saar urged European countries that were part of the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal to activate its “snapback” clause and reinstate all UN sanctions lifted under the agreement.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), this accord between Iran and several world powers imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
During his first term, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reinstated unilateral sanctions on Iran.
“The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now! I call upon the E3 countries — Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!” Saar wrote in a post on X.
“The international community must act decisively now and utilize all means at its disposal to stop Iranian nuclear ambitions,” he continued.
The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now!
I call upon the E3 countries- Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!
Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy…— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 2, 2025
Saar’s latest remarks come after Araghchi met last week in Geneva with his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas — their first meeting since the Iran-Israel war began.
Europe is actively urging Iran to reengage in talks with the White House to prevent further escalation of tensions, but has yet to address the issue of reinstating sanctions.
Speaking during an official visit to Latvia on Tuesday, Saar said that “Operation Rising Lion” — Israel’s sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities — has “revealed the full extent of the Iranian regime’s threat to Israel, Europe, and the global order.”
“Iran deliberately targeted civilian population centers with its ballistic missiles,” Saar said at a press conference. “The same missile threat can reach Europe, including Latvia and the Baltic states.”
“Israel’s actions against the head of the snake in Iran contributed directly to the safety of Europe,” the Israeli top diplomat continued, adding that Israeli strikes have set back the Iranian nuclear program by many years.
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