Letter to the editor: Palestinian propaganda

Palestinian supporters misunderstand the term Palestinian.

In 70 AD, the Romans vanquished the Jewish kingdom of Israel. Most of the Jewish people migrated throughout the world for the next 2,000 years of the diaspora. But, throughout that time, the land was occupied by Arabs, Christians and a few Jews. The Romans erased the name of Israel and replaced it with the name Philistina.

After the Roman era, the land eventually became known as Palestine and has been ruled by Byzantines, Muslims, Crusaders and Ottomans. During this time, the residents of Palestine were called Palestinians (including Arabs, Christians and Jews). After World War I, Great Britain took control from the Turkish Ottomans.

In 1948, the Jewish people reclaimed the land, renamed it Israel and invited all the non-Jews to become Israeli citizens. Some left, but some stayed and continue to be Israeli citizens with full rights.

In 1960, Yasser Arafat was advised by the Soviets to call his people Palestinians as a propaganda tool for his political movement. After Hamas took control of the Palestinian Authority in 2007, the Palestinian people in Gaza have been propagandized with antisemitism which permeates down to their supporters today.

Dr. Joel I. Last

Greensburg