Call the Palestinian narrative by its real name: the Arab narrative

I have resolved to stop using the term “Palestinian Narrative.” I refuse to refer any longer to the web of lies, half-truths and omissions as “the Palestinian Narrative.” Instead, I will call it what should rightfully be called, “The Arab Propaganda Narrative,” or more concisely, the “Arab Narrative.”

It is not, and never was, a genuine Palestinian Narrative. Despite being cleverly dressed up as concern for the very real tragedy that had befallen the Palestinian Arabs, the “Palestinian Narrative” was always an Arab propaganda device for exploiting that tragedy for political and geo-political ends. And now I’m calling it out as such and refusing in future to unthinkingly collude in a campaign whose principal aim is the demonisation – if not the destruction – of Israel.

It is entirely understandably that a “Palestinian Narrative” was conjured up. It is, after all, so much easier to evoke sympathy for the tragic Palestinians than for the super-rich Saudis or the desert despots of the region, all of whom wanted Jews and Israel dislodged from their allotted piece of Palestine.

So, a “Palestinian Narrative,” using distortions, libels, lies, half-truths and omissions, was carefully crafted into a neat propaganda package. After being prettily tied in ribbons reading “Israel-and-Jews-responsible,” it was sent out into the world.

The libellous claim at the heart of this “Palestinian Narrative,” that Jews “dispossessed Palestinians,” was pure genius as it perfectly fitted the world-view of some liberals and left-wingers as well as handily feeding into ancient anttisemitic tropes for those seeking a pretext to think the worst of Jews.

And as we know, once it was in the world rather too few of the compassionate liberals (including comedians and media folk) rushing to express support for the Palestinians and abhorrence for the “evil Zionists,” paused to ask themselves if this was genuinely the “Palestinian Narrative” or merely a genius way for Arab nations to demonise Israel.

Obviously it’s decades too late to halt the spread of these lies, libels, half-truths and omissions. But as Jews, let’s at least acknowledge that the so-called “Palestinian Narrative” is not now, and never was authentic.

Let’s call it what it is, “The Arab Narrative,” in the hope that a few open-minded Palestinian sympathisers might notice that they have been sucked into a propaganda campaign primarily aimed at demonising Israel and Jews rather than helping the Palestinian people.