Until the first part of this last century, the land known as Palestine was a desert wasteland, according to all writings of the time. Usually in countries, with an indigenous people (such as Norway or France, for example) there is a recorded history - even a nation without a country usually has a common history. The lack of such a written history leaves one to rely on writings of the times, such as that of Mark Twain, who was an impartial traveler at the time. The fact is that his observations are much the same as those made by anyone that visited "Palestine" over the last few centuries.

As there were no sovereign countries of any Arab population prior to the 1st world war there were no official borders in the region. The rulers of "areas" were the leaders of the strongest clan (some of these clans still rule - today they are referred to as dictators). "Palestine" was transient - a land where people of the region wandered in and out of over the years. There was no border, official or otherwise.

In "Palestine" at the time, there were a few desolate villages and a few impoverished towns. Most of the "owned" land was that of absentee landlords - their land tended by serfs, or owned by the state (whether it being during the 400 year rule of the Turks, or the later British).

During the time of the Mandate, State lands were given by the British to absentee landlords who in turn sold it to Jews at exorbitant prices. The fact is that most of the land was considered arid or swamp. Those selling these lands to the Jews were totally amused by the Jews' willingness to pay tens times the market value for "useless" land... .

Arab propaganda at the time, and of course Arab propaganda to this day speaks of local farmers dispossessed of their land by the Jews, when in fact it was by the Arab absentee owners of the land which they tilled. Virtually all of the lands acquired by the Jews were bought in legal transactions for more than generous sums of money. Although the Mandate dictated that State lands be turned over to the Jews, only 9 % of lands was such. The rest was purchased outright by owners of what was considered useless land who could not believe their incredible luck at these "foolish" Jewish buyers.

At the same time, the British, who were trying to incorporate "Palestine" (together with other Arab occupied lands in the region) into an Arab-dominated dependency of Great Britain (an extension of the then still-strong British empire) did their utmost to squash Jewish growth while at the same time allowed the influx of Arabs from the entire region, where today lay countries such as Syria, Jordan, and Egypt to name a few. The British did not record this influx of Arab immigration, as it served their greater scheme of things to keep the matter quiet.

What made Arabs want to come to desolate Palestine?

The immigration of Jews from Europe, to join existing Jewish communities in the Promised Land, and build new towns and cities resulting in the land flourishing as it never had. Fields and forests were planted, hospitals and universities were built, and employment was suddenly abundant with wages of 4 times that of anywhere in the region. To the impoverished Arab world the new "Palestine" was a glimmer of sunshine in a world that was still, by and large, back in the Middle Ages. Until the existence of Jewish medical facilities an Arab woman expected no less than 1/2 of here children to die within their first years of life.

During the first three and one half decades of this last century, it is estimated that over 200,000 Arabs immigrated to "Palestine" from neighouring lands.

After the '48 war, "Palestinian" “refugee” camps sprouted up around Israel. By the end of hostilities in 1949 about 140,000 of the 561,000 (British estimation of 1948) original Arab population remained in Israel (the "Palestinian Authoritiy speaks today of 4 million!?). Therefor, mathematically speaking, the maximum number of "Palestinian" refugees could not have been more than 421,000. In May, 1948 the Syrian representative in U.N. Security Council estimated that the total number of "refugees" to be only 250,000.

The UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works agency) provided the refugees with food, medical attention, clothing and shelter. There was no means of identification and therefor any Arab could register as a refugee and receive aid. And this is exactly what happened. Thousands of Arabs flocked from the poverty-stricken* neighbouring Arab countries to receive these handouts - all they had to do is register as "refugees".... . It was a windfall!

Today, most of the "refugees" are in fact descendants of these illegal immigrants ("self proclaimed" "refugees") from other lands, while almost all of the original "refugees" have been absorbed over the passing of time into Jordan, Lebanon and other countries of the region .

The "Palestinian Nation" that today seeks to become a sovereign entity** is in fact an assortment of Arabs descended from Arabs of neighbouring Arab countries which at most can rightfully claim to be part of an "Arab Nation".

Their perpetual living in shocking conditions is only a result of the Arab world keeping them that way, using them to pressure the world to have Israel make concessions. The fact is that the Arab world, having learned that militarily they can not defeat Israel, have adopted the temporary tactic of diplomacy, using the "refugees" as their present vehicle towards their final destination: the annihilation of Israel.

* This was before the west developed the potential of the vast oil fields that would make the “Arab Nation” solvent… .

"Seek to become" - because they never were... .