Israeli Palestinian conflict

Maps of “Palestine” which include names of Arab villages abandoned during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, data concerning Palestinian refugees in the “diaspora”, and the administrative division of Palestine during the British mandate period, play a tangible role in inculcating the value of the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees, and in intensifying hatred towards Israel. These maps are published by the PA, the Hamas Movement, academic institutions, and entities and associations operating in the PA areas. Messages instilling the “right of return” are also incorporated into the curriculum of the PA education system.

Examples of this are evident in the following maps:

Map A: the first map [in a series of maps dealing with Palestinian subjects] – “map of [Palestinian] villages destroyed in 1948-1950”. The map was published by Bir Zeit University - “The Palestinian Society Studies and Documentation Center” in cooperation with the PA “Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.” (a revised second edition, 1999.)

Map B: “a map of destroyed villages”. The map was published by the “Palestinian Businessmen Association / Al-Quds.” The map features names of Palestinian villages destroyed in 1948 and 1967. “Palestinian Businessmen Association /Al-Quds” is a nongovernmental nonprofit Palestinian entity. It was founded in December 1996 with the aim of representing the private sector's business and professional community.

Map C: “a map of Palestine” including tables listing “Palestinian villages destroyed by the Zionist gangs in 1948” and a list of "the most notable massacres perpetrated by the Zionists against the Palestinian People”. The map was published in 2000 by the “Palestinian Center for Studies and Research” in Gaza. This center belongs to the “Palestinian Islamic Jihad” terrorist organization and is headed by Muhammad al-Hindi, one of the organization's leaders.

Map D: “Map of Historic Palestine”. The map features Arab villages which had been abandoned in the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict from the beginning of the 20 th century until 1967. On the back, there is a small map showing the division of “Palestine” into districts under the British mandate up until 1948. The map (2001) was drawn by Mundhir Khaled Mustafa Abu Khidhr, a known Palestinian cartographer working with the “Palestinian Geographic Center” of the PA Ministry of Transportation.

Map E: a map of “Palestine”. The map was designed to demonstrate the developments taking place in “Palestine” from 1945 until the present. It features Arab villages which had been abandoned throughout the Arab-Israeli conflict from the beginning of the 20 th century up until 1967. On the back there is a smaller map showing the 1947 partition demarcation and the division of “Palestine” into districts in 1945. The map (1999) was distributed by the “Arab Studies Society” in Jerusalem (an association which belonged to the “Orient House” and ceased operating after the Orient House was shut down by the Israeli authorities).

Following are the maps including our comments:

Map A - The first map [in a series of maps dealing with Palestinian subjects] – “map of [Palestinian] villages destroyed in 1948-1950”

Source : The map was published by Bir Zeit University - “Palestinian Society Studies and Documentation Center” in cooperation with the PA “Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation”, 1999; second and revised edition; scale: 1:300,000

Comments on Map A:

The editor is Dr. Kamal Abd al-Fatah , a lecturer at Bir Zeit University, specializing in water and natural resources, and a consultant for PA institutions.

The name Israel does not appear on the map . The names of the countries bordering “Palestine” (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon) are highlighted .

Jerusalem (Al-Quds) in its entirety appears east of the “green line”.

Tel Aviv and other predominantly Jewish-Israeli cities do not appear on the map. Instead are Arab settlements (for instance, instead of Natanya “Umm Khaled” is featured and instead of Eilat : “Umm al-Rashrash”.)

As mentioned, the map was published in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation led at the time by Nabil Sha'ath.

Map B- “A map of destroyed [Palestinian] villages”

Source : The map was published by the “ Palestinian Businessmen Association /Al-Quds ” in Ramallah. The year of publication is not mentioned. The distribution rights are reserved to the “ Palestinian Geographic Center ” [of the PA Ministry of Transportation].

Comments on Map B:

The map features villages destroyed in 1948 and 1967.

The names of Israel or “Palestine” are not mentioned. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt are mentioned by name.

Names of Jewish-Israeli cities do not appear on the map and some are replaced by Arab cities and villages. For instance: Jaffa appears (highlighted) instead of Tel Aviv and next to it are the Arab villages of Somel, Jamasin, and Sheikh Mones. Instead of Natanya, the map features Umm Khaled, and instead of Eilat, Umm al-Rashrash.

Map C- “Map of Palestine”

Source : Published in Gaza by “ Palestine Center for Studies and Research ”, 2000. The center belongs to the “ Palestinian Islamic Jihad ” terrorist organization.

Comments on Map C:

The following tables, photographs and figures appear on the right hand side of the “Map of Palestine”:

A table listing the Palestinian villages destroyed by the “Zionist gangs” in 1948.

A table providing details of some of “most notable massacres perpetrated by the Zionists against the Palestinian People” during 1947-1994.

Figures regarding the inhabitants of “Palestine” including those currently residing abroad.

Key features regarding the substance of “Palestine” (see below) and the essence of the conflict between the Palestinians and the Zionist Movement.

A drawing of the old city of Jerusalem marking the most important sites (the “Western Wall” is only mentioned by its Arabic name “Ha'it al-Buraq” named after the mare on which Muhammad rode on his nocturnal journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and on to the sky).

Israel's name is not mentioned at all (the names of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt have been highlighted). The “green line” is not marked. “Palestine” appears as a single integral entity.

There are no political boundaries on the map between “Palestine” and Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The only political demarcation appearing is between “Palestine” and Egypt. This is not a coincidence and emanates from the perception of “Palestine” as part of greater Syria (“Bilad al-Sham”).

Predominantly Jewish-Israeli cities are not mentioned – i.e. Tel Aviv (replaced by Jaffa), Ramat Gan, Bat Yam, and Holon. Some of the Israeli cities are mentioned by their previous Arabic names, i.e. Natanya – Umm Khaled, Ashdod – Asdud, Ashkelon – Al-Mjdal, Hadera – Al-Kh'dhirah, Beit She'an – Bisan.

Below are the definitions with regard to the substance of “Palestine” and the essence of the conflict between the Palestinians and the Zionist Movement, appearing on the bottom right side of the map:

[“Palestine” is] an integral part of the Islamic expanse (Dar al-Islam), of the Arab Nation and of e Greater Syria (“Bilad al-Sham”).

[“Palestine” is] the center of the conflict existing between Islam and the pact between the West and the Zionist Movement.

The area [of “Palestine”] is 27,027 sq. km, (an area which includes sovereign Israel). No territory will be cut off from this area in the wake of any future agreements.

The plot against [“Palestine”] is at its worst phase. The purpose of the conspiracy [implicitly, of the Zionist Movement and the West] is to erase the memory of “Palestine” from the minds of its sons.

The number of “Palestinians” [originating from “Palestine is] 8.5 million, most of whom are refugees; they are ready [for combat] in the frontline, standing on guard [ribat] until the day of resurrection.

A quote from the Koran [Surat Al-Israa' (17) verse 7] explaining that on the judgement day, the Muslims will re-conquer the Temple Mount from the Jews while they, the Jews, will be punished [Arafat cited this verse on many occasions in his speeches over the previous years].

Map D (1) - Map of Historic Palestine

Source : The map was drawn by Mundhir Khaled Mustafa Abu Khidhr , (a Palestinian cartographer working with the “Palestinian Geographic Center” of the PA Ministry of Transportation.) Year of publication – 2001, scale: 1:250,000.

Map D (2) - “Map of the administrative division of Palestine prior to 1948”
(appears on the back of “Map of historic Palestine”)

Comments on Map D(1) and D(2) :

Israel is not mentioned at all ; the map depicts the “armistice lines” (“the green line”) which are referred to in the legend as “the 1949 hudna [temporary cease-fire] lines”.

The states bordering “Palestine” are marked (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt). The borders between Palestine and Syria , Lebanon, and Egypt are defined as “international borders”. There is no international boundary between Jordan and “Palestine”.

All of Jerusalem (Al-Quds), the capital of “Palestine”, is situated east of the “green line”.

Predominantly Jewish-Israeli cities do not appear on the map. Tel Aviv has been omitted while Jaffa was highlighted; Eilat does not appear and has been replaced by Umm Al-Rashrash.

The map's legend includes:

Arab villages abandoned at the beginning of the 20 th Century and between 1948-1967.

Holy places to Christianity and Islam are marked. None of the Jewish holy sites appear on the map. (It is of note that this characteristic also appears in official PA textbooks . Thus, for instance, the 3 rd grade book “the National Culture” lists only those holy sites in “Palestine” which have nothing to do with the Jews or their holy sites. The Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Jerusalem have been left out, and the Cave of the Patriarchs is referred to as a Muslim site.)

Jewish communities (not necessarily in the West Bank and Gaza Strip) are referred to as “ settlements ”: Jewish “settlements” (“Mustawtanat”) established prior to 1948 are marked by a blue circle, and “Jewish settlements” founded after 1967 in the “territories” are circled in purple ¹

¹ Up until the 1970s the Arabs used to dub Zionist settlement in Israel as “colonialism” or “imperialism”. The term “settlement” (“istitan”) is relatively new in the terminology of the Arab-Israeli conflict and currently refers to Jewish settlements beyond the “green line”. Adopting such a charged term to describe all the urban communities established in Israel, including those founded within the “green line” prior to and following the establishment of the State, actually underscores their illegitimacy and transience.

It is emphasized that there is a distinct difference in the terminology used to refer to Jewish communities and that referring to Arab ones: while the Jewish communities (also those situated within the 1948 borders) are called “ settlements ” (and in most cases no mention is made of their name), on the other hand when it comes to Arab cities, villages or small towns, the eccepted Arabic terminology is used (“madinah”- a city; “qaryah”- a village; “bladah”- a town). The politicization of geography often gives rise to absurdities: Natanya, for instance, is called “ Umm Khaled ” on the map as is the custom in Palestinian maps, but is marked with a blue circle which means “a Jewish settlement” established prior to 1948.

Acre, Safet, Tiberias, Beit She'an, Nazareth, Haifa, Jaffa, Ramla and Beersheba, which are within the “green line”, are highlighted and marked as Arab cities (black circle), exactly the same as Bethlehem, Ramallah, Kalkiliya, Jenin, Gaza, Nablus and other cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

On the back of the map there is a small map depicting the partition of Palestine into districts during the British mandate period, prior to 1948. According to this map, Tel Aviv is included in the “Jaffa District”, the Sharon area is in the “Nablus District”, and the Negev all the way down to Eilat is in the “Gaza District”. The lateral division of “Palestine” (according to regions), which is no longer relevant these days, was found in the geography notebook of a Palestinian student residing in Jenin (refer to Appendix H).

Map E - Map of Palestine

Source: A second edition of a map distributed by the “ Arab Studies Society ” in Jerusalem, an association belonging to the “Orient House” (the second edition was issued in 1990; the first in 1988).

Comments on Map E :

Israel's name does not appear on the map; the international boundary of “Palestine” with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt is marked.

Arab villages abandoned during the course of the conflict in the early 20 th Century, in 1948-1967, and after 1967 are marked on the map.

In the map's legend a Jewish urban community is called “ Jewish settlement ” (“Mustawtanah Yahudiyyah”) while Arab communities are referred to as “ Arab village ” (“Qaryah 'Arabiyyah”).

Jaffa is typed in black highlighted typeset while Tel Aviv, Holon, and Bat Yam are marked in light blue indistinct small print. Other predominantly Arab cities within the 1948 areas are highlighted.

The map marks, among other things: the perimeters of the districts as they existed during the mandate period (Jaffa is a district center); the partition borders of 1947 ; the “green line” under "the heading the 1949 cease-fire borders" (“ Al- Hudna ”) and areas populated by Arabs and Jews as of 1945.