Myth.

Before the squabble on these boards, I believed 98% as you do. My only difference was that I believed the Palestinians were being treated disproportionately harshly by the Israelis. You can't have 25 to 1 losses in anything resembling a "fight".

As we started our reasoned arguments and rabid ranting, me being the reasoned unless it was you, me being the rabid rantor unless it was you, I read more.

And, reading from a variety of more balanced sources than those printed in the US in the last 55 years has been interesting.

For instance, there is a considerable body of evidence that in 1948 the Arabs attacked the Israelis very reluctantly, to stop the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians.

It is also clear that the original inhabitants of Israel, the Arab Israelis, were guaranteed full citizenship in the new nation which took over their lands. The UN guaranteed the Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs would be equal in their civil rights.

Ain't happened. Arabs who have lived in Israel for generation after generation prior to the creation of Israel are second- or third-class citizens.

And there's more.

But in the US history is written by Israelis, who censor the US news organizations quite effectively. And the myth was created, and will not die.

In Europe they have had a different set of information from which to gauge the present situation. I'm not saying they are super in their attitudes, I'm saying they have had a more balanced view of the Middle East.

"Reality" isn't the issue, as any political candidate can affirm. It's whatever they can make you believe. THAT becomes history. And for much of recorded time history and myth are interchangable.

Arf