Mirror Image: Palestinians Continue to Mimic Zionism

At "Mirror Image: How the PLO Mimics Zionism," I document how Palestinians have repeatedly imitated the Zionist movement. Here follow updates on that theme.

Birthright Israel came into existence in 2000. It

provides the gift of first time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Taglit-Birthright Israel's founders created this program to send thousands of young Jewish adults from all over the world to Israel as a gift in order to diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewry; and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.

And now, in 2008, comes Birthright Palestine. It intends

to gather first-generation, western-born Palestinians (over the age of 18-years old) in their ancestral homeland, so that they can reunite and witness firsthand how their brethren are living under illegal Israeli military occupation.

Comment: The difference in tone between these mission statements represents a much deeper difference. One builds, the other destroys. (January 10, 2008)

Mar. 30, 2008 update: For a century and more, Zionists built their movement by purchasing land from Arabs. Now something like the reverse process is underway, as the "Saudis discover Jaffa." Ofer Petersburg tells about Jaffa, the historic Arab town just south of Tel Aviv:

Is Jaffa about to become the Saudi Caesarea? Yedioth Ahronoth recently learned that Arab moguls, most likely of Saudi origin, as well as various other Palestinian entrepreneurs, have recently been purchasing great quantities of prime real-estate in the Ajami neighborhood right on Jaffa's coastline. The property involved is in a rare, prime location not 100 meters (328 feet) from the beach front. The houses in question are neglected, some even scheduled for demolition, but their prime location affords them massive potential in the real estate market.

In spite of growing demands for these homes, their owners, most of them impoverished, working-class individuals, refuse to sell their homes to Jewish entrepreneurs. Now, however, they appear willing to sell these very same homes to wealthy tycoons from Arab nations who are willing to pay millions of dollars, in cash, for this prime real-estate. … "Before too long we will see villas and cottages lining the Ajami beach front," said a local resident and community activist. "The only question is how the Israeli authorities will respond to this new trend, and whether they will allow Arab millionaires with foreign passports to build their estates in Jaffa."

Jaffa's Ajami neighborhood, soon to be transformed.

July 30, 2009 update: In a striking new imitation, the Palestinians are working on their own planned city in the West Bank. Ari Shavit explains that Rawabi, to be built nine kilometers northwest of Ramallah, is to be

The first planned city in Palestinian history. The first planned city in the West Bank to be inhabited by Palestinians rather than settlers. A city designed to be a Palestinian city of abundance - secular, open and vibrant. A city of pedestrian malls, cafes, kindergartens and schools. A city of thriving Palestinian start-ups and Palestinian yuppies. A city that will pave the Palestinians' way to the 21^st century. … Palestinians and Qataris are about to invest $800 million in an unprecedented initiative: About 6,000 housing units to be built in the city are designed to house 40,000 residents and provide jobs for 10,000 Palestinians.

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