Palestinians

Submitted by Steve Hagerman (United States), Jul 27, 2011 at 15:00

Hi Daniel. I really appreciate your research and hard work. Your study tour in Israel sounds very interesting, though I don't think I'll be able to participate. But in regards to the Palestinians, I'd like to share something that may interest you. I lived in Jerusalem many years ago and met a monk named Jacob Willibrands that Arab, Jewish, and Christian friends said was a world-class ethnologist. He was a brilliant man fluent in present-day Hebrew and Arabic and several other modern languages. I understand he was also familiar with ancient semitic languages.

In a personal visit he told me that he had done research on all the main Arab villages of Trans-Jordan, Israel, the occupied territories and Gaza. He said "Based on my studies I can say that the majority of Palestinians are Israelites. And when I say the majority, I mean well beyond fifty-percent." He also said, "I think if we were to research further we'd find that their tribal lines are still intact, because those who returned from the diaspora settled in their villages by their tribes." He is now deceased and I haven't been able to find information on the web as to whether he has left any writings. When in Israel you may want to see if you can locate such materials.

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