Parsing Newt's Inventions

Here's Newt's famous quote:

"Remember, there was no Palestine as a state,'' Mr Gingrich said. ''It was part of the Ottoman Empire. And I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs and were historically part of the Arab community. And they had a chance to go many places. And for a variety of political reasons we have sustained this war against Israel now since the 1940s, and I think it's tragic.

Let's break it down, line by line:

Remember, there was no Palestine as a state

Correct. There has never been a "Palestine as a state" So what? No state exists before it iss created. I can prove this to you. Pick a state, any state at all. France, for example. Before France was established, it didn't exist, right? So back at the dawn of history, a proto-Newt Gingrich could have said "Remember, there was no French State", and he'd have been correct, but so what? The fact that a state hasn't existed in the past, doesn't invalidate its future existence. Once upon a time, America -- and Americans -- didn't exist either. 

 It was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Yes it was. The area where the Arabs who consider themselves Palestinians wish to establish a state was once part of the Ottoman Empire. Just like Egypt, and Turkey, and Greece, and Serbia, and Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and the Balkans, and Lebanon, and Iraq, and Albania and Romania, and Algeria and Tunisia and who knows what else. What written-in-the-sky rule follows from this historical truth? The fact that Palestine was once part of the Ottoman Empire does not preclude it from coming into existence as a separate entity.

 And I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs and were historically part of the Arab community

Once again I agree with Newt, but unless he's trying to cynically undermine a cause and disparage a people I  fail to see his point. Sure, the Palestinians are invented. So are the Israelis, and the Saudis, and the Americans, and any other group you care to name. They all are invented, by which I mean, they all came together at some particular time, for some combination of reasons, and ended up with a name.  Sometimes the change happens in an instant, sometimes it happens slowly over centuries; sometimes the name is chosen by the group, sometimes it is imposed by outsiders, but such changes are inevitable: 400 years ago the residents of New York called themselves Dutch; after a war and some reorganization, they called themselves Brits; now, following another war and more reshuffling, the residents of the same place call themselves Americans. Something similar happened in the Middle East. Once they all were Arabs. Now, some are Saudis and others are Syrians. Why can't the Arabs who live in what was once called Palestine call themselves Palestinians? Who does this offend? What sacred principle does it flout? Unless you have some political agenda, the name a group chooses for itself should not disturb you. 

And they had a chance to go many places

Absolutely true. Jews also had a chance to go many places, and many did. Some chose to go to Israel instead. Likewise, Arabs could have gone many places, but what Newt fails to mention is that the Arabs under discussion were already in Israel. The didn't choose to go to Israel. They chose to stay in Israel. And like the Jews who chose to go to Israel, the Arabs who chose to stay in Israel were operating fully within their rights. By the same token, the Arabs in, say Jordan, who refused to take in Arab refuges from Palestine/Israel were operating within their rights. Why should Jordan be expected to take in 1000s of immigrants? I rather doubt the white Christians of update New York would welcome 100,000s white Canadian Christians. Why should Jordan be different?

And for a variety of political reasons we have sustained this war against Israel now since the 1940s, and I think it's tragic.

Here's where I think Newt stops making sense. How have we - does he mean the US? - helped to sustain the war against Israel? Our money, and military aid goes to Israel, not to her enemies.

Bottom line: We're all invented, and declaring that the Palestinians are also invented makes the problem worse, not better. Invented or not, there are millions of Arabs who consider themselves Palestinians. and wish to establish a Palestinian state. Declaring their national identity and ambitions an "invention" won't make it go away.

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