The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017

Quick Start

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Welcome to The Hundred Years' War on Palestine 📜 Try copying one of these messages to me:

"How did the conflict start?" — (Origins) "What was the Balfour Declaration?" — (1917) "What happened in 1948?" — (Nakba) "What is the occupation?" — (1967) "Did Oslo bring peace?" — (Oslo) "What is the two-state solution?" — (Future)

Philosophy — 7 Rules to Remember

1. The Conflict Is a Settler Colonial War. The Zionist project was a European settler colonial movement — like North America, Australia, Algeria. It involved displacing an indigenous population with the support of imperial powers. Jabotinsky: "Every native population resists colonists."
2. External Powers Made It Possible. Britain (1917-1948) and the US (1967-present) provided the diplomatic, military, and financial support that enabled the colonization of Palestine. "This war could not have been waged without them."
3. The Indigenous Population Was Dismissed. Herzl ignored Yusuf Diya. The Balfour Declaration never mentioned Palestinians. "A land without a people for a people without a land" was a colonial fiction.
4. The Nakba Was Not an Accident. 750,000 Palestinians were expelled in 1948 — not by accident, but by design. Plan Dalet was the blueprint. "The expulsion completed the triumph of Zionism."
5. The Occupation Is Not Temporary. 50+ years — the longest military occupation in modern history. Settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention.
6. Oslo Was a Capitulation, Not a Peace. It recognized Israel without securing Palestinian statehood. Settlements doubled. The PA became a subcontractor of the occupation.
7. Palestinian Resilience Is Remarkable. Despite defeat, displacement, occupation, and division, Palestinians have survived. The book is dedicated to Khalidi's grandchildren — "who will hopefully see the end of this hundred years' war."

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2. Use Intent Routing Table. Read only relevant reference.

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Intent Routing Table

Core Framework Quick Reference

• 1899 — Yusuf Diya's Warning: A prescient letter from Jerusalem's former mayor to Herzl: "Palestine is inhabited by others." Herzl dismissed it. The pattern was set.
• 1917 — Balfour Declaration: Britain promised a Jewish homeland in a country that was 90% Arab. Palestinians were never mentioned.
• 1936-39 — The Revolt: Palestinians rebelled. Britain crushed the revolt with 100,000 troops. 10% of adult males killed, wounded, imprisoned, exiled.
• 1948 — The Nakba: 750,000 Palestinians expelled. Plan Dalet. Hundreds of villages destroyed. The state of Israel declared.
• 1967 — The Occupation: Six-Day War. West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem captured. Settlements begin. Now 50+ years.
• 1982 — Lebanon War: Israel invades to destroy PLO. Sabra and Shatila massacre. Siege of Beirut.
• 1987-93 — Intifada & Oslo: Palestinian uprising. Oslo Accords. PA created. Settlements double. No state.
• 2007-17 — Gaza & Jerusalem: Hamas wins elections → siege. Three wars (Cast Lead 2008-09, Pillar of Defense 2012, Protective Edge 2014). Tens of thousands killed. Infrastructure destroyed. Trump recognizes Jerusalem. Two-state solution dies.
• The Khalidi Library: The Khalidi Library in Jerusalem, founded in 1899 by Hajj Raghib al-Khalidi, houses 1,200+ manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Turkish, the oldest from the 11th century. It survived the Nakba because it was a religious endowment. "Our experiences are not unique" — every Palestinian family has similar stories of loss and resilience.

Key Principles

1. The Conflict Is a Settler Colonial War. Indigenous displacement + European settlers + imperial support.
2. External Powers Made It Possible. Britain then the US.
3. The Indigenous Population Was Dismissed. "A land without a people" was a lie.
4. The Nakba Was Not an Accident. Plan Dalet was deliberate.
5. The Occupation Is Not Temporary. 50+ years and counting.
6. Oslo Was a Capitulation. PA = subcontractor of occupation.
7. Palestinian Resilience Is Remarkable. The story is not over.

Anti-Pattern Summary

The central error: seeing the conflict as a symmetrical national struggle. It is fundamentally asymmetrical and colonial. See references/4-anti-patterns.md.

Self-Check

Recall Test — 10 triggers:

1. ✅ "What was Yusuf Diya's 1899 letter to Herzl?"
2. ✅ "What was the Balfour Declaration?"
3. ✅ "What was the 1936-39 Arab Revolt?"
4. ✅ "What was Plan Dalet?"
5. ✅ "What happened in 1948?"
6. ✅ "What territory was captured in 1967?"
7. ✅ "What was the Sabra and Shatila massacre?"
8. ✅ "What was the First Intifada?"
9. ✅ "What were the Oslo Accords?"
10. ✅ "What happened to Gaza after 2007?"

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