In 1905, a Lebanese named Najib Azuri wrote: "These two movements [Zionism and Palestinian nationalism] are doomed to constant struggle, until one overwhelms the other. The fate of the entire world depends on the outcome of this struggle ... which represents two opposing principles." One hundred and ten years later, the two nations are still opposed but does the fate of the world depend on it?
I looked up the quote, from the original French in Najib Azuri's book "Le réveil de la nation arabe..."
'- Deux phénomènes importants, de même nature et pourtant opposés, qui n'ont encore attiré l'attention de personne, se manifestent en ce moment dans là Turquie d'Asie : ce sont, le réveil de la nation arabe et l'effort latent des Juifs pour reconstituer sur une très large échelle l'ancienne monarchie d'Israël; Ces deux mouvements sont destinés à se combattre continuellement, jusqu'à ce que l'un d'eux l'emporte sur l'autre. Du résultat final de cette lutte entre ces deux peuples représentant deux principes contraires, dépendra le sort du monde entier.;
Nothing about "Palestinian nationalism." He was talking about Arab nationalism altogether, which in 1905 did not include anything about a separate Palestinian state.
There was no Palestinian nationalist movement in 1905. Period. It was a Zionist/Arab conflict then - and it still is.
John Bell is "director of the Middle East Programme at the Toledo International Centre for Peace in Madrid. He is a former UN and Canadian diplomat, and served as political adviser to the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General for southern Lebanon and adviser to the Canadian government."
It would be nice if he wouldn't push his own political agenda onto history.