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Re: question

Dear Avigdor,
    Thanks very much for your quick response. In fact, Keith does not 
use the term to refer to the *pre-Israelite* residents of the South 
Levant; nor does he use the term as an *ethnic* designation. Rather it 
seems to be used as a term for the population of the region of every 
period; so that one might also think of ancient Israelites and Jews 
as "Palestinians," much as one might think of "Europeans" or "East 
Asians:" the residents of a geographical region, not an ethnic term. I 
agree that the political noise it makes--much likje the comparable 
term "Eretz Israel" outside of its biblical or contemporary political 
context and signification--is unfortunate. I much prefer the term 
"South Levant" myself. I also think it useful to keep a clear 
distinction between anti-Zionism (which is an open choice in the 
democratic society of Israel) and anti-Semitism (which is criminal).
    As for the question of the hiding of Palestinian identity in 
some scholarly research of the last 70 years or so, you know that I 
do not entirely agree with Keith on this, but I would recommend 
your taking a look at my, Van Cangh, and Francolino Goncalvez' 
Toponomie Palestinienne (Louvaine la Neuve, 1988). The issues raised 
by Whitelam are indeed quite serious and necessary. 
Thomas

> DEar Thomas,
> My argument is not with Keith Whitelam whom I don't know and whom I can't 
> judge, but with the term     Palestinian to refer to the pre-Israelite 
> residents of the Land of Israel.  It is unscholarly, and in the current 
> political environment it resonates loudly as anti-ZIonist= anti Semitic 
> and should be withdrawn from scholarly parlance.  If there is indeed no 
> such intention then I apologize to the framer of the term, but do not at 
> all step back from my request that this term be deleted from all future 
> study of ancient Israel.
> AVigdor Hurowitz
> Ben Gurion University
> 
> On Mon, 15 Apr 1996, Thomas L. Thompson wrote:
> 
> > To slander a scholar such as Keith Whitelam, who has made some very 
> > significant contributions to both the history of the South Levant and 
> > to the history of Israel over the last two decades as both 
> > unscholarly and anti-semitic I think requires more than purported 
> > "clout." It requires evidence. I think both Avigdor and Yirmiyahu owe 
> > Keith an apology for such a vicious ad hominem attack. If this 
> > discussion has anything to do with Orion or scholarship, perhaps this 
> > it might have value if this attempt at defamation of character become 
> > an actual argument against what Professor Whitelam has actually 
> > written in his book. 
> > Thomas
> > 
> >   > "Palestinians" 
> > as a pre- israelite ethnic designation is an invention of 
> > > the person who wrote of "inventing ancient Israel" and should be 
> > > dismissed out of hand from scholarly jargon.  It is unscholarly and 
> > > probaly anti-ZIonist and anti-semitic in the classical sense of the term.
> > > Avigdor Hurowitz
> > 
> > > I didn't have the clout to say this myself, but I can sure second it!!!
> > > Kol ha-kavod.
> > > Yirmiyahu Ben-David, Pakiyd 16
> > 
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