Firstly, in reference to the following letter from "Esther," I am not "Palestine Man," nor the author of his articles. I'll pass Esther's commentary on to him. But I'll respond here as I see the issues:

I had to laugh when I read "Palestine Man"'s second latest article, "They Stole Not Just Our Land, They Stole Our Culture". According to the Arab American Institute, an Arab American is "an immigrant from the Arabic-speaking world." Such a definition could also apply to the term "Arab Israeli."

???? What's your point? An "Arab-Israeli" isn't an immigrant from anywhere. Jews invaded his/her land and he became "Israeli" by dictate. Um, it's kind of different than being an "Arab-American" where someone actually migrated somewhere. When you look outside the house your family has lived in all your life and a bunch of strange soldiers from Eastern Europe are putting up a sign on your front lawn saying "Welcome to Israel," that's a little different thing.

If an Arab Israeli is defined as an Israeli who either immigrated or whose parents immigrated from the Arabic-speaking world, then two-thirds of Israel's Jewish citizens are by definition Arabs.

???? What are you talking about? Is there any logic here? Madam, get a grip and try to be coherent. Jews are Arabs because there's such a thing as an "Arab Israeli?"

Their cultural claim to Arabic symbols such as falafel and the Hamsa are every bit as legitimate as "Palestine Man"'s. A country's culture is defined by that of the majority of its residents.

Jews dominate, for instance, Hollywood and the mass media industry. They largely create "culture" and they are not a majority in America.

Since the majority of Israel's residents are Arabic (thanks to mass expulsions), then its culture is rightfully Arabic, too.

Mam, did you forget to take your pill this morning? The "majority of Israel's residents are Arabic?"

Therefore, Israel could not have "stolen" Arab culture":

Oh, I see! Arabs stole Arabic culture from Arabs because they dominate cultural life in the Jewish state of Israel.

1. In order to steal something, you have to take it away from someone else. To claim that a symbol represents one's culture is not necessarily to claim that that symbol exclusively belongs to one's culture. For example, Americans define their culture as one of freedom, tolerance, and self-determination. Does that mean that America is claiming exclusive rights to those cultural tenets?

With the Zionist flood that has occurred in American culture, I'm afraid America doesn't represent "freedom, tolerance, and self-determination" any more. It's more like "censorial dictate, intolerance, and Judeocentrism" these days, don't you think?

Hint: it is spreading them around the world right now.

Zionism? Yes. Big time. Like the Blob.

Similarly, when Israelis identify with falafel, they are not necessarily claiming exclusive cultural patronage of that food.

You know, I think the issues at stake are a lot more important than stealing falafel. Palestinian culture is in the process of being vanquished by the oppressive Jewish Steamroller.

2. You cannot steal that which is already and rightfully yours.

The Jewish invasion and takeover of Palestine was an act of thievery. Certainly not "democracy." If they could steal a few falafels in the deal too, I'm sure they were content with it.

Think about it, "Palestine Man": thousands of years of residence in "Palestine" is supposed to make you a rightful claimant to that land, but thousands of years of immersion in Arab culture does not make the majority of Israelis rightful claimants to that culture? Surely you jest.
Sincerely, Esther

Mam, yours is one of the strangest arguments I've seen. I haven't the slightest idea what you're trying to say (except that Jews are entitled to whatever they want), and I don't think you know either.

"Palestine Man" responds:

Dear Esther,

let's look at your quote "Since the majority of Israel's residents are Arabic, the culture is rightfully Arabic too"...GREAT. So effective tommorrow Israel will be a pluralistic society that will grant citizenship to the Palestinian Arabs of the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians will be able to return to their homeland under your Israeli "Law of the Return", and you will even elect an Arab as your next Prime Minister! No talk then of a "Jewish state", or high Arab birthrates being a threat to the "Jewishness" of Israel. We will all be one happy Jewish-Arabic family! And we will sing a song similar to that being chanted by both West and East Germans when the Berlin Wall was crumbling down "Wir sind ein Volk"..."We Are One People"...and we will see an immediate halt to Sharon building a wall between Israelis and Palestinians. I'm glad my article made you laugh. Thanks for returning the favor and making me laugh. Now, you might want to see how Ms. Ruth Marks is doing, she is another fan of mine, and she's busy investigating the origins of the narghile, to see whether it is genuinely Arab or not.

P.S. Esther, my dear, the Arab Institute's definition is in reference to Arab by nationality not Arab by blood. I have no problem accepting Jews living in Arab countries as fellow "Arab" citizens. Once they elect to settle in Palestine and live on someone else's land (an Arab's) and live in someone else's home (an Arab's), they cease being Arabs by that definition as well. And believe me Esther, I am no Haman. The olive branch is still in my hand. The ball is in your court now, you bring me the white dove.