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A common tactic used by anti-Zionist writers, academics, and activists is to falsify, distort, misattribute, and decontextualize quotes by Zionist leaders.

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FALSIFIED – David Ben Gurion never wrote, “We must expel the Arabs and take their places.” In fact, he wrote the opposite: “We do not want and do not need to expel the Arabs and take their places. All our aspiration is built on the assumption – proven throughout all our activity – that there is enough room in the country for ourselves and the Arabs.”[i]

DISTORTED – Ehud Barak’s full statement was: “If we thought that instead of 200 Palestinian fatalities, 2000 dead would put an end to the fighting at a stroke, we would use much more force. But in our opinion the opposite is true…”[ii] By omitting the second part of Barak’s statement the MSU completely distorts its meaning and intent.

MISATTRIBUTED – Ariel Sharon never made the statement starting with, “It is the duty of Israeli leaders to explain to public opinion…” The statement was written by an Israeli journalist in 1972.[iii]

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Citations: 

[i] Dexter Van Zile, “University of Exeter Gives Pappe a Pass on Invented Ben-Gurion Quote,” CAMERA, February 3, 2012, at http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=2188; Benny Morris, “Quoting Ben Gurion: An Exchange,” Commentary, December 7, 2011, at http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/12/07/ben-gurion-herzl-quotes-morris-rubin/

[ii] Avigdor Haselkorn, “Martyrdom: The Most Powerful Weapon,” LA Times, December 3, 2000, at http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/03/opinion/op-60477

[iii] Anthony Julius, “False Confessions: how Anti-Zionists Incriminate Zionism,” Z Word, November, 2008, at http://www.z-word.com/uploads/assets/documents/ZWord_Julius3_pgaRoTsA.pdf; Alan Nasser, “Hamas: What It Is, What It Wants, and What Israel Makes of It,” MR Zine, December 1, 2009, at http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2009/nasser120109.html