Palestinians as victims, but of whom and what?

(JNS) — Why is Palestine still not an independent state? The conventional answer normally begins and ends with Israel and its “occupation,” presumably denying Palestinians their lands and their right to self-determination. Columbia University professor and Palestinian American Edward Said’s famous words that Zionism should be judged from the standpoint of its victims continues to possess cultural authority even if they contradict the historical record.

Zionism always endorsed a policy built around the idea of sharing the land. For almost a decade, Israel was swept into a process where it expec...