I am struggling with the question of how long (how many generations) it takes before someone becomes native to a new country.
My mother was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both of her parents had come over on a boat from pre World War One Russia.
I certainly do not feel in any way Russian.
My father was born in pre World War Two Germany. Both of his parents were also born in Germany. Yet in 1937 Germany passed a law saying that none of them were Germans. What did that mean? Those that were able to get out fled. Those that didn’t died.
Both sides of my family were Jews who had once (many generations before) lived in the ancient land of Israel and then became homeless.
Mahmoud Khalil calls himself a “Palestinian”. He is married to an American citizen and holds a permanent resident green card (courtesy of his marriage).
He was born in Damascus (Syria) in 1995. He and his family fled to Lebanon in 2012 during the Syrian Civil War. He is apparently a citizen of Algeria although I have still not found anything explaining what his connection was to that country. I have never seen him described as a Syrian or Lebanese or even as an Algerian. His child will be an American citizen.
Apparently, Khalil’s family had once lived in Tiberias which is a city in Northern Israel. His family apparently left Tiberias in 1948 at the time of the founding of the State of Israel (47 years before Mahmoud Khalil was born). At the time there were Palestinian Jews, Palestinian Christians, Palestinian Muslims and others. Presumably Khalil’s family were Palestinian Muslims though very little is spoken of his religious orientation. My paternal Grandfather (who had been kicked out of Germany) lived in Tel Aviv and was considered a Palestinian Jew. Today the descendants of the Palestinian Jews and Palestinian Christians of that era are Israeli citizens. I have no problem with Khalil calling himself a Palestinian if he wants to. But I am offended and threatened by his attempt to negate the history and significance of the Jews who have resided in Tiberias for more than 2000 years. YES, that is two thousand years of Jewish history in Tiberias.
So back to my original question. How many generations will it take before the descendants of Mahmoud Khalil will feel like they have a home or a part of a country other than the entirety of what was for a short period of history (1920 – 1948) was called the Palestinian Mandate and administered by Great Britain pursuant to a League of Nations mandate.
My ancestors also once lived in the region that was called the Palestinian Mandate and dreamed of coming home.
Will we or our grandchildren ever be able to live together in peace?