I've just seen the episode covering 1935-1948. Interesting that the key _Palestinian_ leader in this period, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Hadj al-Amin al-Husseini, is never even mentioned. One Palestinian "scholar" went so far as to claim the Palestinians had no leadership representing them in 1947-1948. There was a reason for this. Al-Husseini was a Nazi. He led a violent three year rebellion against the British,1936-1939, which the British had to crush with the threat of Nazi Germany looming. This was dismissed in the show as the British suppressing Palestinian leadership and driving them into exile, without explanation. Al-Husseini fled to Iraq and helped organize another rebellion against the British (in wartime, with German support) which was also put down. Husseini then wound up in Berlin, appearing with Hitler, and helping raise Muslim troops for the Waffen-SS. I can see why the Arab leadership of 1947-48, the producers, and the Palestinians who apparently wrote this script, would want him out of the story, but he _was_ the Palestinian leader, and a violent anti-Semite, throughout the period. Instead, they created a straw man, Abdullah of Transjordan (later Jordan) as the Arab leader in opposition to the creation of Israel, because he wanted to hold Jerusalem for the Arabs. They did note, in a footnote, that he was assassinated in 1951 by "a Palestinian nationalist," without explanation. He was murdered because he was a moderate who accepted the outcome of the 1948-1949 war. But no mention of the man who was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem- what city is this series about, again?
Then there was the stress on Irgun terrorism, and the attempt, with two brief exceptions, to make it representative of the entire Zionist movement. No question they were terrorists, and Deir Yassin and the King David Hotel were terrorist acts, But did the Palestinians not commit these acts as well? Hebron, 1929, 60+ Jewish dead. How many dead in the slighted Arab rebellion of 1936-1939? Not a mention. Then there was Husseini again, putting a bounty on the head of his Palestinian political opponents, the Nashashibis. But that was probably too deep in the grass for a one hour show. Besides, Husseini doesn't exist, right?
Nor does the policy of both Husseini and the Arab High Committee to instruct Arab villagers to move their women and children out Palestine, leaving the young men behind to fight, first considered in 1946, a year and a half before Deir Yassin. Facts can be such a problem.
If you want a balanced, warts and all on both sides, account of this period. Take the time and read the books of Benny Morris. CNN has no credibility.
