The Palestinian Museum in Birzeit, founded in 2016, was to become an important pillar of the Pallywood dream factory, but the founders forgot one small detail: There is no Palestinian history in the country that could be exhibited in the museum. All archaeological finds in “Palestine” only attest to the Jewish presence in the country. It is very difficult for the curators to find something that has to do with Palestinian history but is free from terror.

That’s why the building is empty. Now, due to the Corona crisis, the museum has started to work more online. One branch of the digital presentation is the “timeline” on Palestinian history. The timeline begins in 1516 with the conquest of the region by the Ottomans.

Wait a minute: don’t we keep hearing that the Palestinians have lived in the country for millennia? Mahmud Abbas claims that they are descended from the Canaanites who lived 3500 years ago in today’s Israel, and also from the Philistines who lived in the land over 4000 years ago in the time of Abraham.

As is often the case when making up stories, the devil is in the details. When did the story of the Palestinian people begin? What can one display in showcases from a nation that was created only to fight against Jews? These are questions that the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit does not answer.