Mrabe tells the story of his youth growing up in the Arab Christian community in Palestine. Usually with Christian ministries and leaders, if a person puts the word "Christian" after his nationality, then it is assumed that person is telling the truth. In this case Mrabe is poor example of CRI's commitment to checking out the facts behind one of their writer's claims.
Mourice Mrabe states that during the 1948 war of Israel's independence, the Jewish forces "took over most of Palestine, leaving only twenty percent of the land for the Arab majority, and displacing at least 750,000 from their homes and villages." As a result of the Israeli "take-over" Mrabe ended up as a refugee in the West Bank. The Israeli showed no discrimination is ousting both Arab Christians and Arab Muslims from the land.
It is very common for Palestinian Christians who speak to Christian groups to emphasize how the Israelis expelled Palestinians from the land during the period of 1947-1949. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Let it not be forgotten if the Palestinians accepted the 1947 UN resolution, not a single Palestinian would have any need to become a refugee. An independent Palestinian state would now exist beside Israel. The actual responsibility of the refugee problem, as unpopular as this sounds, rests with the Arab peoples.
In fact, even the numbers of refugees Palestinian Christians commonly quote is highly dubious. They claim 800,000 to a million Palestinians became refugees during Israel's War of Independence. The last census taken by the British in 1945 found there were approximately 1.2 million permanent Arab residents in all of Palestine. A 1949 Government of Israel census counted 160,000 Arabs living in the country after the war. In 1947 a total of 809,100 Arabs lived in the same area. This means that no more than 650,000 Palestinians could have become refugees.
But Palestinians often forget the Jewish side of this story when it comes to refugees.
Palestinian Christians conveniently forget the large number of Jewish people who fled from Arab states. In fact, the number of Jewish people escaping Arab countries for Israel after the War of Independence was nearly double the number of Arabs leaving Palestine! In fact, Arab countries expelled over 820,000 Jews from their lands between 1948-1972. Of these refugees 586,000 settled in Israel without going to refugee camps like Palestinians.
What's even more astounding is that through November 2003, 101 of the 681 UN resolutions regarding the Middle East conflict solely concerned the Palestinian refugees. Not one mentioned the Jewish refugees who fled from Arab countries.
Christian Palestinians like Mrabe fail to mention that Jewish leaders prior to the War of Independence invited the Arabs to remain in Palestine and to become citizens of Israel. A few sentences from the Assembly of Palestine Jewry issued in October 1947 will suffice:
We will do everything in our power to maintain peace, and establish a cooperation gainful to both. It is no, here and now, from Jerusalem itself that a cal must go out to the Arab nations to join forces with Jewry and the destined Jewish State and work shoulder to shoulder for our common good for the peace and progress of sovereign equals (David ben Gurion, Rebirth and Destiny of Israel, pg. 220).In the weeks following the announcement of the UN partition resolution, the Arab exodus already started. The first to leave were roughly 30,000 wealthy Arab who anticipated the coming war and got out of Dodge to other Arab lands to wait out the war. Less affluent Arabs also left Palestine to live with relatives and friends.
I. F. Stone in This Is Israel recalls that by the end of 1948, the evacuation of Palestine by its inhabitants was so alarming that the Palestine Arab Higher Committee "asked neighboring [Arab] countries to refuse visas to these refugees" to stop the flow of abandonment.
When one reads the press reports during the War of Independence, there is no mention of any forcible expulsion of Arabs by Israeli forces. Rather, the press described the Palestinians as fleeing and evacuating their homes on their own recognizance:
Let us not forget Palestinian were also encouraged to leave their dwelling places to make way for the invading Arab forces.
In his memoirs, Haled al Azm, the Syrian PM in 1948-1949, also admitted the Arab role in persuading the refugees to leave:
Since 1948 we have been demanding the return of the refugees to their homes. But we ourselves are the ones who encouraged them to leave. (The Memoirs of Haled al Azm pp. 386-387)in recounting his story Mrabe tells how one of his brothers sought work in Jordan and was refused entrance to be reunited with his family in the West Bank by the Israelis. Since his brother could not come back to the land, he went to Lebanon during the 70s. The brother joined the PLO while in Lebanon "after suffering the loss of his homeland." Mrabe claims that his father believed his PLO gave his life for the cause of peace.
The PLO is a terrorist organization devoted to the destruction of Israel and whose aim is to expel the Jewish presence from the Holy Land.
The fact that Mrabe did not even refer to the terrorist nature of the PLO is disconcerting. This is especially true because in ending his article Mrabe, worship leader of a church in Sacramento, mentions Palestinian Christians play an essential role to bring "individuals closer to God" and provide "reason and hope for equality and reconciliation between the different groups in Israel/Palestine."
I'm not sure how useful Palestinian Christians can be if they refuse to recognize the terrorist nature of the PLO and find it useful to revise Middle East history for their own self serving aims.
Hank Hanegraff and the Christian Research Institute dropped the ball on doing their research in allowing a Palestinian Christian to get in his digs against Israel without checking out his facts.
11 comments:
Any "christian" that doesn't remember God's promise to, "Bless those that bless thee..." has missed the boat. While I don't take the stance that Israel always does the right thing, I know that starting from the "blame Israel first" point of view is horribly misguided. Of course, most people's understanding of the mid east conflict comes from wonderful publications like the New York Times or slanted stories the network news or CNN. It is possible to get at the historical truth regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, but it takes effort, and an honest desire for the truth. Well said, Louis.
Thanks S Ratliff for your encouraging words. A lot of Christians let this kind of sloppy "blame Israel" game go by unnoticed minus any comments. Thanks for Christian brothers like you who care enough to notice and add your two cents which is worth gold to me.
This is Mourice speaking.
As usual for Israel lobbyists, facts are always wishy, washy. UN conservative numbers were at least 750,000 Palestinian refugees. Yes, some Palestinian refugees left on their own, but that's only because the Jewish forces were already starting to attack Palestinians in their homeland. The claim that Palestinians were not forcibly removed from their land is totally wrong and misleading. But that is the case with Zionist propaganda, such as the quote used to bring Jews to Palestine: " A land without a people for a people without a land." Totally baseless.
The whole world knows what happened during the last 80 years, except those who choose to listen to Israeli propaganda without checking the facts. You attack Arab Christians, thinking that you are better off. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Truth Himself, and to whom every knee will bow. IF you follow the unrepentant Jacob, then deception is what most likely expected from you.
Mr. Hanegraaf (with a double a) is an honorable Christian man. Unlike so called Christian teachers such as Hagee and Jeremiah who use the Word of God out of context for political reasons, Hanegraaf takes God's word, which I am sure you don't care much about, as it is supposed to mean, with no political agendas to support.
I am sorry that you feel threatened by Arab Christians. And I am not surprised, because, that is the only voice you don't want the world, especially the Americans to listen to.
Anyway for those who still doubt Palestian's Christian's integrity and truth-telling, please, check a book by an Israeli Professor of History in Haifa, Israel!, who calls what Israel did to the Palestinians "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine." He details the attacks on the Palestinians by the Jewish forces town by town, and group by group. If you are interested in truth, check it out. Its all a matter of choice.
Truth matters, but what do you do about it?
This is Mourice speaking. Hi Louis.
I sense that you are feeling threatened by Palestinian Christians, and I am not very surprised, because, this the only voice America and the West needs to hear, and that will make a difference. Attacking Arab Christians will not help neither Israel, nor the United States.
I The numbers I quoted were a the conservative number of 750,000 Palestinian refugees according to the UN data. This is 3/4 of a million, in other terms. Sounds better, now? Of course, I wouldn't accept Israeli census data, because, they are certainly biased. Wouldn't you think so?
Yes, Israel expelled the Palestinians from their land, and if the Jewish forces could, they would have emptied the land from all Arabs.
Lets examine your claim that Israel offered equal citizenship to the Palestinians and that they did not expel the Palestinians in order to establish the Jewish State. I cannot examine all your claims at this time, since I don't exclusively work as a writer, and no body pays me to say what I am saying. I believe that Christ will reward me for standing for what is just and true.
One of Israel's founders, I believe it was David Ben Gurion, said:" We will expel the Arabs and take their place." And that is exactly what happened at the founding of Israel. You can read about this and other facts in the "Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine" by Ilan Pappe, an Israeli historian and senior lecturer of Political Science at Haifa University, Israel! May be you can believe a fellow Jew more than a Christian Palestinian. Ilan Pappe describes in vivid detail what happened before, during, and after 1948 claimed "war of independence." It will be advisable to read this book before anybody makes any judgement about what you are saying. There are many other books, such as the "The Other Side of Israel" by Susan Nathan, a former Zionist, that tell the Truth about the founding of Israel and what it did to the Palestinians.
The West has been always hearing the the Jewish side of the story for over 80 years. They need to hear ours now . And you need to listen, too. The numbers about the Jews who fled Arab countries cannot be verified, thus in question. And they cannot be called refugees, because they were supposed to be going to the "land of their ancestors" according to Zionist thought. So the use of Jewish refugee term is in the least misleading.
Your quote about the alleged offer of Ben Gurion for the Palestinians to remain and become citizens of Israel is equally misleading. Nothing in the quote talks about that. Ben Gurion was talking to the Arab nations, not the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine. In fact, this runs against all other plans of the Zionist movement to have a "pure" Jewish state. Its a nice try, but it's not working. Sorry!
Now, you claim that the PLO is a "terrorist organization." But it seems that's not what the US and the rest of the world believes. The PLO has been a partner in peace for many years already, and when its head, Mahmoud Abbas, visits the US, he is welcomed in the White House by the American President.
This is actually not really very uncommon. When Britain had a mandate in Palestine, many Jewish organizations committed terrorist acts against Brithis, Arab, and Jewish people, and their leaders, such as Yetshak Shamir and Menahem Begin, were on the terrorist "wanted" list of the British government. Yet, later, both of them became prime ministers of Israel; no mention of their terrorist background. History does repeat itself.
Now, Louis. You probably wish you have not started this attack on my integrity, the truthfulness of Arab Christians, and the integrity of Hank Hanegraaff (with a double a, double f).
Truth defenitely matters, as Hank always says. But when you hear it, what do you do about it?
Until next time,
TruthTeller
@truthteller Maurice, I cannot use a blog to refute your laundry list of so-called Israeli propaganda. I recommend Mitchell Bard's book Myths and Facts about the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Also read Dexter Van Zile's commentary on the film With God on Our Side in which he debunks the Ben Gurion misquote http://www.newenglishreview.org/Dexter_Van_Zile/The_Mis-Education_of_a_Young_Evangelical/
It's easy to throw a laundry list of issues and then it back and feel you've dealt with the truth. You say I don't care about truth, which is your incorrect assumption. I too have read a lot about the 1948 war and the 1967 day war. Sorry, but your information is incorrect. The Arab nations told the Palestinian residents to leave Israel so they could push Israel into the sea and then the Palestinians can reclaim their land. The Arabs lost these wars and could not fulfill their promises to the Palestinians. There are cases where the Israelis invited Palestinians back to their towns but they refused to return. The Palestinian refugees are a necessary evl for the Arab to use to make Israel look like the oppressors. The Arab nations created the refugee camps after their continued attacks on Israel and the resulting loss of Palestinian territory. "The whole world know what happened during the last 80 years." What is that based on? You provide no support for your statements and you call yourself a truthseeker. I too am a Christian and you assumed I wasn't. Hanegraaff may be honorable as a Christian but he's wrong about the history of the ME conflict. I don't agree with everything Hagee says. I am not threatened by Arab Christians. I am concerned about Palestinian anti-Israel propaganda infiltrating the church and deceiving evangelicals who have no sense of ME history. Christians need to read books from both perspectives and then decide. The Ethnic Cleansing of Israel" is a lie. Netanyahu offered the PA a two state solution and all Israel ever gets in return is more terrorism. Look at the prisoners just released. You call them "freedom fighters". I call them terrorists. Read the background of just the female prisoners http://www.israellycool.com/2011/10/14/those-female-palestinian-prisoners/ How can you as a Christian Arab justify the evil acts committed by these would-be terrorists apprehended by the Israelis. Maurice, take you parting shot if you want. I will respond more to you in further blogs.
Its not a laundry list, Louis. These are facts and argument points. The book is called "Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine" not the ethnic cleansing of Israel. You say its a lie. So, and Israel professor at Haifa University, who checked Israeli official records and writings of the events around 1948 writes a lie? I wonder if the Israeli government and the ministry of education would have let that pass under their nose, and that the Israeli professor did not lose his job for writing this book? And you and I know that nothing goes unchecked by the Israeli government and the Zionists. If you have a proof that the writer is writing lies about his country, let me know. But for now the facts stays that he was writing the truth.
The other point is that, I, the Palestinian, read books by Israeli writers and quote them to show the truth. How about you? Do you read books written by Palestinians, Arabs, or Arab Christians? I mean, you can through requirements on me, such as Israel does for the Palestinians, but I can do the same for you.
And because of the lack of time, I want to tell you that its my country you are talking about. You did not lose your home, country for another people. You write as a foreigner, someone who most likely across the oceans and claims to know what is happening in the Middle East. But I know. I was born there. I lived there. And by the way, what would you do if someone attacks at your home and tries to make it his home and kick you out. Would you just say: "O, that must be a fulfillment of prophecy. I should give up my rights and the rights of my family and let this attacker take over my home. I think I can go and live in a cardboard on the street." I don't think that is likely to happen. What is likely to happen is that you would defend yourself and your family, and if you hurt the offender the law will consider it self defense.
The Palestinians have been attacked in their homeland. That's what every Zionist will try to deny. It was their land, their home. And yes, apart from acts against civilians, fighting against an occupation force is legal. Besides, the Jewish forces in and around 1948 attacked civilian and intentionally massacred hundreds.
The anti-Arab sentiment runs high among Zionists and right-winged Israelis.
May be you need to stop thinking too high about the theology of Israel and start accessing your heart. I believe that you would not only see the Palestinians differently, but also the Israelis. Many Israelis came to that conclusion, and started realizing that they need to see themselves and the Palestinians as "human beings". I pray that you would come to this conclusion someday. You would be the first "Christian Zionist" to make a U turn in his or her belief.
I am just going to finish some business responding to your ideas. I checked this Dexter Van Zile site. Okay, he is giving his opinion. This is his personal Zionist opinion. He cannot see the truth just Saul of Tarsus was not able to see the truth until Jesus met him and removed the blindness from his eyes. Or may be he doesn't tell the truth he sees inside of himself.
And you are worried about "Palestinian Christians infiltrating the Church with their anti-Israel propaganda." This is very hurtful to say the least. But let me tell you something, America is only a couple hundred years old-A new country relative to other nations. Palestinian Christians and Christianity go back to times of the Bible. So, you are afraid that these historic Christians somehow endanger the "Western" Christian faith? How naive? Really? Actually, we are ones who are concerned about the way Western Christianity is going. But may be you are just resisting the shaking of false beliefs you been conditioned to follow. The West does not own the Christian faith, nor do the Jews own the Bible or God's salvation. They need it themselves.
I am glad that you stated that you don't agree with everything Hagee says. That tells me that you are somewhat true to your faith. Bu, you bet you shouldn't. Hagee has an obsession with the State of Israel that he is willing to rewrite the Gospel and church history. He is practically a false prophet. Yuu should rather worry about this guy being a Pastor and misleading thousands of people.
Finally, as a reminder Netanyahu never offered the Palestinians a state. If he really believes that in a two-state solution, then why did fly to Washington after the Presidents speech to tell him that the 1967 borders are "indefensible". And why, he, and the American Congress reject the Palestinian bid for Statehood? He either wants it or not. But he doesn't. He is a fanatic, right extremist, who ignores the rights of the Palestinians to live peacefully side by side with the Jews. Your information is certainly not true, Louis.
But how about you? Do you believe that the Palestinians have the right to live free and independent in their own state? Aren't they people who are made in God's image like every human being on this earth? If not what kind solution do you have to the situation?
Read Micah, chapter 3 and see what God has to say about the leaders of Israel. The Bible does not portray a "rosy" picture of the nation of Israel. The Jews are sinners, and they need to recognize Jesus as their savior in order to go heaven. Or would you prefer that they keep living in rejection (in Israel) and go to hell after they die? I am interested in knowing your personal conviction in this matter? I suppose this is more important than the issue of who owns the land in this sinful world. Read my blog at
http://preacherscanbewrong.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-jeremiah-has-it-wrong-about-americas.html
@TruthTelling Since you're using the handle "TruthTelling," don't you find it odd that on your blog and in your comments, you choose to remain anonymous.
Van Zile's article was more than opinion. I know Dexter and he put in hard work researching and watching the film. Here's another response that's "just an opinion of a ZIonist": http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441467&ct=9317717
In your view if a Zionist responds to anti-Israel propaganda, that view is to be dismissed because it's the opinion of a Zionist?
You're very closed mind. I read books by anti-Zionists and try to deal with their arguments. You did not deal with one thing Van Zile had to say. You just dismissed his 33 pages of research outright.
The thoughts inside myself about the Middle East comes from devoting most of my life reading, studying, listening, researching the Middle East crisis in light of history, politics and the Word of God. You don't have to accept that, but in this case I am TruthTelling.
Why did you say it is "hurtful" for me to say "the church is infiltrated by anti-Israel propaganda?" What's hurtful for me as a Jew is to witness the church once again turn against the Jews. That is something you as a Palestinian will never understand unless you've read the history of the Jewish people in relation to the Church.
I am not concerned about the "western Church," as you say. My faith comes from a book written by people from the Middle East - Jews not Palestinian Arabs as recent historical revisionism is trying to hoist on the unsuspecting evangelicals. But the issue is not a "western" church or an "eastern" church but the truths of the word of God. If you can read through the entire Bible and not see the unique role the Jewish people have played in God's plan, then you are the one blinded by your Palestinian identity that has superceded the truths of God's word. Read Romans 9:1-4, 10:1
John Hagee is not my responsibility. I've written him letters as well as people who work with him and receive no response. My Zionist beliefs do not come from John Hagee or the Christian Zionist movement. They come from God's word.
TruthTelling, did you really listen to Netanyahu's comments to President Obama and his speech to Congress. Read my lipsL He said he would accept a two state solution giving Palestinians their own state. But Israel will not go back to the pre-1967 borders.
The UN must reject the Palestinian bid for statehood. Here's why the Palestinian leadership cannot unilaterally declare statehood - there are too many issues that need to be addressed on both sides. If not, the conflict will escalate. Israelis and Palestinians will die. Blood will be shed. The issues that need to be addressed are as follows: the existing and expanding settlement in the West Bank, the continued terrorist attacks on Israel from Gaza, Military security for Israel, the presence of terrorist Hamas in the PA.
How do you relate to Arab Israelis living in Israel? They have more rights than Palestinians do in the territories? Are the Israelis practicing ethnic cleansing on Arab Israelis?
I believe in a two state solution as long as Palestinian terrorism comes to a halt and Hamas steps down from leadership.
You quote from Micah 3 about God's condemnation of ancient Israel for their sins. What about the myriads of scriptures where Israel's prophets denounced Arab nations for their treatment of Israel and their paganism (pre-Mohammed)? Both Jews and Arabs need to accept Israel's Messiah to find peace. Only through my Lord and Redeemer Yeshua do I as a Jew find peace with God and with others.
@TruthTelling FYI Ilan Pappe is the author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Benny Morris, in an article he wrote on 6/20-11 on pg 6 noted Pappe became a radical in the 1990s. He advocated Israel's elimination and the establishment of a Mandatory Palestine-one state consisting of Jews and Arabs. That would be a Arab majority which would enable the Arabs to accomplish their goal of pushing the Jews into the sea and eliminating Israel. Pappe defines Zionism as "racist" and an evil philosophy of morality and life." Pappe would fit well within the ranks of the PLO or Hamas.
Sorry, but an anti-Semtie, Jewish or not, has no credibility as an objective historian when it comes to Israel. Would you accept books written by pro-Zionist Palestinians?
You are very presumptuous accusing me only reading books written by Zionists. I read books by anti-Zionist authors as well and watched many documentaries made by Palestinian advocates.
It's you, TT who are blind to Arab/Israeli history as you accuse me. Throughout the history of Israel the Arabs attacked Israel many times and threatened their extinction. What about the fact 800,000 Jews were thrown out of Arab lands? There has always been a Jewish presence in Israel. It is our homeland since Abraham. My theology of Israel, which you know little about, is not based on Christian Zionism but the Word of God. Yes, Palestinians are human beings but they do not behave as humans when they strap bombs on the backs of women and children or place anti-aircraft guns near schools where children are being educated. Life is not too precious to a Palestinian when he puts a child or a woman deliberately in harm's way. Palestinian men are cowards for allowing such a thing to happen.
Remember the Palestinians were given the precious freedom to vote and the chose a terrorist organization to rule them-Hamas. This will not create peace. There will be no peace as long as there is terrorism in the territories. If you want the last word, go for it. I will address your issues in later blogs.
The way Van Zile's was describing the documentary "with God on our side" showed me his disregard to the opinions presented in the film, event though the producer presented opposing opinions, including those of Hagee and other Zionist Christians.
I am not anonymous. You know my name. Am I blind? I don't think so. I used the word naive, but you are using harsh words: blind, close-minded, blinded. Well, I don't think that you believe that, anyway. Let's keep it civil.
So, now I know that you are Jewish, and that is OK with me. There are many Jews for whom I find respect and appreciation for, especially because they have understanding and compassion. Talking about the Bible is not good enough.
For your information , I would also be concerned about people turning against the Jews, because, I know how it feels to be rejected and mistreated. Do you? I am talking about the present time, not the history of 60 years ago.
I fully understand the role of the Jewish people, and particularly, the men and women of faith in the past, because, according to Romans 9:6-8 "...it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants,..."
The Bible is clear that the State of Israel is not equivalent with being God's chosen people. I am as an Israeli as can be in the understanding of the New Testament. And the glory of God's work through history should go to God in Christ, not the State of Israel. The Jews in general are recipients of God's blessings, not the authors thereof. So, are we all. And to make it clear to you, my Christian identity is above my Palestinian identity. Is your Christian identity higher than your Jewish national aspirations? And please, don't tell me that you are special and you can actually claim righteousness as a born Jew. The Bible declares that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in Christ.
And would you be surprised to know that many of the Jews today were Europeans who converted to Judaism in the 8th and 14th centuries? In fact, in an experiment in Israel, research showed that many Israelis didn't have "Jewish" DNA, while many Palestinians did. Something to meditate on.
I can talk about Netanyahu later, but Israel cannot decide by herself what to give and what to keep. There is international law that governs disputes between nations. And as you know the direct negotiations were going no where for the last 15 years,especially that Israel keeps confiscating land and building settlements in the West Bank against the will of the Palestinian people, international law, and most importantly, against Biblical moral law.
Louis, you really need to go the West Bank and live with a Palestinian family and find out what they go through. Your "brain" information is just information. As one Palestinian Pastor said, there is too much passion, but little compassion. Do you know that the Palestinians are living under a segregation and apartheid system imposed by Israel in the West Bank (and Gaza)? Or are going to deny or justify it? Its up to you.
Israel has built hundreds of illegal settlements in the West Bank and crippled the livelihood of the Palestinian people, with the intention to make it impossible and impractical for a Palestinian State to become a reality. Of course, as many Jews and Israelis admit, the other option for a two-state solution would be a one-state solution; and this is not an anti Semite proposal, but a natural result of not realizing a two-state solution. It would be a one man (or woman) , one vote democracy. This way the Israelis (with no Jewish DNA) can live together with their fellow Palestinians (with Jewish DNA)happily ever after:)
God bless.
Just to sum this up, Louis. we both agree that there needs to be states, one for the majority of Jews, and another for the Arabs. We also agree that the settlements are in the way of getting us to this end result of two independent states. And about the solution of one state, I might sound sarcastic, but it is truly the other option. And its not necessarily the worst option at all. As Stephen Sizer says, Israel has three choices: Being a democracy, being predominantly Jewish, and keeping the West Bank. Only two of these can go together. Israel has to drop one out, by choice. It might be a painful decision, but one that will lead to healing and salvation.
I guess we can leave with this positive note, and Its good to know that we agree on few things, in addition to the fact that we all (Jews and non-Jewish people) need Christ to be saved from this world and from Hell.
May God bless you and deepen your commitment in faith to His Son.
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