Genetic studies have been done to prove the Palestinians have been living their since prehistoric times, in my above post.
But like I said, my familiarity with those studies (which is not overly-high, and I am not by any means educated in this field) would lead me to believe that, sure, you can point to some historical connection to that group of people, but that the connection to other groups, particularly peoples originating in the Arabian peninsuala, is far stronger. QAnd given the similarity between Palestinians and Jews and Jewish origins in the area, I suspect an equally strong (or even stronger) case would exist for Jews descending from the Caananites.
The issue here is the mythology the Palestinians wish to create around their self-identity, and choosing to raise one branch of ancestry above the others for no real reason except the political.
There is a reason, after all, that the Palestinians do not wish to build their identity around the claim that the Palestinians descended from the Crusaders, even though that statement is as equally true as the claim that the Palestinians are descendants of the Caananites.
However, i also understand that groups of Palestinians, particularly around Nablus, are primarily descendant from the Samaritans, who I understand, in turn, are largely descendant from the Israelites. This can be traced back through cultural makers like names and customs in addition to the gentic connections, which builds a much stronger claim of linkage, IMO, than pure genetics alone.
Because, face it, genetics is bunk as a claim to anything. It is great for understanding history and origins and population migrations and everything else. But all "groups" of peoples is somewhat artificial and meaningless. The meaning, if any, comes from cultural affiliates, not blood.
That a person in one culture is born of transient rapists through many generations (say a father, grandfather, great grandfather etc.) does not remove that individual from the cultural population group in which he or she was born. Neither does it really make that person a member of the population group of the father, grandfather etc. Genetics-wise, it does. But as a distinct group of peoples (which IMO is based on cultural practice in addition to genetics and historical linakges), it does not.
And I do not see (though am open to evidence) any linkages between Palestinian culture and the cultures of ancient peoples to whom it is asserted direct linkage.
Without such linkages, I don't see how a claim for direct descention of the cultural/political group could possibly succeed.