So who has owned or ruled over this sliver of land now called Israel?
Egyptian Empire
Kingdom of Israel
Assyrian Empire
Babylonian Empire
Persian Empire
Macedonians Empire
Romans Empire
Byzantine Empire
Sussanid Empire
Caliphate Empire
Seljuk Empire
Crusader Kingdom
Salhadin's Empire
Mongol Empire
Ottoman Empire (Turks)
European Colonialism
State of Israel
Did you notice there has never been a "Palestine" empire, kingdom or state? In case you missed it, the term "Palestine" was used by the Roman Empire in the second century and was resurrected by the European Colonialists when the entire Middle East was divided into nation States. The term referred to a region. The indigenous people who have lived on the land were of many races including the Hebrews/Jews who have had a consistent presence there for 3700 years. Those who choose to condemn only the Israeli Jews and support the Arabic "Palestinians" without question at least need to know whom they are condemning and whom they are supporting and why. Set emotions, religion, and ethnicity aside and look at history.
Just a little historical note: yes, the indigenous people of Palestine have always had an occupying force. The British did make a promise to the Palestinian Arabs that they would give them an independent state, but they reneged on the deal. Later the UN divided the land into two states, one to be Israel and one to be Palestine, the latter yet to be truly realized. (Just the historian in me speaking!)
ReplyDeleteSmall correction to the post before me: the land was divided between the Jews of Palestine and the Arabs of Palestine. Neither state was really called "Palestine" as if it were a specific nation - the entire region was called Palestine. The Israel newspaper The Jerusalem Post was founded in the 1930's as "The Jerusalem Post".
ReplyDeleteIn fact at the time war broke out in 1948, the Arab side was mostly controlled by the armies of the Trans-Jordan, later Jordan. They controlled what is today the Western Bank until 1967 - never during which was there a cry for a "Palestinian" homeland.
...I made a typo in the previous post. I meant to say the Jerusalem Post was founded as the Palestinian Post. *smacks forehead*
ReplyDelete