History היסטוריה تاريخ

Complex, Perhaps…

Like all conflicts, there is no one who is right in the Israeli Palestinian struggle. Both sides have legit claims, both sides have legit reasons. And both sides have committed legit wrongs. To really see why this is so complicated, you have to go back…

In Biblical Times

According to the Torah, the Jewish holy book Israel is the promised land. Whether this is true or not, after the exodus from Egypt the ancient Hebrews certainly made it their home. They established their first king, Saul on the throne. Another king, David built the first temple, which was a Jewish religious center. But nothing lasts forever, and in 722 B.C., they were conquered by the Assyrians. This was the end of ancient Israel’s true glory, with only one other period of self-rule. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Then, Why?

But if the Jewish people had lived there first, then why do the Palestinians claim the land? The truth is, Israel (also called Canaan) wasn’t just empty land. To live there, the Israelites conquered the Philstines and Canaanites, which are believed to be the ancestors of the modern day Palestinians. Also, most Israelites were gone from Israel by the 7th century, in what was known as the diaspora. Eventually, Israel became known as Filastin.

(Frank and Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Filastin

Filastin was a province of the Turkish Empire prior to World War I. It was during Turkish rule that Filastinians first began to think of themselves as Filastinians, not just Arabs or Muslims. (Frank 28-30)

Palestine?

Filastin became known as Palestine after World War I. The Turkish Empire had sided with Austria and Germany, and after the war, Britain made Filastin their colony. Palestine is their translation of Filastin. The Palestinians weren’t very happy with this, having been mistrustful of Europeans ever since they brutally conquered Jerusalem during the Crusades. (Frank, pgs 25-28, 31).

The Beginnings of Israel

By 1850, a wave of Zionists (people who believe Jews should live in Israel) were immigrating to Palestine. After the Holocaust, many more Jews began moving there. They wanted a country of their own, and they got it. In 1947, the UN voted to partition Israel, or turn it into two different countries, one for Palestinians and one for Jews. In 1948 the state of Israel was established after the War of Independence, or as the Palestinians call it al Nabka, the catastrophe.

(Frank, pgs.101-104 and Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Helpful?

There you have it, a short explanation of the beginnings of this conflict. If you wish to know more, please check out my sources, or the rest of the wiki.

Sources

• Frank, Mitch. Understanding the Holy Land. 1. New York: Viking, 2005.

• “Looking at Israel- History (2 Dec 07)" Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Apr 2009

• “Pre-State Maps” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Apr 2009