We shall look first at the biblical foundations of the claim that this area of Syria-Palestine belongs to the Jewish people, then we shall endeavour to trace the history of the Jewish people in and out of this area.
BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
Key Biblical Passages
The belief that the Holy Land was promised by God to the Israelites is rooted in a number of verses from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). This promise is a central theme in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Here are Yahweh's (God's, Allah's) main promises to the people he chose, as written in the bible, backing this belief:
Key Biblical Passages
1. Genesis 12:1-3:
- Context: God's initial call to Abram (later Abraham).
- Verse: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'"
- Significance: This passage introduces the idea that God has a special plan and land for Abram and his descendants.
2. Genesis 15:18-21:
- Context: The covenant between God and Abram.
- Verse: "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, 'To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.'"
- Significance: Specifies the geographical boundaries of the land promised to Abram's descendants.
3. Genesis 17:7-8:
- Context: The covenant of circumcision.
- Verse: "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
- Significance: Reaffirms the promise and describes the land of Canaan as an "everlasting possession."
4. Exodus 3:7-8:
- Context: God speaks to Moses at the burning bush.
- Verse: "The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.'"
- Significance: Indicates the intention to lead the Israelites to the promised land as part of their liberation from Egypt.
5. Deuteronomy 30:1-5:
- Context: God's promise of restoration.
- Verse: "When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors."
- Significance: Emphasizes the promise of return to the land even after exile.
Theological Interpretation
- Judaism: The promise of the land is a foundational element of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. It underpins the Jewish historical connection to the land of Israel.
- Christianity: While Christians also accept the Old Testament, interpretations of the land promise can vary. Some view it as a literal promise to the Jewish people, while others see it as symbolic or fulfilled in the coming of Christ.
- Islam: The Quran also references the land promised to the Children of Israel, acknowledging the biblical narrative while placing it within the broader context of Islamic teachings.
Conclusion
The belief that the Holy Land was promised by God to the Israelites is deeply rooted in several key passages of the Hebrew Bible, inspired the Zionist ideology, and forms a central part of Jewish theology as well as influencing Christian and Islamic perspectives.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Movement of Jews In and Out of the Holy Land and Relevant UN Resolutions
Ancient Times
c. 2000 BCE - The Patriarchs
- Event: Abraham, regarded as the patriarch of the Israelites, receives a divine promise of land.
- Reference: Genesis 12:1-3.
- Significance: Establishes the initial connection of Jews to the land.
c. 1300 BCE - The Exodus
- Event: Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Reference: Exodus 3:7-8.
- Significance: Marks the journey towards the Promised Land.
c. 1200 BCE - Conquest of Canaan
- Event: Under Joshua, the Israelites conquer and annex Canaan. The cities of Jericho, Ai and Hazar were burnt to the ground and their peoples were exterminated. However, although the fate of the Canaanite populations is depicted in the Bible as involving widespread destruction and extermination, historical and archaeological evidence suggests a migration, conflict and assimilation, in other words what would today be called a one state solution.
- Reference: Joshua 1-12.
- Significance: Establishes Jewish presence in the Holy Land.
First Exile and Return
586 BCE - Babylonian Exile
- Event: Babylon conquers Judah, destroys the First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple (constructed in Jerusalem in the 10th century BCE. It was built to house the Ark of the Covenant and serve as the central place of worship for the Israelites).
Babylon, near modern-day Baghdad, Iraq, was an ancient city renowned for its architecture and cultural achievements. Created by King Hammurabi (c. 1792-1750 BCE) and peaked during the Neo-Babylonian period under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who built the Hanging Gardens, the Ishtar Gate and the Tower of Babel. Probably succeeded thanks to Hammurabi's sophisticated code of law.
The city fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BCE, who permitted the return of the Jews to Canaan.
- Reference: 2 Kings 25.
- Significance: Jews are exiled to Babylon.
538 BCE - Return under Cyrus the Great
- Event: Persian King Cyrus allows Jews to return.
- Reference: Ezra 1 (The Book of Ezra describes the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.)
- Significance: Beginning of the period of the Second Temple.
Roman Period and Second Exile
70 CE - Destruction of the Second Temple
- Event: Romans destroy the Second Temple.
- Reference: Historical accounts by Josephus.
- Significance: Major dispersal of Jews in all directions (Diaspora).
132-135 CE - Bar Kokhba Revolt
- Event: Jewish revolt against Roman rule.
- Reference: Historical texts.
- Significance: Further dispersal and restrictions on Jewish presence in Jerusalem.
Medieval Period
1096-1270 CE - Crusades
- Event: European Christians launch Crusades to reclaim Holy Land.
- Reference: Historical chronicles.
- Significance: Jews face persecution and forced displacement.
1492 CE - Expulsion from Spain
- Event: Jews expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. Ferdinand and Isabella wished to unite their new Kingdom and the catalytic religion believing that this would be best for stability.
In addition, rhere was considerable anti-Jewish sentiment, fueled by economic envy, religious prejudice, and accusations of usury and other crimes, leading to anti-Jewish riots and massacres. Jews in Spain were often prominent in trade, finance, and administration, so expulsion allowed the monarchy and local elites to confiscate Jewish property and wealth.
- Reference: Edict of Expulsion.
- Significance: Movement of Jews to the Ottoman Empire, including Palestine.
Modern Era and Zionist Movement
1882-1903 - First Aliyah
- Event: Jewish immigration to Palestine from Eastern Europe.
- Reference: Zionist records.
- Significance: Establishment of agricultural settlements.
1917 - Balfour Declaration
- Event: British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine, but not a Jewish state, a brief text.
- Reference: British government declaration.
- Significance: Boosts Jewish immigration.
1947 - UN Partition Plan
- Event: UN proposes partition of Palestine.
- Reference: UN Resolution 181.
- Significance: Sets stage for Israeli independence.
Establishment of Israel and Subsequent Conflicts
1948 - Creation of Israel
- Event: Declaration of the State of Israel.
- Reference: Israeli Declaration of Independence.
- Significance: Major Jewish immigration, and Arab refusal creating Arab-Israeli conflict.
Departure from the 1947 UN Plan
Event: United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 proposed partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international administration.
Jewish State: Allocated 55% of the land despite Jews being one-third of the population and owning less than 10% of the land.
Arab State: Allocated 45% of the land.
Jerusalem: Planned to be an international city under UN administration.
Departure from the Plan
Israel creation by Israel (1948):
On May 14, 1948, the Jewish leadership, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the establishment of the State of Israel. This declaration came before any formal acceptance or rejection of the UN plan by both parties.
War and Territory: Immediately following the declaration, neighboring Arab states invaded. The ensuing 1948 Arab-Israeli War resulted in Israel controlling about 78% of the former British Mandate of Palestine, including territories beyond the UN plan's allocation.
Non-Implementation of International Control: Jerusalem did not come under international administration but was divided between Israeli control in the West and Jordanian control in the East.
Jacques Baud, in his book "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood: The Defeat of the Vanquisher," discusses several breaches of the 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine.
He highlights one significant breach was the failure to conduct a referendum to determine the will of the local population regarding the partition. Baud argues that this lack of a referendum ignored the principle of self-determination, leading to further conflicts and tensions in the region.
The Israeli governments ignored all the UN resolutions discussed in this post.
1948 - Arab-Israeli War
- Event: War following Israeli independence.
- Reference: Historical accounts.
- Significance: Exodus of Jews from Arab countries to Israel.
1967 - Six-Day War
- Event: Israel defeats neighboring Arab states.
- Reference: Military records, historical analyses.
- Significance: Israel captures Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Sinai, Golan Heights.
1973 - Yom Kippur War
- Event: Surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel.
- Reference: Military records, historical analyses.
- Significance: Strategic Israeli victory, continued tension.
Relevant UN Resolutions
Pre-State Resolutions:
- UNGA Resolution 181 (1947): Partition Plan proposing the creation of Jewish and Arab states, plus a shared third state, Jerusalem, which I guess might resemble the Vatican.
- UNSC Resolution 50 (1948): Called for a ceasefire during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Post-State Resolutions:
- UNGA Resolution 194 (1948): Addressed the refugee problem and called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
- UNSC Resolution 242 (1967): Following the Six-Day War, called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the conflict and the recognition of every state in the area's right to live in peace.
- UNSC Resolution 338 (1973): Called for a ceasefire in the Yom Kippur War and implementation of Resolution 242.
- UNSC Resolution 497 (1981): Declared Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights "null and void."
- UNGA Resolution 67/19 (2012): Granted Palestine non-member observer state status in the UN.
Modern Movements and Peace Efforts
1979 - Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty
- Event: Peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt.
- Reference: Treaty documents.
- Significance: First Arab country to officially recognize Israel.
1993 - Oslo Accords
- Event: Israel and PLO sign peace agreement.
- Reference: Oslo Accords.
- Significance: Mutual recognition, steps towards Palestinian self-governance.
2005 - Gaza Disengagement
- Event: Israel withdraws from Gaza Strip.
- Reference: Israeli government records.
- Significance: Evacuation of Israeli settlers, continued conflict.
2020 - Abraham Accords
- Event: Normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, brokered by the United States.
- Countries Involved: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
- Significance: Marked a significant shift in Arab-Israeli relations, normalizing diplomatic, economic, and other relations.
Conclusion
The creation of the State of Israel significantly departed from the UN Partition Plan due to the outcomes of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, leading to broader territorial control by Israel than initially allocated. Subsequent UN resolutions have addressed various aspects of the conflict, including territorial disputes and the rights of refugees. The Abraham Accords represent a recent shift towards normalization of relations between Israel and certain Arab states, aiming to foster regional stability and cooperation.
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