For ages, a tiny piece of land in the heart of the Middle East has become the epicentre of conflict and profound anguish for millions. While it is right to show support for the vulnerable population in Palestine, at the same time, we should also acknowledge the innocent Israeli victims in this tragic war.
Here in Malaysia, the prevalent sentiment is that Israel has unlawfully seized Palestinian territory. Radical Muslim groups like Hamas openly declare their mission to wipe out Israel from the world map. The Hamas Covenant 1988 specifically outlines their intention to kill every Jew! It is essential to distinguish between the political and humanitarian aspects of the Israel-Palestine conflict and what is simply terrorism and genocide.
The question remains. Who does this land belong to?
Let's turn the pages of history in order to seek a fresh perspective in discerning who holds the rightful claim to this land.
From an Islamic standpoint, the significance of the region is mentioned in various verses in the Quran.
"And We, Allah, said thereafter to the Children of Israel, 'Dwell securely in the land of Promise.'" (Sura 17:104)
“O my people! Go into the holy land which Allah hath ordained for you…” (Sura 5:21)
These are not isolated verses. The Quran confirms that the recipients of this promise of the land are explicitly stated as the Children of Israel.
Who Were The Children of Israel?
Were they synonymous with Palestinians? The answer is no. Israel is none other than Jacob, the son of Isaac, and the grandson of Abraham. Jacob's name was changed to Israel (as mentioned in Genesis 32:28). He was the father of 12 sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. It is to these sons — the Children of Israel — that the land was ordained. The Quran verses are unequivocal in designating this land for the descendants of Jacob. The name “Palestine” or “Palestinians” does not occur even once in the entire Quran. If Palestinians claim that they are indigenous to the land, is it also their contention that Allah took their land and gave it to the children of Israel?
Now, let's turn to the Judeo-Christian perspective. The Bible provides compelling testimony. In Genesis 12:7, God promises Abraham that He will bestow the land to his descendants. This promise is elaborated upon in Genesis 17:8, where God states that the promise is everlasting and cannot be revoked: "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." God reiterates this promise to Abraham's son, Isaac, and later to his grandson, Jacob. The twelve tribes of Israel formed the first constitutional monarchy around 1000 B.C. King David proclaimed Jerusalem as the nation's capital.
Solomon, his son, was the architect of the renowned Temple of Jerusalem, a revered center for Jewish worship and the holiest of Jewish sites. After Solomon died, the nation was divided into two — the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah with its capital in Jerusalem. In 721 BC, Assyria conquered the Northern kingdom. In 586 BC, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem and razed Solomon’s temple to the ground. After several decades, the Jews reconstructed the temple. Tragically in AD 70, the Romans destroyed it. Today, a lasting remnant, the Wailing Wall, remains, still a sacred site for Jews. The question arises: was it the Palestinians who built this temple? Is the site holy to Palestinians and do they pray at the Wailing Wall to honour their once-magnificent edifice?
In both the Quran and the Bible, there is no room for ambiguity regarding to whom this land was given. These scriptural texts offer a consistent narrative: the land was designated specifically to the descendants of Jacob, who became known as Israel. At no time, in either the Quran or the Bible, is there a narrative that God changed his mind about Israel's inheritance.
Even when the Jewish people were expelled from their land, which happened twice in history, God promised they would return. Deuteronomy 30:4–5 assures that even in exile, they would ultimately return to the land of their ancestors, as it was an everlasting possession. Throughout history, this very land has been conquered repeatedly by numerous civilizations - Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Mamluk, and Ottoman. After almost 2000 years, the Jews did return. And Israel became a nation once again in 1948.
Where Were The Palestinians?
Throughout the centuries, political, religious, and military leaders, scholars, travellers, researchers, historians, and writers who chronicled their visits to the region never mentioned indigenous Palestinians. How is it possible that there are no written records or archaeological discoveries providing any hint of an indigenous group, race, or tribe known as Palestinian?
The 13th-century Arab biographer, Yakut wrote: "Mecca is holy to Muslims and Jerusalem is holy to Jews.” He never alluded to Palestinians in any of his writings.
Ibn Khaldun, an Arab historian and philosopher wrote in 1377, "Jewish Sovereignty in the Land of Israel extended over 1400 years and it was the Jews who implanted the culture and customs of the permanent settlement”.
Where Did The Name “Palestinian” Come From?
First of all, it isn't even an Arabic word, for there is no sound for the letter “P” in Arabic! Why would Arabic speakers call themselves by a name they cannot even pronounce in their mother tongue?
The word originates from Latin. The Roman emperor Hadrian was the man who named the region ”Palaestina” in the second century. (Palestine is simply the English transliteration of the Latin word.) He named the area “Palaestina” to erase the Jewish connection to the land and to humiliate them having quashed their revolt and uprising against the Romans. Renaming the area from Judea to Palaestina after the ancient foes of the Jewish people, the Philistines, was the ultimate insult to the Jews. Until 1947, all those living in the land — Jews, Arabs, Muslims and Christians — were all technically, “Palestinian.”
Incidentally, history records Jewish revolts against the Romans. Where were the “Palestinian” revolts against the Romans? Why were there no record of Palestinian resistance to the Romans during this period?
The Palestinian Identity
Respected scholars, spanning hundreds of years, were unaware of a Palestinian people, as were many Arab scholars and politicians as follows:
“Who can challenge the rights of the Jews in Palestine? Good Lord, historically it is really your country.” Yusuf Diya al – Khalidi, Arab Mayor of Jerusalem, 1899.
“There is no such country as Palestine. Palestine is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Quran. Palestine is alien to us, it was the Zionists who introduced it.” Auni Bey Abdul – Hadi, Syrian Arab leader to the British Peel Commission, 1937.
“There is no such thing as Palestinian in history, absolutely no such thing.” Professor Philip Hitti, Arab historian, 1946.
“Such a creature as Palestinian does not exist at all.” Ahmad Shukan 1956, Arab representative to the United Nations.
"Never forget there is no such thing as a Palestinian people.” Syrian dictator Hafez Assad to the PLO leader Yasser Arafat 1983.
“Why is it that on June 4th 1967 I was a Jordanian and overnight I became a Palestinian? We were Jordanian until the Jews returned to Jerusalem then all of a sudden, we were Palestinian. When I finally realized the lies and myths I was taught, it was my duty as a righteous man to speak out.” Walid Shoebat – former PLO terrorist.
“…it is only for political reasons that we carefully underline the Palestinian identity, yes, the existence of a separate Palestinian identity serves only tactical purposes. The creation of a Palestinian State is a new tool in the continuing battle against Israel.” Zuhair Mushin, military commander of the PLO, March 1977 interview with Dutch daily Trouw.
There has never been a country, a kingdom or a state called Palestine. Palestine is a geographical region. Not an independent nation or state. There was never a king, president, prime minister or government of Palestine.
Where To From Here?
In the midst of a devastating war, one central truth remains paramount: the need for peace.
Israel and Palestine. Two distinct entities. Enemies for time immemorial. They must come to realize that they have a shared destiny. It is time to move beyond past grievances, acknowledge each other's rights, and embrace a future where both nations can live side by side in peace. Is it even possible?
The path to lasting peace is undeniably complex, but the ultimate goal should be the well-being and prosperity of ALL who call this land home. Through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding both Israelis and Palestinians can achieve a lasting peace that they both rightfully deserve. It is a shared responsibility and a collective duty to ensure that their children inherit a land of peace and coexistence.
Is that too much to hope for?
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Psalm 122:6
Source: I Created Palestinians and Weeklyblitz
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