Conversely, Israeli interpretations of historical sources would indicate that Ancient History indicates an Israeli right to ownership. According to Israeli interpretation the origins of the fight for Israel reach back before written history, meaning that the only useable source is the Bible, a religious document heavily clouded with bias and motivation for a pro Israeli interpretation. According to the Bible, Jews fled slavery in Egypt to the land of Canaan (modern day Israel) around 1300 BC. After years of warfare, the Canaanites were defeated and Jerusalem established under King David at approximately 1000 B.C. “Saul’s men on watch at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin saw the philistines running out in defeat…Then Saul sent a message to David to enter his court…From then on David was to watch over the newly born Israel” Moreover it is claimed that the Jews settled this land for some 930 years after the original overthrowing of the Canaanites. Thus, according to the Israeli interpretation of historical data, it is apparent that by virtue of direct lineage and occupation of ancient Israel they are those with ancient history on their side.
It would seem that both the Palestinian and Israeli people have strong cultural and historical links to the land which is currently in question. Due to a lack of concrete evidence and a reliance on religious texts it is near impossible to validate either opinion. Therefore without equivocation the only definitive conclusion which can be drawn from the contentious issue of who has the ancient history of Israel on their side, is that resultant form a lack of evidence it is impossible to effectively determine anything other than a shared historical connection to the Ancient land of Israel.
The Jewish plea for legitimacy began in the 19th Century, a group of European Jews began to look for a single homeland for all Jews to escape the persecution they suffered throughout Europe and in the Arab world. The leaders of the movement, known as Zionism, considered Uganda, but eventually decided to return to the area known to their religion as Israel. The Ottomans allowed some immigration by Jews into the area, then known as Palestine, and the movement continued after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire by the British in World War I. Of course, there were already a large number of people who had been living in Palestine at the time of the first waves of Zionist immigrants. They didn't share the dream of an independent Jewish state. The wave of interest in Israel continued after the Holocaust, hundreds of thousands of Jews attempted to flee Europe for Palestine. The British tried to block many of those seeking "the Promised Land," in an effort to maintain a balance between the interests of Jewish settlers and Arabs in Palestine. In 1948, the United Nations mandated the creation of Israel as a Jewish state with the backing the United States and the Soviet Union. The Arab nations surrounding Israel were violently opposed to the new state in their midst. In opposition to the Jewish invaders war began on the day of U.N. mandated independence, May 14, 1948. The Jews in Israel managed to stave off armies from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Palestinian unrest was also born. Three more wars have been fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Israel has persevered. The United States has remained a firm backer of Israel, while during the Cold War; the Soviet Union sided with the Arabs. Since the collapse of Communism, Russia has allowed Jews to immigrate to Israel and relations have warmed.
Whilst from the aforementioned historical data, it would seem that the Palestinian people have been treated less than fairly historical precedent would demonstrate otherwise. In the past it has been common place for civilizations to overthrow others using all means possible, this has been more often than not the use of force and has resulted in the creation of the geographical backbone of today’s society, i.e. the European invasion of the aboriginal people to conquer Australia. Israel has merely followed in the footsteps of the United States, Britain and Australia; however instead of using brute force Israel used another means of coercion more applicable to the 20th Century, Israel lobbied the diplomatic community, it’s allies and bombarded the media with the message that it deserved the rights to a homeland. “Israel followed in the footsteps of other regimes throughout history, the only difference was that diplomacy instead of bloodshed was the most effective technique” Moreover not only did Israel manage to overthrow Palestine through expending it’s diplomatic capital it has successfully maintained the integrity of it’s borders since 1948, through use of intelligence, alliance and pre-emptive strikes Israel has staved off imminent threats from it’s pro-Palestinian neighbors, through achieving this integrity Israel has fulfilled the second criteria of historical precedent and that is to maintain it’s nation security and keep in power.
In conclusion whilst either party in the Palestinian Israeli conflict could easily construct a case, using differentiating historical data, for having historical rights to today’s Israel. However due to Israel’s maintenance of territorial integrity and diplomatic pressure, historical precedent ensures that they have ultimately have all of history on their side and indeed the right to remain in Israel.
James Robertson
A.H.C
1001
Anthony Bubalo Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ; Australian Embassy Tel Aviv 14/10/02
