The problems in the Middle East!
Why has it been so difficult to make peace in the Middle East?
The land of Israel once belonged to the Jews in 1948, but Diaspora, the Arabs claimed the land. Since the return of the Jews to their 'homeland' the two races have fought over what they both claim to be their Holy Land. The conflict between Arab and Jew still rages, with suicide bombings and militia violence happening every day. Because of the nature and age of the conflict, perhaps a lasting peace between Arab and Jew is impossible.
Jews believe that their God promised the land to them, and Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is their Holy City. Apart from the holy shrines and places of worship, the Arabs and Israelis are fighting over living space. Since the creation of the Jewish state of Israel, Moslem Arabs have waged many wars on the new territory. In every one of those wars, the Arabs lost or signed an armistice, sometimes even losing more of their territory to the Jews. Unfortunately because of all this, it is hard to imagine that there will be a lasting peace between Jew and Arab in the foresee
In 1948 the state of Israel was created out of the land Palestine. Since then there has been almost continuous conflict between Israel and its neighbour Arabs. The Middle East has hardly ever been out of news. In the time of Jesus first century ad Palestine was ruled by the Romans. In AD 70 again in AD 135 the Jews rebelled against their roman rulers. Roman soldiers crushed both revolt, destroyed the city of Jerusalem and expelled the Jews. Many thousands fled to neighbouring countries and over the next 200 years they settled in almost every part of the Roman Empire. Many become merchants, sand farmers, bankers and craftsmen. Some became wealthy and gained important positions in the governments of the new lands in which they lived. Then in the middle Ages, the Jews were expelled form Western Europe and many settled in Russia and Poland. But they were often persecuted. Almost all Europeans were Christians and they forced the Jews to live in separate areas. They were not allowed to vote or even to buy their own land. Such anti – Jewish behaviour is known as anti Semitism.