The Palestine-Israel Conflict

A Basic Introduction

Gregory Harms, Todd M. Ferry

• Editorial: Pluto Press
• Año: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781786801142
• Edición: 4
• Categoría: Politics & International Relations
• Categoría: International Relations

The Palestine-Israel conflict is the most notorious and ingrained conflict in living memory. Yet the way it is reported in the media is often confusing, leading many to falsely assume the hostilities stretch continuously back to an ancient period. The Palestine-Israel Conflict provides a balanced, accessible, and annotated introduction that covers the full history of the region, from Biblical times until today. Perfect for the general reader, as well as students, it offers a comprehensive yet lucid rendering of the conflict, setting it in its proper historical context. This fourth edition brings us up to date, and includes recent events such as Israel's Operation Protective Edge, developments between Fatah and Hamas, ongoing Palestinian resistance, and the entirety of the Obama years. This book cuts though the layers of confused and contradictory information on the subject, and will help clarify the ongoing conflict for its readers.

I

Regional History

The first three chapters will look at the regional history of Canaan and Palestine, from the most ancient eras up to the eve of World War I: from the emergence of the Hebrews and the Arabs to Muhammad and the birth of Islam, the Crusades, the Mongols, and the Ottoman Empire. A sketch of where today’s Palestinians and Israelis come from gives us a sense of context when we try to examine the Palestine–Israel conflict. It is important to keep in mind as a point of reference that the ancient histories of the region have NO direct causal significance in the modern conflict. Tempting as it is to assume the fighting stretches that far back, the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis goes back not even one hundred years. A survey of the history from the Paleolithic period to the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire makes this apparent.

1

Canaan–Palestine: Ancient History

Todd M. Ferry

THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF PALESTINE

Why begin a book like this so far back in time from the present? First, we need to dispel the common misconception that the Palestine–Israel conflict is a struggle that has lasted for hundreds of years, millennia, or even since the time of Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Second, it is important to show change over time. The history of the region goes back many thousands of years. Over that time, many peoples have populated the land of Palestine – not just Arabs and Jews – and they lived together, intermixed, intermarried, merged, and grew apart. Change is central to this story and so it will be constantly emphasized. Lastly, we need to be aware of the shared heritage of both peoples. Though Palestinians and Jews see themselves as different now, there is a remarkable congruence to their histories that should be remembered when considering the modern conflict and both people’s claims to the land of Palestine.

Before we begin we need to say a word about the Bible.¹ The first place people often turn to for the history of ancient Palestine is the Bible, and indeed it has been the single most influential source. No doubt it offers a rare glimpse into the history of Israel as well as Israel’s neighbors. But the Bible is religious literature written and compiled for reasons other than the purely historical. We know from critical study that it is a composite text made up of several books, each of which has its own religious, cultural, political, and personal (the writer’s) perspective. It has also been copied, translated, and redacted (edited) by people with their own understanding of its meaning. In brief it has its own “spin” on history that may or may not reflect actual events and certainly not every side to the story.

There are other sources at our disposal. If our concern is for a fuller, more complete understanding of the ancient history of Palestine then archaeology, non-biblical texts, geography, and other interdisciplinary forms of study, should all have a hand in historical reconstruction. In this very general overview of the history of ancient Palestine we will attempt to bring in as much of these other sources as we can, while also drawing on histories of others who try to do the same. It all sounds complicated at first, and though reconstructing the history of ancient Palestine is a very complex matter, this chapter will attempt to make it easily understandable.

CHRONOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY

Before we begin, a quick chronological and geographical note. Over thousands of years the cultures of Palestine changed. Conventional approaches break down the ancient history of the region into periods following technological change (Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc.) or some other dominant feature (Hellenistic Age, Roman Empire, etc.). These will be noted in the section headings as we go. We will also be using BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) instead of the abbreviations AD (Anno Domini) and BC (Before Christ). The Common Era abbreviations are now the convention, in an attempt to avoid religious preferences.

Regarding geography, I have chosen to use “Palestine” as the most neutral and encompassing of modern names for the region (though this is certainly debatable).² For the ancient periods, I will start with the broad territorial term “Canaan,” since it was one of the first recorded names for the region. Ancient Canaan covers an area slightly larger than the modern land of Palestine (including Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank), to encompass Lebanon, southern Syria, the western half of Jordan, and the Sinai Peninsula. As the many specific kingdoms (Israel, Philistia, Moab, etc.), empires (Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, etc.), or provinces (Judaea, Samerina, etc.) are established in the region, I will refer to them by what they were called in antiquity and describe them as we go. Don’t worry, it’s pretty straightforward.

SETTING THE STAGE

Over the course of several hundred thousand years known as the Paleolithic period (Paleolithic, “the stone age”: 1.4 million years ago to 8500 BCE) human beings evolved, left Africa, and came to Palestine, developing their own unique cultures. During the following Neolithic period (“the new stone age”: 8500–4300 BCE) they settled in villages, learned to domesticate animals and plants, and discovered clay could be manipulated into shapes and baked to form pottery – huge achievements in an amazingly short period of time. In the Chalcolithic period (“the copper and stone age”: 4300–3300 BCE) their villages got larger, their homes more permanent, and they discovered how to make things for the first time with metal (copper). While all of this early pre-history is certainly important, it is really in the following periods that we know more about the ancient history of Palestine and when we begin to see one of the most important cultures in the region develop. Here we will begin with our more detailed survey – in the Bronze Age.

THE BRONZE AGE AND THE CANAANITES
(Early: 3300–2000 BCE, Middle: 2000–1550 BCE, Late: 1550–1150 BCE)

By the beginning of the Bronze Age people in Palestine were living in well-fortified, walled cities. Palestine was becoming urban, and urbanism changed the social structure of ancient society. As is true for most of the ancient Near East, people lived in tribal societies where everything was based on kinship relations. You were part of a tribe, the member of a family, and the son of your father. Now with true urbanism, you could (though not everyone was) also be associated with a city or town. It is from the archaeological excavation of these cities (called “tells”) that we have been able to learn so much about the ancient peoples of Palestine – and one people in particular during this period.

By the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age a whole new and important culture, called Canaanite culture, took hold of the region. The majority of peoples in Canaan spoke the same Semitic language, made similar styles of pottery and weapons and art from bronze (for which the period is named), and shared the same religion of many gods, whose head god, famously, was El (mentioned in the Bible). Ancient people even referred to the population of the region as “Canaanite.” The term is used consistently throughout the Bible, and it is found in archives from Syria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia dating to the Middle Bronze Age and later.³ Remember the Canaanites because they remain important for much of the following.

Now, the Canaanites were not alone. Palestine has always been the crossroads of the Near East; people came and went, passing through from one region to the next. It was an especially busy place during the Bronze Age. The Amorites, from Syria, are one group that migrated in and may have had a particularly profound effect on the Canaanite way of life. Joining with the local population, they brought new types of architecture and new artistic traditions to Canaanite culture. Movement between Canaan and Egypt was also quite common during this period (indeed, throughout Palestine’s history), and for some unknown reason, perhaps because of famine or even pressure from the Amorite migration, some Canaanites moved south into Lower Egypt (the Delta region). Once in the Delta, they managed to take control of it and rule for over a hundred years as what would be called the Hyksos or “foreign” Dynasty.

The history of this period is very important for biblical historians. Many, including one of the most famous and influential archaeologists to study ancient Palestine, William F. Albright,⁴ attempted to place the stories of the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, in the Middle Bronze Age period. Abraham and his family’s journey from Ur to Harran and then south to Canaan is often tied to the Amorite migration. At first it seems the journey of Abraham might fit that description very well – but unfortunately, it is not that easy. There is no proof that what we call the Middle Bronze Age is the period the biblical writers had in mind, and while it seems to make a suitable backdrop for Abraham’s life, other periods would work just as well. Neither do superficial similarities between Abraham and the Amorites prove that a historical Abraham existed. Most scholars suggest that he is more likely a mythical or literary figure of tradition to be remembered for his moral lessons and religious piety.

“Semitic”

The term “Semitic” derives from the biblical table of nations where Noah’s son Shem is said to be the father of Arabs, Babylonians, Assyrians, Aramaeans, and Hebrews (Gen. 10). Historically it has been applied both as a linguistic and a cultural term. As a linguistic term it describes, very well, the similarities among a particular family of languages spoken in the Middle East. The Semitic languages are among a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family, which includes such languages as (in historical order): Akkadian, Phoenician, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ethiopic, and Arabic, among many other lesser known and ancient languages, such as Ugaritic and Proto-Sinaitic. It might seem strange to think that Hebrew, Ethiopic, and Arabic are all related languages. There are many differences between them, but overall, the grammar, syntax, system of writing (for example right to left), the sounds, and even some roots and words are the same. As a linguistic term Semitic is useful, as a cultural term it is not. The problem with using Semitic to describe a culture is that the cultures referred to as Semitic are so diverse. Though they speak similar languages, the people are not at all the same. Sometimes the term is used to designate Jews singularly, but often in a derogatory way, making the term, again, not very useful to describe a people and culture. The best way to avoid all of this is to use Semitic only as a linguistic term and refer to each distinct group of people as they wish to be called.

The story of the patriarch Joseph’s enslavement and later high position under Pharaoh is also often linked to Hyksos rule over Egypt. Here again, we are in the same situation as with the Abraham story. A historical Joseph may or may not have existed, and though the parallels are intriguing, as of yet, little more can be said. The same is true of the other patriarchal figures. That is not to deny their religious significance; faith, of course, requires one to look beyond proof.

Early Indications of Israel

The Late Bronze Age began with a reversal of Canaanite/Hyksos fortunes in Egypt and, indeed, Canaan as well. Egypt chased the Hyksos dynasty out of the Delta, sending them running back to Canaan, but the Egyptians did not stop there. Surprisingly, they invaded bringing all of Canaan under Egyptian control. Pharaoh only loosely ruled the region, but governors were placed in the major cities along with small armies. We learn from letters (on clay tablets) sent from these governors of Canaan back to Egypt, however, that some native Canaanites would not bow down to their Egyptian masters. They turned their backs on Egyptian-controlled Canaanite society to become what the Egyptians called “bandits and marauders” or Hapiru in the language of the letters.

The similarity between this name and “Hebrew” has not gone unnoticed – and here we enter into the mystery of the first Israelites and where they came from. There is no archaeological or textual proof this early on for the people soon to be known as Israelites, but there are some fascinating hints as to its origins. These letters are the first major breakthrough. The two names Hapiru/Hebrew, it turns out, are not synonymous. The range and context of Hapiru in most letters suggests it was not used singularly for one ethnic group.⁵ But the possibility remains that the Israelites are somehow related to the Hapiru and that they might have been an offshoot or formed a unified group under similar circumstances.

The Late Bronze Age affords us other tantalizing indications of the Israelites’ origins. The Shasu who roamed the deserts of southeastern Canaan are another important group we know from Egyptian sources. Much like the Hapiru, they too were considered marauders and bandits and a general nuisance for Egypt’s routes north into Palestine. Most intriguing about the Shasu, however, is that they worshipped a god by the name of YHW, or Yahweh. Moreover, and equally intriguing, the Shasu land, later called Edom in the Bible, contains within its bounds the traditional site of Mount Sinai.⁶ Can this be coincidence? Here may be found a source for later Israelite Yahwism, but how the god might have passed from Shasu to the Israelites remains uncertain. Some have suggested Edomite–Shasu clans migrated into Canaan bringing the deity Yahweh with them, and that this may have taken place during the Israelite Exodus from Egypt.

We need to touch on the Exodus for a moment since the Late Bronze Age is the period most often suggested for a historical setting to the story. It is probably the most famous story in the Bible and central to the development of Judaism. Moses leads the Hebrews out of slavery and through the desert to Canaan, t...