When did the Israel and Palestine conflict begin?
The origins of this conflict, a topic of ongoing debate, are a captivating enigma. Some argue it dates back thousands of years, while others point to the Balfour Declaration in 1917 or the Arab-Israeli war in 1948.
Finding a middle ground in a debate is easier when two sides can agree on what is considered the ground. When neither side agrees, it is tempting to fall back on the popular saying that there are two sides and the truth lies somewhere in the middle; however, it is hard to find a center with such an enormous time range.
Approaching the study of the Palestine and Israel conflict with an open mind is not just a suggestion; it's a necessity. Let's resist the temptation to cherry-pick dates to fit a particular narrative. To unravel the answer to the question of when this conflict begins, let’s embark on a journey, starting at the dawn of human habitation in the region, tracing the evolution of its borders and inhabitants. Together, we’ll embark on our exploration, starting with the first human habitation in the region during the Paleolithic Period.
First Known Settlers
During this time, people primarily lived nomadic lifestyles as hunters and gatherers. Natufians, many of whom lived in caves, were mainly hunters in modern-day Israel, Palestine, Southern Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, making Natufians the first known occupiers of modern-day Israel and Palestine.
Extension of the Natufian Culture. Attribution: Crates, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
First Known Settlers
After the Natufians, the Canaanites, Akkadians, Egyptians, Amorites, Hurrians, Hyksos, Hittites, and the Habiru, a term used in ancient documents to refer to a group of people living as nomadic invaders in areas of the Fertile Crescent, including Canaan, occupied the land before the Israelites conquered Canaan about 1250 BC. The Peleset, one of the Sea Peoples who occupied the coast of Canaan, were later called the Philistines (Plishtim in Hebrew). Some scholars claim the Philistines are ancient Palestinians who inhabited modern Palestine and Israel around 1200 BC, shortly after the Israelites occupied the land. This historical context is crucial to understanding the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Canaanite City States In The Bronze Age. Near_East_topographic_map-blank.svg: Sémhurderivative work: Zunkir, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Suppose one argues that early Palestinians were Natufians or Canaanites. In that case, the earliest this conflict could have started was 1250 BC, the beginning of The Iron Age, when planned cities began, and ironworks, steel, and writing systems were introduced. This argument would be that Israelis and Palestinians have constantly fought since The Iron Age over modern-day Israel and Palestine. However, there is no historical evidence of such continuous conflict, as there would have been writings from any of the great leaders who conquered or tried to conquer the land, such as Cyrus The Great, Alexander The Great, Pompey The Great, Constantine, Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, or even Napoleon, describing how they handled the warring people that were in a perpetual fight over land.
Is the Palestine and Israel conflict a conflict that involves two People who have been fighting for over two thousand years? There is no evidence of warring people who have continuously fought over the land that is now Israel and Palestine.
Our next blog post will delve deeper into this intriguing journey, exploring the history of the early people living in Palestine and Israel. Subscribe now to ensure you don’t miss out on ‘A Journey Through Time: Unveiling the Secrets of the First Known Property Owners of Israel-Palestine,’ stay informed about our future posts.
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