“Israel is occupying Palestinian land” is a cry that you hear today. We will investigate the history of the land called Palestine since the 1300s. The attacks and battles have gone on against Israel since it declared statehood in 1948. We must realize these attacks are not about land but rather about the elimination of the State of Israel and the murder of all who claim the God of Abraham as the one true God. It is important to remember that we, as Christians, also claim the God of Abraham as the only true God. How can we expect a different treatment from Hamas when we have the same belief as the Jewish people concerning the identity of God?
To quote from the Hamas Covenant of 1988
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
Israel has been attacked numerous times over the years because Islam is committed to obliterating Israel and eliminating all Jewish people. We must applaud and support Israel for its commitment to destroy Hamas, for in doing this, they are also protecting us.
History:
1300s to 1900s
Beginning in the 1300s, the area called Palestine was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. It was called Philistine in biblical times and changed to Palestine by the Romans. The Ottoman Empire controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. With its defeat in World War I, it was divided into territories and given to various victorious countries. An area, including the area called Palestine, was controlled under a mandate of the League of Nations by Great Britain. This control continued until the British left in 1948. The League of Nations developed a mandate, directing the leading of the native population to independence and self-government.
1947
The native population of Palestine at this time consisted of Arabs and Jews, even though there was no Arab or Jewish state, as the land had been part of the Ottoman Empire. This differing population led to conflict between the native people. Although banished in the first century, some Jewish people continued to live in the land. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, many people worldwide supported an effort to bring Jewish immigrants back to their ancient land from which they were banished in the first century. In 1917, Great Britain showed their support by adopting the Balfour Declaration. The Balfour Declaration affirmed the British endorsement for establishing a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
The United Nations (UN) passed UN Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, adopting a formal plan for the land of Palestine. The UN planned to divide the geographic area into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. This plan included a defined map showing which land each group would be given. The land designated for the Jews was approximately 5500 square miles and about 4500 square miles for the Arabs. More land was assigned to Israel, as that land was mainly uninhabitable desert. UN Resolution 181 considered the League of Nations mandate for a state and self-government for the native population and also the desire of the British Balfour Declaration to provide a homeland for the Jewish people.
1948
The Jewish people took advantage of the opportunity given by Resolution 181 to develop a state. On May 14, 1948, the Jewish People’s Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum to declare their independence and announce that their land would be called the State of Israel. They assured their intention to live in peace alongside the Arabs within the borders designated by the UN. They included the following in their declaration to show they desired to live peacefully. The first statement is addressed to the United Nations, asking that the UN receive Israel as a nation.
WE APPEAL to the United Nations to assist the Jewish people in the building-up of its State and to receive the State of Israel into the comity of nations.
Another statement in the document addressed the Arabs currently living within the Jewish borders set out by the United Nations geographic plan. It gave the inhabitants full and equal citizenship.
WE APPEAL — in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months — to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.
The following statement in the document addressed Arabs living in adjoining countries:
WE EXTEND our hand to all neighbouring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.
This declaration clearly outlined Israel’s commitment to live in peace with the Arabs.
In effect, the Israelites answered yes to the two-state proposal of the UN by establishing the State of Israel. Arabs living in the Palestine area said no to Resolution 181 by doing nothing to set up their country. For years, they had been under the control of the Ottoman Empire. For the first time since the empire was dismantled, Palestine had an opportunity to organize and begin their own country. Instead, they said no by not declaring their statehood but instead allowed their neighboring Arab countries access to invade Israel.
Hours after the Israeli declaration of statehood was signed in Tel Aviv, the invasion of Israel began. Egypt bombed Tel Aviv. The Arabs living in Palestine aligned themselves with the neighboring countries of Egypt, Lebanon, Transjordan, Syria, and Iraq, who then declared war on Israel. They may have thought that by aligning themselves with the invading armies, they would end up controlling Israel and could set up Palestine after they won the war. That victory did not come.
The same evening Israel signed the declaration, President Truman of the United States recognized Israel’s statehood, followed by the U.S.S.R. three days later.
Over the next eight months, the invading Arab countries were driven back by the Israelis and retreated to their own countries.
1949
The war formally ended with the signing of armistice agreements between Israel and four of the five aggressors: Egypt (24 February 1949), Lebanon (23 March 1949), Jordan (3 April 1949), and Syria (20 July 1949). The Iraqis (the fifth invading country) refused to enter negotiations. The armistice divided the land between Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt. As the Palestinians had yet to set up their country before the war, they received no land.
As promised by Israel in their declaration of independence, every Arab who stayed in the territory designated for Israel was given Israeli citizenship. Israel is now over 20% Arab. They have voting rights, have sat on the Knesset, and have had an Arab member of the Supreme Court.
1967
On June 5, 1967, Israel was invaded in what has come to be known as the “Six-day” War. The war was between Israel and an Arab coalition primarily made up of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Egypt had been amassing troops on its border with Israel, apparently in preparation to attack. Because of the Arab threat, the Israeli Air Force launched a pre-emptive attack and overpowered the Egyptian Air Force. Jordan and Syria also invaded Israel. The war ended with the signing of a cease-fire on June 11, 1967. At the time of the cease-fire, Israel had pushed the aggressors back and was in possession of Egypt’s Gaza Strip, part of Syria’s West Bank, Jordan’s Golan Heights, and Jerusalem. Israel had not been the aggressor; it was forced into defending its land and people.
1973
Israel was invaded again on October 6, 1973, in what is known as the Yom Kippur War. It was between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. It began with a surprise attack on Israel on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Both attacks were repelled, and the aggressors retreated to their own countries. On October 25, 1973, a cease-fire was agreed upon.
1988
On November 15, 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) finally established the State of Palestine. The state claimed sovereignty of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. These claims of sovereignty for Palestine were void for the following reasons, because by the time Palestine was formally declared a state in 1988:
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Egypt, which had possession of the Gaza Strip, had already lost the Gaza Strip to Israel in the 6-Day War.
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Syria, which had possession of the West Bank, had already lost the West Bank to Israel in the 6-Day War.
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Jordan, possessing East Jerusalem, had already lost East Jerusalem to Israel in the 6-Day War.
2006
The State of Palestine held elections on January 25, 2006, for its Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC.) Islamist militant group Hamas won 74 of its 132 seats, thus giving it majority rule of the Council and forming a new government. The new government was sworn in on March 29, 2006. There have been no Palestine Legislative Council elections since Hamas was elected in 2006.
2023
Rockets have been randomly launched from the Gaza Strip into the land of Israel since early 2000. On October 7, 2023, Hamas (Ruling power of Palestine) initiated a sneak attack on Israel. The attack included thousands of armed Hamas terrorists breaking through a border security fence separating Gaza from Israel. They tortured and gunned down Israeli civilians in their homes, attacked and killed police and soldiers, and took civilian hostages.
SUMMARY:
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From the 1300s until the early 1900s, the Ottoman Empire controlled the area of Palestine.
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Land was given in United Nations Resolution 181 for the establishment of separate states for Arabs and Jews.
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Israel declared statehood on May 14, 1948, as allowed by UN Resolution 181.
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The Arab people living in Palestine did not declare statehood in 1947, as allowed by UN Resolution 181. Statehood was not declared until 1988.
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On May 14, 1948, five Arab countries, Egypt, Lebanon, Transjordan, Syria, and Iraq, invaded Israel with the intent to conquer and annihilate the State of Israel and take the land for themselves.
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Israel drove the invaders back from the area of Palestine.
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In 1967, Arabs invaded Israel again and were driven back, ending the Six-day War.
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Again, in 1973, Arabs invaded Israel and were driven back, ending the Yom Kippur War.
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On November 15, 1988, The State of Palestine was proclaimed, although they had no land.
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On January 25, 2006, Elections were held in Palestine, giving Hamas the ruling majority.
- On October 7, 2023, Hamas, the ruling entity of Palestine, invaded Israel. The war continues.