Since the beginning of Judaism, the disputed area of land was originally Jewish, way before Muslims rose and conquered! Since Israel’s new lease of life, the Arabs don’t acknowledge the reestablishment.
The oldest Hebrew text ever found was discovered at the ancient Israelite settlement, Elah Fortress, which dates to between 1050 and 970 BCE. Biblical narrative and moderate academic consensus states that a United Kingdom of Israel existed in the 10th and 9th centuries BCE.
Roman general Pompey conquered Jerusalem and its surroundings by 63 BCE. The Romans deposed the ruling Hasmonean dynasty of Judaea (in power from c. 140 BCE) and the Roman Senate declared Herod the Great "King of the Jews" in c. 40 BCE. Judea proper, Samaria and Idumea became the Roman province of Iudaea in 6 CE.
Jewish forces quickly expelled the Romans from Jerusalem, and a revolutionary government was formed that extended its influence into the surrounding area. Soon afterwards the Roman’s reconquered. Over the next several hundred years, the city was conquered and ruled by different groups, including the Romans, Persians, Arabs, Fatimids, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Egyptians, Mamelukes and Islamists.
Muslims conquered in the 7th century after Christ AC. The first was the Rashidun Caliphate and in 634 CE it conquered Palestine. In 661 CE Muawiyah was crowned Caliph of the Islamic World in Jerusalem. The Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 CE) grew to become the largest empire of the time.
Historians debate as to whether Al-Aqsa Mosque was built in Jerusalem by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik or his son al-Walid I. Regardless, the rough estimate of when the mosque was built is between 685 C.E. to 715 C.E., the period of both caliph's reigns. However, Mecca in Saudi Arabia is considered the holiest city in Islam, as it is home to Islam's holiest site Kaaba ('Cube') in Al-Masjid Al-Ḥaram (The Sacred Mosque).
As known the Ottoman Empire ran that region for around 400 years up until 1917 when the British army invaded and captured Jerusalem. That gave the English just as much rights as any Arabs, Jews, or Christians to run the land. They made a choice by declaring the Balfour Declaration in 1917, to provide a home for the suffering Jews from Europe and surrounding nations where they were victimized, especially after World War One and Two.
The Arabs, as they were known in the region, rejected Jewish immigration and on all occasions were unprepared to agree to a Jewish and Arab state. They rioted regularly in the early 20th century refusing to accept Jewish migration even though The League of Nations, now known as the United Nations UN approved the Balfour Declaration in July, 1922. Needless to say, it was rejected by the Arab League.
However, during the 20th century many Arab countries have expelled Jews, so after 1948 when Palestine became Israel, settlement was a clear-cut choice. Incidentally, Palestine was never a country, but rather a piece of land in the Middle-East which was occupied by Arabs who often had spread out from Egypt and Syria. In other words, they were Bedouins. Israeli settlers were legitimate!
Over the years, Palestinians have rejected a two-state solution for everlasting peace with Israel. And from all the research, it shows an alarming rate of just 30% who accept the ideology. That doesn’t surprise anyone who cares to study the history of Arab hostility in the region. The majority of Palestinians believe the state of Israel will not reach its 100th anniversary in 2048. The majority raise arms against Israel!
The sad reality of such animosity is when Israel responds to horrendous acts by bombing Gaza in retaliation. Some innocent civilians are always caught up in the crossfire. Logical while practical people would think the risk too great for terrorism to occur, especially as the aggressors represent the Gazan people.
Unfortunately, their hate towards the Jewish state is too great, and they are only thinking of vengeance which is the sad reality.
All the best!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Reestablishing (v) = gerund of reestablish meaning regenerating, rebuilding, recreating, restoring, reconstructing, reinstating, reproducing, remaking, redesigning, returning, establish again, bring back
Bedouins (n) = a nomadic Arab of the desert. "An encampment of Bedouin on the edge of the desert."
Intifada (n) = the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, beginning in 1987. (syn) uprising, rebellion. specifically: an armed uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.