Illustration depicting a Philistine victory over the Israelites (1896)

Israelites

The Israelite 1200 BCE arrival in Canaan shares striking parallels with their contemporary situation in this same land, acutely reflective in Gaza, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the West Bank. The struggles over land, identity, and religious beliefs seen in those early times echo in today’s geopolitical landscape, underscored by a continuous cycle of conflict. However, a significant difference between these two periods is the modern state of Israel’s access to substantial financial, military, and political support from the U.K. and later U.S., which allowed for its foundation and expansion since 1948 on confiscated Palestinian ancestral land. At the heart of this contemporary conflict is not just a struggle for barren land but for control over its natural resources, including oil off the coast of Gaza, natural gas reserves, fertile farmland, and more.

Philistines and the Indigenous

Also, around 1200 BCE, the Philistines emerged as a culturally and militarily superior force in the region. As seafarers, they established five key city-states—Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza—where they conducted extensive trade with other Mediterranean civilizations. Their maritime capabilities and advanced technologies allowed them to dominate the coastal areas of Canaan, making them significant players in the region (Mazar, Amihai. Archaeology of the Land of the Bible).

In contrast, the landlocked Israelites, recently liberated from slavery in Egypt, faced significant challenges as they sought to establish their identity and claim land from various Indigenous peoples. Their arrival in Canaan was characterized not by a singular conquest but by a series of military campaigns and gradual settlement, often at the expense of local populations (Dever, William G. What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?). Bible narratives depict these struggles as a divine mandate, but they reflect a complex interplay of conflict, negotiation, and adaptation in a land already inhabited by diverse groups.

Contemporary Gaza to the West Bank

Fast forward to the 20th and 21st centuries, and the situation from Gaza to the West Bank reveals similar themes of identity and occupation of territory. The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent conflicts, particularly the 1967 Six-Day War, led to significant territorial changes. Not to be forgotten is the Nakba, a forced expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians and the destruction and occupation of their villages, which many international bodies regard as illegal under international law (UN Security Council Resolution 242). The shredding of International Law by Israel’s actions and U.S. support with the help of other NATO countries is something that has opened the door for worldwide fascism and war. The unholy alliance of Western powers and its Israeli protectorate makes precedent setting weapons production and sales. War profiteering has never been more lucrative as income inequality gaps grow larger around the world.

Reiteration and Stress

To be clear, writers around the world have been producing work acknowledging that Israel suffered a horrible attack and has a right to defend itself and also strongly condemning the destruction of Gaza and the killing of Palestinians since calling for a cease fire in October of 2023; millions of people in around the world keep calling for a ceasefire; thousands have been arrested in this struggle; professors and students have been severely punished for showing their solidarity with Palestinians, with the Jewish Voices for Peace organization a leading force and hundreds of its members arrested in protests and acts of civil disobedience.

The International Court of Justice has found a “plausible case for genocide” against the Palestinian people back on January 24, 2023, a conclusion echoed by human rights advocates and esteemed intellectuals such as Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, Edward Said, and Ilan Pappé, who document the systematic oppression of Palestinians (Chomsky, Noam. Hopes and Prospects; Finkelstein, Norman. The Holocaust Industry; Said, Edward. The Question of Palestine; Pappé, Ilan. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine).Israel is now seen by the international community, including the UN, respected global human rights organizations, and prolific intellectuals as a Jewish white supremacist apartheid state, which in fits and starts, with the backing of the U.S., UK, and other Western powers, has been torturing and killing Palestinians for decades. Words and phrases like “open air prison,” “apartheid,” “concentration camp’ “ethnic cleansing,” “genocide,” “war profiteers” now circulate widely in the global discourse about what the Israel militarized government, with majority support, has been doing.

The Bloody Red Line

Just as the ancient Israelites viewed themselves as entitled to the land promised by God, many modern Israelis believe they have a rightful claim based on historical connection and survival in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Conversely, Palestinians assert their rights to the land based on continuous habitation and cultural identity, viewing Israeli actions as colonial and oppressive (Smith, Charles D. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict).

Conclusion

The parallels between the historical events of around 1200 BCE and the contemporary situation in Gaza and the West Bank underscore a continuous cycle of conflict rooted in land, identity, and cultural practices. As these intertwined histories continue to unfold, they call for deeper understanding and dialogue aimed at achieving a lasting peace that respects the identities and rights of all connected to this historically rich land. Unfortunately, critical documented history is not something delivered in the U.S. and U.K. school systems as well as corporate media. What is more likely to be received is Nationalistic propaganda, religious mythology, and entertainment substituting as news. My government continues to help Israel slaughter defenseless old men, women, and children to kill a small number of decimated combatants each day as war equals profit for investors in the global machinery of war. I want to be wrong but expect in a generation or two, no matter what happens with other Middle Eastern countries and world powers to the point of a nuclear war, Palestinians will go the way of the Native American and be relegated to little reservations on truly barren land. And here is the thing, I am just a little bit Jewish on my father’s side, not Palestinian, and will not be alive to see this. Why care? – Or maybe I should leave this knot alone and keep moving forward.

References

Mazar, Amihai. Archaeology of the Land of the Bible. Doubleday, 1990.
Dever, William G. What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? Eerdmans, 2001.
Smith, Charles D. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Martin’s Press, 2010.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, 1967.
Chomsky, Noam. Hopes and Prospects. Haymarket Books, 2010.
Finkelstein, Norman. The Holocaust Industry. Verso, 2000.
Said, Edward. The Question of Palestine. Vintage Books, 1992.
Pappé, Ilan. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Oneworld Publications, 2006.
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International reports on the situation in the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel’s Military-Industrial Complex, Shir Hever, The Palestine Chronicle (2018)
The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade, Andrew Feinstein (2011)

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