As a few of you might already know, the Middle East is going through a war over the Holy Land, the land that the Israelis and the Palestinians are currently residing, in order to claim the land for themselves. For me, before I could really grasp the situation and choose a side, I wanted to do my own research because I couldn't understand why this land was qualified to start a war over. Then I found my answer, in the Book of Exodus which documents the ties the Jewish people had to that land.
Before I go into further explanation into religion, I will like to state that no country benefits from War. Both Israelis and Palestinians have deep cultural and religious ties to the region, resulting in competing claims and a complex geopolitical situation, leading to ongoing conflicts and negotiations to find a resolution. The issue is not solely about religious significance but involves political, social, and historical aspects as well. At the end of the day, people, children and babies are dying on both sides but in this situation I want to make clear I stand for Palestine. This fight between both territories have gone on for centuries but in modern situations, Israel has taken it upon themselves to become a dictatorship and has been consistently targeting/threatening the people of Palestine. In years prior, "Jewish extremist protected by the Israeli government, have attacked Palestinian Christian leaders with bombs, guns and knives" (“Palestinian christians, the Holy Land). In return, the Palestinians government has decided to defend the land they too serve. My purpose for this blog is to inform background research to other readers who are also wondering what all started this tension.
The Book of exodus
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. It's a foundational text in both Judaism and Christianity, detailing the departure of the Israelite's from Egypt, their liberation from slavery under the guidance of Moses, and the receipt of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. The narrative covers various themes like liberation, covenant, and the establishment of Israel as a nation under God's guidance. It's a significant piece of religious and cultural history, influencing beliefs and traditions for millennia. The nature of the covenant between the Hebrew God and the Israelites was a promise based on faith. After Yahweh [God] metaphorically “carried you [the people of Israel] on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (“Exodus 20:1–17, Moses) to Mount Sinai, they had to follow through with the promise they made in Egypt. They promised only to worship one true God once the Hebrews were freed. They had to obey him willingly and keep his covenant, and in return, they would be rewarded with kingdoms and priests. With this, they were given the Ten Commandments, a set of rules based on moral significance and keeping things holy, delivered by Moses on top of Mount Sinai. Most rules dealt with being a good person, keeping your hands to yourself, and being a friendly neighbor, but the first half about Yahweh came off a little conceited. The first three are like, “I took you away from the torture and slavery; therefore, you must worship me and ONLY me.” It's almost as if God monopolized religion. Technically, not through God himself but through the works of Moses, He (Yahweh) made it clear that all the nature-based Gods were smaller idols compared to him because he was the original. In a way, this reminds me of when Pharaoh Akhenaten wanted to rid Ancient Egypt of polytheism and shift most of the focus to the Sun God Aten
The Pharaoh was highly enthusiastic about this new sun disk, and to him, he was the only one who knew of this new God. The same way Moses found the holy land, Akhenaten was able to find a new “royal city” that was supposedly, according to the American Research Center in Egypt, given to him by Aten, “The king proclaimed that the Aten had manifested itself for the first time on the site and that the Aten had chosen this site for the king alone” (Taronas). In both situations, the current leader felt that this land rightfully belong to them because a spiritual being told them so.
Whereas For Palestinians, their claim to the Holy Land is largely based on historical presence and continuous habitation in the region. Many Palestinians view themselves as the indigenous population of the area and believe they have a rightful claim to the land that they and their ancestors have inhabited for generations. This is not the first time history has seen a colonizer displace the original residents because it was their will. Manifest destiny, a phrase coined in 1845, was an idea that the United States was destined by God, according to its advocates, to spread Christianity and democracy across the states. In order to do this, the United States lead a genocide against Native Americans and displaced them in unnatural land. Sounds familiar? Before, historians could agree this was a terrible play for the United States and have released a ton of media and articles about how the situation could have been handled differently but now that a similar event is taking place and we have the resources to make a difference, the world is split once again on what to do next. Well for starters, We the people can start by better educating ourselves about the truth and I hope with this blog, this is a great start to becoming better informed.
Signing off, Curious Adolescent
Works citied
“Exodus 20:1-17 NIV - The Ten Commandments - And God spoke.” Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:1-17&version=NIV. Accessed 15 September 2023.
“Exodus 20:1-17 NIV - The Ten Commandments - And God spoke.” Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:1-17&version=NIV. Accessed 16 September 2023.
Taronas, Laura. “Akhenaten: The Mysteries of Religious Revolution - ARCE.” American Research Center in Egypt, https://arce.org/resource/akhenaten-mysteries-religious-revolution/. Accessed 16 September 2023.
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