From the ancient kingdoms of David and
Solomon in the 10th century BCE to Roman conquest of Jerusalem in
135 CE, the land of Zion remained under Jewish control. After the overthrow, the
Romans named their new land “Palestina,” thus spurring a new nationality of
people. The Jewish people hoped for the day to come again when they would rule
the region of Zion.
With the emergence of the Ottoman Empire
came the surfacing of the Palestinian society and culture. By 1800, over a
thousand small Palestinian villages inhabited the Jewish Holy Land between the
Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. But with the continual discrimination
and persecution against the Jewish people in Europe and Russia, the Zionists
began immigrating back to their Holy Land.
“A land without a people for a people
without a land.” The Zionist movement coined this phrase as a way to justify the
creation of a new Jewish state while ignoring the fact that thousands of
inhabitants already lived in the land.
In the wake of the Holocaust and World War
II, the creation of a Jewish state was inevitable if the Jewish population was
to avoid extinction. With the help of the British and United States governments,
the modern State of Israel was formed in 1948. The 750,000 Palestinians that
lived there were forced out of their homes and sent away as refugees. Today,
the Palestinians that remain in Israel have highly restricted travel, jobs, and
even water access.
The question remains whether or not the
Jewish acquisition of their ancient land was justified in the eye of one of the
darkest times in Jewish history. It continues to be an impossible question to
give a clear answer.
Whether it was justified or not, the State
of Israel is not going anywhere anytime soon. In the meantime, over four
million Palestinians carry the keys of their ancestors’ homes that were taken
from them, waiting for the day when they can return. Palestinians living in the
State of Israel face discrimination, and often respond with violence towards
the Israeli people.
The current situation is certainly not
working for either party. Though many have proposed a possible two-state solution,
there is no way that could work given the incredible hatred and
misunderstanding between the two groups.
The problem is not simply solved by the
Palestinian people getting their own state. The Israel/Palestine territory is
home to many of the most holy sites of the three largest religions in the
world, yet practicing citizens do not have free access to them. At the same
time, the prejudice between the two groups will continue to cause violence
until the matter is addressed head-on.
A simple two-state solution would not work
because the conflict between the two groups will continue to cause neighbors to
fight over contested land and resources. Violence would continue, and people
would still not have the access holy sites that they deserve to. Until the two
groups can learn to live in some kind of harmony with each other, the fighting
will simply continue, regardless of how the citizens are divided.
The reconciliation of the Palestinian and
the Israeli people begins with the individuals. People must learn to understand
their neighbors. As difficult as it will be, they must begin to accept the
religions and nationalities of each other before the greater conflict is
resolved.
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