How does a
nation form? It can look different in different cases. But a nation is a
people, with a shared lineage, culture, mythos, and origin story. Much of
history records the formation of new diverse nations. Sometimes powerful, sometimes weak, sometimes
long lasting, sometimes we see them go extinct. In fact, much of the Bible is about the
beginning, development, growth and decline of one specific nation; Israel.
Where did Israel come from?
Abraham was a
wandering Aramean, originally from Ur of the Chaldees. One of his sons was a
Hebrew, another an Ishmaelite, and another a Midianite. All those born of
Isaac's son Jacob are Hebrews or Israelites. They have a shared identity, born
of one of the tribes of Israel, they have the same God, lineage, culture,
origin story: born of a promise, and mythos, that is a shared understanding of
their national story and identity. Their nation, did not exist 4 generations
prior to Jacob but by the generation of the 12 sons of Jacob, they were a
nation, that identified themselves strongly, and at times with force, against
other nations ( for example Simeon and Levi). All nations have done the same at
one point. Even we Aussies have been known to do this. Nations have a right to
defend themselves.
No one would
deny that Israel was a nation, even when they were a nation without a state,
and wandered from place to place, dispersed all over the world. But some
nations do not get afforded this same level of respect.
There are people
who wrongly, but adamantly, say Palestine never existed as a nation. Many who
say this know that Palestine is an ancient designation of the land of Canaan,
that originates from the Greeks, and derives from Philistine. They
also are aware that the Romans renamed the province of Judea, Syria Palaestina (Palestine)
after another large rebellion of the Jews was defeated in 132 AD. Of course,
those who recognize the Philistines as ancient invaders into the land of Israel, are
not keen to ascribe the name Palestine to the land they consider to be the right of the
Israelites. So, many who hold this view easily fall for the statement that Palestine
was never a nation. But this is incorrect, for most of the A.D. era a people
lived in the province of Palestine, first mostly Christian, then Christian and
Arab Muslim, then mostly Muslim, but still many were and are Christian. They
had survived different invasions, wars, shifts of Empire from Rome, to
Byzantium, to Arab Muslim Empires, then a large Turkish Muslim empire. Many
converted to Islam over time, some held onto their ancient Christian heritage.
They built churches, some as ancient, almost, as Christianity itself, some built
mosques, also very ancient.
There are
also many texts which refer to the land of Palestine, as they would any other
country. All you have to do is pick up a history book and you will see this is
true, especially an older one. For example, Schaff’s A History of the Christian
Church, volume 5 first published in 1911, says this:
Other circumstances gave additional impulse to the movement,
such as the hope of securing relics of which Palestine and Constantinople were
the chief storehouses; and the opportunity of starting a profitable trade in
silk, paper, spices, and other products of the East. These pilgrimages were not
seriously interrupted by the Mohammedans after their conquest of Jerusalem by
Omar in 637, until Syria and Palestine passed into the hands of the sultans of
Egypt three centuries later. Under Hakim, 1010, a fierce persecution broke out
against the Christian residents of Palestine and the pilgrims.[1]
No one would
ever be taken seriously who said that Syria never existed, at least not by
anyone credible. Yet here we have Syria and Palestine spoken of as real
geographical places, alongside of Constantinople, places where people lived and breathed and had valuable relics.
In fact Palestine is mentioned as being comparable to Constantinople in its
storehouse of relics. For obvious reasons, both these places have played a
central role in many centuries of Christian history. Many people are aware though that Palestine
was a province of Rome, then the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), and the various
Islamic Empires. But it is wrong to say this means it was never a nation as
well. After all, both Syrians and Palestinians were in a similar circumstance
for centuries, and people of both places now tell us they are Syrians or
Palestinians. The most important designation of nationhood is a self-asserted
identity that is commonly held by a people. Hence Palestine is a nation, just
as Syria is.
Here is another
example: “Although these conquests were not directly related to each other,
they were due – whether in England, Italy, Spain or Palestine – to the
superiority of mounted knights when inspired by a militant clergy.”[2]
If there are Englishmen, Italians, and Spaniards, why no Palestinians? In fact
the people of that land viewed themselves as Palestinians, some may have
identified with the greater Arab world more, others with perhaps the ancient
Roman/Greek world. But they were a people who over time have come to identify
with each other and their land, whether Christian or Muslim or otherwise they
tell us they are Palestinians, therefore they are nation. Just as these other
nations do as well.
We read in
Gibbon[3],
Palestine and the holy wealth of Jerusalem were the next
objects that attracted the ambition, or rather avarice, of Chosroes. Constantinople
and the palace of the Caesars no longer appeared impregnable or remote; and his
aspiring fancy already covered Asia Minor with the troops, and the Black Sea
with the navies, of Persia.
Again we
read in Gibbon[4],
But the firmest bulwark of Jerusalem was founded on the
knights of the Hospital of St. John, and of the temple of Solomon, on the
strange association of a monastic and military life, which fanaticism might
suggest, but which policy must approve. The flower of the nobility of Europe
aspired to wear the cross, and to profess the vows, of these respectable
orders, their spirit and discipline were immortal; and the speedy donation of
twenty-eight thousand farms, or manors, enabled them to support a regular force
of cavalry and infantry for the defense of Palestine.
I saw one man once mock the idea of Palestine existing, by comparing it to Narnia, but Crusader Knights, whatever their faults, never sought to lay down their lives for a mythical realm, even one as noble as Narnia. However, for a real place, with real soil and real history, that they did most certainly.
Here is the last mention in the text of my annotated version of Gibbon’s empire; “Without delay the successor of Constantine instructed Palestine, France, and Rome, of this memorable revolution.”[6] Palestine is again and again mentioned alongside other ancient people’s and nations and cities. These references to Palestine in Gibbon are relevant over many centuries, and many more could be given. How many centuries must a name be used for a people, before they take it on as an aspect of their identity? Australia is a new nation founded mostly by British migration, yet we Aussies are not Brits, and we’ll assert that strongly.
Here is the last mention in the text of my annotated version of Gibbon’s empire; “Without delay the successor of Constantine instructed Palestine, France, and Rome, of this memorable revolution.”[6] Palestine is again and again mentioned alongside other ancient people’s and nations and cities. These references to Palestine in Gibbon are relevant over many centuries, and many more could be given. How many centuries must a name be used for a people, before they take it on as an aspect of their identity? Australia is a new nation founded mostly by British migration, yet we Aussies are not Brits, and we’ll assert that strongly.
And in 1948
they were removed from sovereignty of their ancient land by a mighty Empire, in
its final years of greateness, the Empire of Great Britain. Though the process began with the defeat of the
Ottoman Empire in World War 1 by the British military and its auxiliary troops
(famously some were Aussies).
The
Palestinians identify with that series of events, and if the rest of history
isn't enough for you, then without any doubt a nation was forged anew in 1948,
that is as clear an origin story as you'll get; a nation that identifies with
its displacement, and as having been conquered and removed from sovereignty in
their own land. As the Palestinian Christian Kairos Statement says,
“We address ourselves to our brothers and sisters, members of
our Churches in this land. We call out as Christians and as Palestinians to our
religious and political leaders, to our Palestinian society and to the Israeli
society, to the international community, and to our Christian brothers and
sisters in the Churches around the world.”[8]
They call
themselves Palestinians. This is true whether they are Christian or Muslim, and
every nation has a right to self-determination. That should be enough to settle
it for the rest of us.
Palestine
has existed for longer than Australia, America and even Great Britain. To say
that Palestinians were never a nation, they were just Arabs living in
Palestine, is precisely the same as saying that Australians never existed, we
are just Brits and Europeans living in the place called Australia, is clearly
incorrect. Australians began to identify as their own people after having a
shared identity here in Australia. Palestinians tells us they have done the
same.
If such an
ancient nation can be deleted from many people’s consciousness, do you think
these more modern nations are secure?
I support
the Jews right to a state, they need one, that is certain. But you don't have
to lie about Palestine to support Israel. Every nation (people) deserves the
right of self-rule, as Israel does, so does Palestine. But if you support
Israel because you love truth, don't lie about Palestine having never existed,
history doesn't support that statement in anyway.
[1] Philip
Schaff 1988, History of the Christian Church, William B Eerdmans Publishing
Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pp222-223.
[2] M
T Clancy 1997, A History of England: Early Medieval England, St Edmundsbury
Press, Edinburgh, p5.
[3] Edward
Gibbon 1952, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 2 of the Two Volume
Encyclopedia Britannica Set, William Benton, London, p43.
[4]
Ibid, pp402-403.
[5] Edward
Gibbon 1952, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1 of the Two
Volume Encyclopedia Britannica Set, William Benton, London
[6] Edward
Gibbon 1952, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 2 of the Two
Volume Encyclopedia Britannica Set, William Benton, London, p441.
[7] David
Irving 1977, Hitler’s War: 1942-1945, Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London.
[8] Kairos
Palestine, accessed 21/07/2020, https://www.kairospalestine.ps/index.php/about-kairos/kairos-palestine-document.
