The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

THE FIGHT FOR HOLY LAND

The Conquest of Canaan

Philistines and Israelites' Migration and Conquest of Canaan

Migration of Abraham (p.b.u.h.)

• According to Jewish tradition, the Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h.) migrates to Canaan at circa. 1800 BCE.

• At first no Jews were here.• The Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h.) leads the Philistines

and Israelite tribes in migration to Canaan

EVENTS (ABOUT 1000 BCE to ABOUT 586 BCE

• 1000 BCE- Jewish conquest of Jerusalem; The kingdom of Jerusalem split into two: Israel in the north, Judea in Jerusalem and the south after David (p.b.u.h.)’s son, Solomon (p.b.u.h.)’s death.

• 721 BCE- Israel (Northern Kingdom) falls to Assyria• 586 BCE- Judea (Southern Kingdom) falls to Babylon; the first Jewish temple is

destroyed

HOW IT ALL BEGAN:RELIGION

• Judaical Perspective: “In Jerusalem the holiest place was the Temple, and in the Temple the holiest spot was the Holy of Holies....”- Taken from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Temple.html

The Hebrews believe that Jerusalem is the holiest place in the world, which is located in Israel. They also believe that this is the place where King Solomon built his Temple, which was the holiest, and in it, the holiest spot was the Holy of Holies. But, it later was destroyed.

• “The history of the Jewish people begins with Abraham(p.b.u.h.), and the story of Abraham(p.b.u.h.) begins when God tells him to leave his homeland, promising Abraham(p.b.u.h.) and his descendants a new home in the land of Canaan. (Gen. 12). This is the land now known as Israel, named after Abraham(p.b.u.h.)’s grandson, whose descendants are the Jewish people. The land is often referred to as the Promised Land because of God's repeated promise (Gen. 12:7, 13:15, 15:18, 17:8) to give the land to the descendants of Abraham(p.b.u.h.).”-Taken from http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm

Jews believe that God, or Jehovah, as they call him, told Abraham(p.b.u.h.) to leave his homeland, promising him and his descendants a new home in the land of Canaan, which is now Israel, named after Abraham(p.b.u.h.)’s grandson. The descendants of Abraham(p.b.u.h.)’s grandsons are the Jewish people.

PHAROH AND THE ISRAELITES

Moses (p.b.u.h.) was born during the Jewish enslavement in Egypt, during a terrible period when Pharaoh announced that all male Hebrew infants are to be drowned at birth.

Moses (p.b.u.h.) survived because his mother, Yocheved, floated him in a basket in the Nile.

Moses (p.b.u.h.) grew up in the Pharaoh’s palace! But he did not receive the prophet hood until old age.

The Hebrews believe that one day as Moses (p.b.u.h.) was walking through the wilderness, he came across a magnificent sight. It was an angel of the Lord, disguised as a bush, that was burning but not consumed.

After Moses (p.b.u.h.) liberated the Hebrews from oppression, most of them rebelled against him when they angrily demanded that Moses (p.b.u.h.) supply him with water. Then God banned him and the Hebrews (except Caleb), in entering the promised land of Israel.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN:RELIGION

• Christian perspective: Christians believe that the State of Israel is where Jesus (p.b.u.h.) will come near the end times. –Taken from http://www.holylandalternatives.net/biblical.html

• Jesus (p.b.u.h.) warned his followers of interpreting signs of the end times on several occasions as mentioned in Acts 1:6-7. It answers the question about the time when the kingdom will be restored to Israel.

• Jesus (p.b.u.h.) says in Acts 1:6-7, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority."

HOW IT ALL BEGAN: RELIGION/CHANGE OF QIBLAH (DIRECTION OF PRAYER)

• After the verse: The Fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qiblah to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belongs both East and West; He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight. , some Muslims were murdered by the Jewish peoples.

• Islamic Perspective: Why do Muslims believe that Jerusalem is holy to them? Well it’s because Muslims believe that Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) went on a night journey from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem, and from there he (p.b.u.h.) ascended to the heavens on an animal to see and find out what is in them.

• This is because in the Holy Book of the Muslims in Chapter 17 Al-Isra, (The Night Journey) Verse 1: God (Allah) says: “Glory to (Allah) Who did take His Servant for Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless― in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the one Who heareth and seeth (all things).” (1) –Taken from http://www.quranexplorer.com/Quran/Default.aspx

• What the above Verse means is that when God blessed the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) with special gifts, he decided that he might show him (p.b.u.h.) some of his Signs. Because Muslims believe that God is the one who sees and hears all things.

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THE REIGN OF THE SECOND CALIPH: UMAR IBN-AL KHATTAB (MAY GOD BE PLEASED WITH HIM)

• During the reign of the Second Caliph, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May God be pleased with him), there was a conversation between him and a Jew by the name of Ka’ab who lived during the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) but did not convert until his death. Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal narrated a conversation between Omar (May God be pleased with him) and Ka’ab El Ahbar, a convert Jew who lived during the days of the Prophet but had not converted until his death. In this conversation that goes on the Temple Mount Omar (May God be pleased with him) consults Ka’ab about the best place to build a mosque over the Mount, Ka’ab suggested that mosque would fit the best behind the Rock. ”…so that all Jerusalem would be before you.” Omar (May God be pleased with him) declined. He replied, “You correspond to Judaism!”18 –Taken from http://www.godsholymountain.org/papers/bayt.pdf

• What this means is that the Rock has nothing to do with Islam whatsoever. The Caliph denied when Ka’ab suggested that the mosque (Masjid) would fit the best behind the rock because he (Ka’ab) corresponed to Judaism.

The Dome of the Rock (Baitul Maqdis) is one of the many sites in Jerusalem and also the third holiest site in Islam after the Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)’s mosque in Medina.