Truth About Palestine (Updated)

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Much of this article was previously published in March of 2017. It still resonates with truth and is even more pertinent today due to the current crisis in the Middle East. Those who, without hesitation, support Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations, do so because they refuse to see the truth. Instead, they prefer lies, that the so-called “Palestinian” people are the real downtrodden people, kept down by Israel.

It bears repeating often regarding Palestine and the so-called “Palestinians” that the entire thing is a construct by those opposed to God and His agenda, though God will certainly win the day. What is clear today is that those who constantly push a two-state solution in Israel have no real understanding of the facts involved. Instead they go by “feelz,” which results in them believing the lie that “Palestinians” need their own homeland “returned” to them.

First and foremost, people referred to as “Palestinians” are simply Arabs. It is important to understand that going back to the Old Testament days, a group of people known as Philistines inhabited that area of Land. However, that area was part of the land that God gave to Abraham’s descendants. Why? Because the Philistines, like virtually every other culture then had become a stench to God’s nostrils (figuratively speaking). Because of the sin and corruption evidenced by the people living throughout the Land that God had earmarked for Israel, God’s intent was to use the nation of Israel to root those other cultures/groups out and/or destroy them from the Land.

What people do not understand (because they do not believe in God or in His Word), is that this earth belongs to God (while it only appears that Satan controls it). God, as Maker of heaven and earth and everything that is encompassed in His Creation, has the right to do whatever He chooses with any portion of this earth.

A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. – Psalm 24:1 KJV

People opposed to God and His purposes have been deceived into believing the following lies:

1. Israel no longer has any claim on “Palestinian” Land
2. “Palestinians” have the right to at least some of that Land
3. “Palestinians” are a people who have been badly mistreated by Israel
4. “Palestinians” must share in any solution to the Middle East peace process

In 1948 when the UN gave “permission” for Israel to once again become a nation, at that same time, a two-state solution was offered to Arabs then (in 1948). It was roundly rejected by Arabs. [1] In fact, Arabs there have always refused a state [2] making it clear they are not interested in a two-state solution at all, but prefer Israel and all Jews to be ousted from that area of the world. The belief that they actually want a two-state solution is propaganda. Even if they got it, they would not be satisfied with it.

As everyone knows, since 1948, there have been constant conflicts and problems in the Middle East with the many Arab nations surrounding Israel continuing to create problems for Israel through shellings, bombings, and other attacks. Things came to a head in 1967 with the Six-Day War, in which Arab nations attacked Israel without provocation on the Sabbath (that’s the normal M.O.; to attack on the Sabbath). While it appeared that Israel was losing, within a week or so, Israel gained the upper hand, turned things around and won that battle. Because of it, Israel gained even more land than she had been given in 1948. Spoils of war.

Immediately, the Arab nations cried foul and demanded their land be returned to them, though they had attacked Israel first. Israel has acquiesced on numerous occasions over the years, releasing land legally captured during war back to Arabs. This is something no Arab nation would have done had things been reversed.

But let’s zero in on the “Palestinians,” a people that are believed to have a claim on the land of Palestine. In reality, there has never been a culture or nation known as Palestine. There has never been a duly elected president or PM over Palestine. There has never been a specific Palestinian currency, culture or language.

In the Old Testament, that area of land was referred to as Canaan. Decades ago, anyone living in Palestine – Jew or Gentile (Arab) was simply called a “Palestinian” because they resided in Palestine.

So one might ask how the Arab people living in Palestine got the name “Palestinian” to the exclusion of everyone else, especially Jews? We can thank Yassar Arafat for co-opting the name “Palestinian” and applying it only to Arab people living in Palestine.

The 1948 Israeli War of Independence was between the neighboring Arab countries and the newly formed state of Israel. The Arab countries did not send troops to help the people that are today known as ‘Palestinians’ but rather they sent troops to drive the Jews into the sea. Most of the ‘Palestinian Arabs’ fled to avoid the fighting. Remember, in 1948 they were not referred to as ‘Palestinians’. This name was created by the Soviet disinformation masters in 1964 when they created the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The term ‘Palestinian People’ as a description of Arabs in Palestine appeared for the first time in the preamble of the 1964 PLO Charter, drafted in Moscow. The Charter was affirmed by the first 422 members of the Palestinian National Council, handpicked by the KGB. This term was formally used by newspapers around the world after 1967. (Numerous links to other articles in the quote above at original site.) [3]

So because of the PLO (and allegedly Russian involvement), global attention began to focus away from Jews living in Palestine (who were also referred to as Palestinians), and solely onto Arabs living there. It was actually a tremendously successful PR ploy that has managed to stick even today with so many who have no knowledge of these events, believing that the area of Palestine belongs solely to Arabs and Jewish presence with the state of Israel has displaced these Arabs. Now, all Arabs want is their “homeland,” which is not their homeland in the first place.

Here is some interesting history I saw on a Telegram channel. I’ve not had the time to completely vet it yet, but from what I can tell, it appears accurate.

• Before Israel, there was a British Mandate, not a Palestinian state.
• Before the British Mandate, it was the Ottoman Empire, not the Palestinian State.
• Before the Ottoman Empire, there was an Islamic state of the Mamluks of Egypt, and not a Palestinian state.
• Before the Islamic State of the Mamluks of Egypt, there was an Ayyubid Empire, not a Palestinian state. Geoffrey IV of Boulogne, known as Godfrey de Bouillon, conqueror of Jerusalem in 1099
• Before the Ayyubid Empire, there was a Franc and Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem, not a Palestinian state.
• Before the Kingdom of Jerusalem, there were the Umayyad and Fatimid empires, not the Palestinian state.
• Before the Umayyad and Fatimid empires, there was the Byzantine Empire, not the Palestinian State.
• Before the Byzantine Empire, there was the Roman Empire, not the Palestinian State.
• Before the Roman Empire, there was a Hasmonean state, not a Palestinian state.
• Before the Hasmonean state there was a Seleucid state, not a Palestinian state.
• Before the Seleucid Empire, there was the Empire of Alexander the Great, not the Palestinian State.
• Before the empire of Alexander the Great, there was the Persian Empire, not the Palestinian state.
• Before the Persian Empire, there was the Babylonian Empire, not the Palestinian State.
• Before the Babylonian Empire, there were the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, not the Palestinian state.
• Before the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, there was the Kingdom of Israel, not the Palestinian state.
• Before the Kingdom of Israel, there was a theocracy of the twelve tribes of Israel, not a Palestinian state.
• Before the theocracy of the twelve tribes of Israel, there was an agglomeration of independent Canaanite city-kingdoms, not a Palestinian state.
• In fact, there was everything on the area of “Palestine” EXCEPT THE PALESTINIAN STATE.’

As noted at the beginning of this article, the people who were a heavy presence in the area of Palestine centuries ago were called Philistines. You’ll recall Samson and Delilah? Samson spent his years as a judge in Israel fighting a continuing battle against the Philistines (Judges 16 and following).

Ultimately, the Philistine people became extinct. Though Arabs try to link themselves back to the Philistines, there is no connection at all. However, it was way back in AD 60 when Judah lost its independence to Rome that the name “Palestine” started to be used to help move things away from any connection with Israel or Jews there. This is when things began to move away from Israel having Palestine as part of her territory.

It wasn’t until the 7th century that Muslims actually went to that area during the time the Crusades and pushed the Crusaders out in defeat. Many centuries later, during the Ottoman Empire (Muslim caliphate), Muslims captured that area of the world and held it until 1917. Even then Jews were invited and/or allowed to remain.

The truth is that the people called “Palestinians” are a construct, a PR creation to advance an ideology and narrative that deposes Israel and Jews living in the Middle East. It is also important to understand why Israel continues to exist and the plans God has for Israel’s future. For a detailed explanation of this, please refer to the 10-part series on the Millennial Kingdom. [4]

Christians should certainly support the state of Israel, but NOT because Jews today are somehow supporting God’s plan, but because of what God is doing and plans on doing in and through Israel in the future. Most Jews today need salvation and like Gentiles, those who reject that salvation until their death, will faced God in judgment and a terrible eternity.

We are living in the days when God is moving, when He seems to be moving to fulfill His covenant promises with Israel. As we read in Ezekiel numerous times, God will fulfill His promises not for Israel’s sake, but for the sake of His holy Name (cf. Ezekiel 20:14; 36:22, see also Isaiah 48:9-11; 49:3; 2 Kings 19:34; etc.).

We would do well to remember that God is in charge. If we focus too much on human beings and events created by people, we may find ourselves losing hope. Our focus should be on God, His purposes and plans, and His ability to bring those plans to complete fruition in spite of what puny man thinks he can accomplish.

God is sovereign. He acts of His own volition and needs no one’s council. He fulfills the promises He makes and He does so all for the sake of His holy Name. Let us never forget that and in fact, may we be in awe of it.

[1] http://www.targetofopportunity.com/palestinian_truth.htm

[2] https://www.algemeiner.com/2014/02/18/palestinian-arabs-the-people-who-always-refuse-a-state/

[3] http://www.targetofopportunity.com/palestinian_truth.htm

[4] https://studygrowknowblog.com/2016/12/20/what-can-we-expect-during-the-millennium-part-1/

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective