Quote:
Originally posted by Bleeding Red@Nov 5 2004, 04:07 PM
I also have not seen any declaration from the Palestinians that they are desendants of the Canaanites, Jezubites, Hittites.
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They believe, like all Arabs, that they are a decendent of Ishmael - Abraham's 1st son. God told Abraham that he would have a son who would take his people to the promised land. Abraham's first son (Ishmael) was born to a servant of Abraham (perfectly legal in ancient Hebrew culture). This is who Muslims see as fulfilling the prophecy. Jews on the other hand, because they are matriarchal in their beliefs, feel that Isaac (the 2nd son, born to Sarah - Abraham's wife) is the legitimate one.
http://www.wwwtests7.com/Documents/Bible_P..._and_Ismael.htm
http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/sacrifice.htm
If you want to go by religion, Muslims and Jews have an equal claim to Israel. If you want to look at it more politically, there are also 2 sides that deserve equal consideration. Muslims, many of whom are direct ancestors to the pre-Islam occupants (Jews and pagans) of the region, occupied the area consistently, while up until the 20th century, there were was only a small population (about 10,000) Jews living in the area. Most of the Jews who returned were Europeanized, and conflicted with the middle eastern cultures of the area. It would be like if Aryans returned to India and Iran today. Well, maybe not AS drastic, but you get the picture. On the other hand, many Arabs, like the Jews, came rushing back when zionists started buying land. So really, they were doing the same thing.
BTW, I am pretty sure I have read that many Palestinians do claim to be direct decendents of the Philistines.
And just to be clear. I totally believe in Israel's right to exist. Regardless of the country's origin, they are there now and that is the most important issue I believe. I do however feel that the Palestinians were given a raw deal and don't blame them for not accepting the terms for a state in 1947. In hind site, they should have because they lost their cause a long time ago, and now with the resources they are left, they will never be able to have an independent state unless Israel and Jordan cooperate to help them - which is unlikely.