Or was this just a nameless area that was being watched over by the League of Nations!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>History> Was there an official country called Palestine before they formed Israel?Question: Was there an official country called Palestine before they formed Israel!? Or was this just a nameless area that was being watched over by the League of Nations!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: All the territory encompassed by modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel was a province of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) for several hundred years through the end of WWI!. The provincial capital was at Damascus, an ancient city and today the capital of Syria!. Almost all the land in the area was owned by absentee landlords in Turkey or Damascus, and the local Arabs (who are today referred to as "Palestinians" for political reasons) were tenant farmers!. Zionist settlers began returning to Palestine about 1850, and purchasing land from the absentee landlords!. The Ottoman Empire entered WWI on the side of the Central Powers (Germany et al) and lost!. The British had promised the Jews a homeland in Palestine in the "Balfour Declaration" in 1917!. The British wanted the support of the Zionists in the war, and a Jewish Brigade fought with the British Army against the Turks!. Meanwhile a British Army officer, T!. E!. Lawrence, had also promised some of the Arabs that they would have a new Arab nation in the middle east, making Palestine the "twice promised land"!. Lawrence was trying to get the Arabs to revolt and attack the Turkish Army, to assist in the general effort against the Central Powers!. They did eventually attack a railroad south of Damascus - not the main one but one which ran an inland route!. In return for this somewhat marginal assistance the Arabs got the newly created nations of Iraq and Saudi Arabia, carved from former Ottoman provinces!. Meanwhile, Britain and France had entered into the secret "Sykes-Picot Agreement" to divide the rest of the middle east between them, with France to get modern Syria and Lebanon, and the UK to get Palestine and the Trans Jordan (today's Israel and Jordan)!. France and the UK were able to engineer this result at the Versailles Peace Conference after WWI, and each got the "Mandates" in the areas they had agreed upon!. A "Mandate" was not an official colony, it was more of a trust territory, the theory being that it was to be administered by the country receiving the Mandate for the benefit of the inhabitants!. Britain continued to administer this Mandate until the modern nation of Israel was created under UN auspices in 1948!. Jordan was created at the same time!. Harry Truman had a lot to do with forcing the issue and insisting that the Jews be given a homeland in Israel!. This was an idea resisted by the British, perhaps better suited from their long presence in the area to gauge probable Arab reaction!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The name Palestine refers to the Roman name used during Roman occupation!. The area since 69 AD has always been occupied by others, most recently the Ottoman Empire!. Palestine is the Roman name for "Phillistine" which is not all the people in the region, but rather the enemy of the Israelites!. Who we call Palestinians are a mix of people but they are all Arab!. They also have "claim" to the Right Bank of the Hashemite Kingdom as well as the Left Bank!. There have also always been Jews in that part of the world!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Palestine was never an independent state it was a province of the Roman Empire and later part of the Syrian province of the Ottoman Empire!. However that fact does not excuse the murder of Palestinians by jews and the confiscation of Palestinian land belonging to christians and muslims to form a new religious state in which other faiths are suppressed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The area was part of 'Ottoman Empire', which ultimately becomes British colony, and Britain takes control under the Mandate for Palestine!. Yes the area generally was called Palestine, however this term was broadly used by Romans after they ruthlessly suppressed Jewish revolt!. The name is derived from 'Philistine' a group of inhabitants living in the area, who biblically are foes of Israelite tribes among others!. It is philistines that David subdued hence forming 'Kingdom Of Israel' (Facts solely based on biblically history)!. Before Palestine the area was called Judea, after 'Judah'!. There are some implications usually political, that as there was NO specific inhabitants named Palestine, or the term Palestine only came into existence about 2000 years ago!. Hence the control over Palestine is justified, or there should be no controversy as to how Israel was created!. That is simply misuse of terms rather inaccurate, and does not fully explain the situation, facts and scenario!. Keeping in mind most of the ancient history comes from Biblical accounts!. The land we now call Israel was taken over by Israelites, and divided between 11 of the twelve tribes, as Levites were not allowed!. However Kingdom will only be formed after King David subdues surrounding states, but keep in mind Philistines still maintained control over some states!. Thus Kingdom of Israel was formed!. After the death of King Solomon Kingdom broke into two kingdoms; ' kingdom of Israel'(incorporating 10 tribes) & Kingdom Of Judah!. About 2 centuries later Assyrians would overrun Kingdom Of Israel, the tribes are exiled, and relocated within Assyrian borders, and 10 of the 12 tribes are lost!. About three centuries later remaining Kingdom of Judah be destroyed by 'Babylonians' and the temple is destroyed!. Even when Kingdoms were independent they weren't completely independent, on many occasions they will fight invasions, and on many occasions would come under foreign rule eg Arameans, Philistines(some parts), Egyptians etc!. Babylon be conquered by Cyrus the Great & Jews are allowed to return and re-build the temple, and are allowed autonomy!. However after the destruction of Kingdom of Israel, the area would never be independent!. There is some evidence that it was called Judea!. The land would come under Greek rule & then under Romans!. It is under Roman control that Temple will be destroyed after the revolt is suppressed!. However keep in mind Jews were never the sole inhabitants in the area, they never managed to regain fully independent control!. After the Romans it would come under Byzantine Empire, when finally during the 7th century it would be conquered by Arabs/Muslims!. It would come under different dynasties, including a short period under Crusaders and then finally 'Ottomans'!. Ottoman rule finally ends after Arab revolt backed by the British, British betray the Arabs and take over!. The point is the issue is only seen through a very narrow channel, very skewed facts!. In other words it's not the interest of history but political justification sought through history!. Above, very very short and narrow narration of history is sufficient enough to refute the simplicity of the situation!. In other words the justification is Biblically it was promised to Jews, Romans name it Palestine, however there were no set of people called Palestinians, hence the whole actions are justified!. Even the history during, before and after the partition is not as simplistic!. Answering your question it wasn't a nameless area, under the Ottomans it was called 'Valayet of Jerusalem'!. British would call it Palestine!. People living there were simply called Arabs!. It was one of the most densely populated area in the middle east!. Just b/c they weren't called XYZ or Palestinians precisely does not mean there weren't people living there or that justifies any claims!. The point is not a history lesson rather point, that it is not as simple as that, and there are too many variables and facts that must be considered before any conclusion can be made!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |