Weaponizing History: How Historical Disparities in Jerusalem Create Conflict.

Archeological excavations that provide genetic link between Jews and ancient Canaanites
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    In my readings of Jerusalem: One City Three Faiths this week, a common theme that stuck out to me was the disparity between biblical and archaeological history; specifically, in relation to the origin of the Jewish population in Jerusalem.  The Hebrew Bible details the origin of the Jewish occupation of Canaan as a fiery invasion and reclamation of land led by Joshua. After escaping slavery in Egypt and claiming that Yahweh had promised them Canaan as their holy land, in 1200 BCE the Jews invaded the city and conquered all but the Jebusites. According to this series of events, Jews simply reclaimed land that they were entitled to not only by God but also because they had originally occupied Canaan before their migration to Egypt. 

However, Armstrong details a rising disparity between this long believed narrative of foreign invasion, and recent archeological evidence found in the area. According to some archeologists “there is no sign of any foreign invasion” and it is possible that Israel may have “emerged peacefully and gradually from within Canaanite society,” (Armstrong 22, 23). This new theory, which aligns with Palestinian views, suggests that Jews originated from outcasted Canaanites who created their own culture in the highlands, which eventually became Israel. However, with this evidence, why are Jews and the Hebrew Bible so adamant that Israelites were invading outsiders reclaiming their land from Arab Canaanites? 

This is because this origin is not only central to the culture and identity of Judaism, but in some instances, it gives Zionist Jews a moral and historical justification for their cause. For example, with this belief in mind, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is “the national state, not of all its citizens, but only of the Jewish people” (Chappell and Estrin). This weaponization of history in order to justify possibly racist actions or beliefs is a common tactic in the historical and political conflicts of Jerusalem. Both Jewish and Palestinians alike are guilty of writing, or even rewriting, history in a way that affirms beliefs or prejudices they hold against one another. 

Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu (left) and Palestinian politician Erekat (right)
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Whether it be Netanyahu falsely claiming that Palestinians were responsible for convincing Hitler to enact mass genocide on Jews, or Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat claiming that Israel massacred 500 innocent Palestinian refugees in Jenin, history and how it is presented plays an extremely important role in the validating the conflicts within Jerusalem (Botelho; “UN Report Rejects Claims of Jenin Massacre”). Even today amid the Israel-Palestine war, disputes about history, both current and biblical, underlie many of the problems that disconnect the Jewish and Palestinian populations and ultimately lead to their conflicts. Much like the contradictory nature between archaeological backed and biblically backed stories of Jewish origination in Canaan, it seems as though both sides of modern conflict in Jerusalem arise from an unwillingness to depart from a belief that resonates with one’s own views, despite evidence. 

Works Cited

Botelho, Greg. “Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Criticized for Saying Holocaust Was Mufti’s Idea, Not Hitler’s.” CNN, 21 Oct. 2015, www.cnn.com/2015/10/21/middleeast/netanyahu-hitler-grand-mufti-holocaust/index.html. Accessed 26 Jan. 2024.

Chappell, Bill, and Daniel Estrin. “Netanyahu Says Israel Is ‘Nation-State of the Jewish People and Them Alone.’” NPR.org, 11 Mar. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/03/11/702264118/netanyahu-says-israel-is-nation-state-of-the-jewish-people-and-them-alone.

Kaiser, David. “What Hitler and the Grand Mufti Really Said.” Times, 22 Oct. 2015, time.com/4084301/hitler-grand-mufi-1941/.

“UN Report Rejects Claims of Jenin Massacre.” The Guardian, 1 Aug. 2002, www.theguardian.com/world/2002/aug/01/israel. Accessed 26 Jan. 2024.