Today we frequently hear the cry for Human rights. Consider Israel’s Rights.
The state of Israel has had continual condemnation in the UN while the Arabs receive no condemnation despite having begun four wars against Israel and maintained frequent aggression against the country since 1948, with the the cry that they wish to destroy the nation and drive the Jews into the sea. Palestinians / Filastines with a state in Gaza and a quasi-state in the 'PA', have launched many attacks, adhering to the PLO goal to 'liberate' all of the land from Jews.
Israel was a nation for over 2,000 years until overthrown by the Romans in AD70. The Latin name “Palaestina” was applied by the Roman Empire to Israel (AD 135) in an attempt to eradicate Jewish identification with Israel. Jews have had a continual presence in their Holy Land and by the 9th century AD large Jewish communities were established in Jerusalem and Tiberius, but the land was dominated by a succession of invaders: Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks and the Ottoman Turkish) Empire.
Following WW1 and the centuries of persecution of and displacement of Jews from many countries the Jews received the right from the allied great powers (not just Britain) to settle in their ancient homeland. The final fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1917 led to the League of Nations in 1922 giving Britain the oversight of Jews legal right to settle in their ancient homeland in the former Ottoman Empire.
The Turks and previous invaders of this land known as “Palestine” had left the land a complete desolation and wasteland. Well known writers as visitors to Palestine in the 19th century give testimony to this.
Consider the first hand accounts of these travellers to the land in the 19th century.
In 1835 Alphonse de Lamartine wrote that “Outside the city of Jerusalem we saw no living object, heard no living sound...a complete eternal silence reigns in the town, in the highways, in the country.”
In 1844 William Makepeace Thackeray wrote, “The district is quite deserted...you ride among what seem to be so many petrified waterfalls. We saw no animals...scarcely a dozen little birds in the whole course of the ride”.
In 1867 Mark Twain wrote: “A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace...hardly a tree or shrub anywhere....of all lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince...sorrowful and despondent”. Another descibed the land as “denuded, desertified, depopulated, barren, a desolate wasteland”
Then see the evidence Tiberias, 1862 Tberias viewed from the shores of the Sea of Galilee. One is struck by the desolation and piles of ruins left by the earthquake of 1837 which destroyed the town. That is in 1862 there was only ruins in Tiberias. eretzyisroel.org
The League of Nations accepted the recommendations of the Balfour Declaration.1917.
The Balfour Declaration 1917 made certain provisions regarding the “ Palestinian Jewish State “:
“that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of
existing non Jewish communities in Palestine”.
The Declaration makes it clear that all of Palestine was to be a Jewish state, that had to maintain civil and religious rights for non Jewish communities in the land. Following the Declaration Britain received the mandate over Palestine and subsequently gave France the Golan Heights, and created a state for Arabs east of the Jordan which was known as Trans-Jordan and Egypt was given Sinai. The surrounding Arab states for the next three decades attempted to drive out the Jews and Britain expelled Jews from Trans-Jordan.
On the 27th November 1947 by the votes of the nations, the United Nations agreed to the partition of the Mandate for a Jewish state, with only 18% of the original Mandate for the “Jewish State” . The surrounding 7 Arab states prepared for war to destroy the Jews and drive them into the sea. In May 1948 the Jews proclaimed their state of Israel. The Arabs invaded, with overwhelming numbers the fledgling state, which was poorly equipped . Only a couple of nations supplied Israel with any weapns or assistance. The 1948 War saw Israel achieve a miraculous victory. It is to be noted that the British helped Trans-jJrdan to invade the West Bank and seize Jerusalem to create “Jordan”.
How does Israel stand in regard to the Balfour Declaration? Consider Palestine in 1948
In 1948 following 400 years of Ottoman neglect, Palestine was a downtrodden wasteland into which came Jewish refugees, including many orphans, out of persecution and the Holocaust. They were from many countries and languages. Those already living in the new state of Israel included earlier Jewish refugees of the 19th century, from persecution in Russia and Europe. Local Arabs were mainly recent immigrants from Syria (eg Abbas’ family), Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt (eg Arafat’s family), encouraged by work opportunities created by the Jews. Added to these were Arabs, who had not fled in 1948, (almost 40% were Christians). It is clear that there was no major population of what could be called Palestinians. It consisted of displaced people from many areas and included a mix of religions and nationalities.
Israel’s Development 1948-1960
A book written and published in 1959-60 by L.F Rushbrook Williams, Fellow of All Saints College, Oxford, and “Introducing Israel” (1962) by Joan Comay, both give first hand accounts of the impressive developments in Israel in the first 12 years of its existence. Both writers reported the following in extensive detail from their observations in Israel.
Both authors describe a transformed landscape and lifestyle for the new state of Israel. A Democracy, with Arabs having full political rights, was in place. with no discrimination regarding race or religion. Local councils existed and in the Fifth Knesset, elected on the 15th August 1961 there were 7 Arabs out of the 120 members.
Those already living in the new state of Israel included earlier Jewish refugees of the nineteenth century, from persecution in Russia and Europe. Local Arabs were mainly recent immigrants from Syria (eg Abbas’ family), Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt (eg Arafat’s family). Added to these were Arabs, who had not fled in 1948, (almost 40% were Christians), other Christians, Druzes, Bedouins and Muslims, placed there by Turkey from Eastern Europe. There were none called Palestinians. The Arab population had increased under a family reunion scheme and by infiltrators who were allowed to remain.
For all citizens, including Arabs, Christians and Bedouins, the economic situation was greatly improved with modern farming methods for all communities. 80% of Arabs owned the soil that they tilled and their farms flourished. Arab and Jewish wage scales were being equated at a level unknown anywhere else in the Middle East. A revolution had taken place in the education of Arab children, including girls, at all levels. In 1960 over 100 Arab students were at the University and Haifa Technion. The teaching of Hebrew in the schools, aimed at equality in job opportunity. Arab villages were included in the network of health and social welfare services. Issues of marriage and divorce were dealt with by the religious laws of each faith and administered by their own courts. There were new buildings,better housing, a well run clean air port, drained swamps, trees planted and Jewish and Arab children, now wearing shoes The Bedouins had a good water supply and their children an education. A forsaken desolated wilderness transformed into the only Middle Eastern Democracy, which was to see Arab aggression and wars begun by surrounding Arab nations, intent on destroying the fledgling nation and driving the “Jews into the sea.”
From 1948 to 1960, Israel’s development was remarkable and surely miraculous. With only 18% of the original Mandate, Israel fulfilled the conditions of the Balfour Declaration. The Arabs have at least 4 states to the detriment of ancient Christian communities but Israel had ctreated a democratic state that was unique in the Midle East.
When the Arabs attacked Israel in 1967 Israel which had had no access to Jerusalem gained control of its ancient capital Jerusalem.
HUMAN RIGHTS. Doesn’t Israel have its Rights to exist given its history and achievements?
Anti-Semitism is among Western nations. Many Jews in Europe live with serious security concerns. Many Jews will be compelled to leave Europe and other countries. Where can they go to escape persecution? The prophets of Israel have made it clear, “They will dwell safely on the mountains of Israel”, that is Judea and Samaria. (Ezekiel 38)
Now we see that President Trump has announced that Israel has rights to sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Opponents say that the capture of the Golan by Israel in war in 1967 was illegal. Was it? Britain carved up the Mandate giving France the Golan Heights. Was that Legal? Trans-Jordan seized the West Bank from the Jews during the 1948 War. How legal was that? Israel has suffered the loss of its rightful ancient lands. We hear much of Human Rights today why doesn’t it apply to Israel?
The Jews have kept a detailed written history which includes the original settlements of the Jews and the occupation their ancient land.
Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs: (I Chronicles 6:71 [KJV]) see also Deut. 4:43, Joshua 20:8, Joshua 21:27.
Until a more honest view of history and a close look at the betrayal of the Jews by the nations in regard to the implementation of the “Palestinian Jewish State “ there will be no Human Rights for people of Israel.
