Some historians dub the “Arab Revolt” as the start of Western interference in the Middle East Conflict. This had its beginnings in 1936 when the Arabs living in the Palestine Region at that time, revolted against British rule, (specifically against the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine).

Since the Middle East Conflict broke over 60 years ago, it is now mainly known as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But which conflict is it? – What we knew as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, looks more today like the Arab-Israel, Palestinian – Israeli, Muslim versus the West, Arab people versus the Jews of Palestine and Israel-Conflict. Does this sound confusing to you? It is confusing- so is the history, and so is the current crises. How do we understand the changing nature of Middle East Conflict in a reasonable way that lends itself to comprehension?

First, a brief overview could go along way towards that end. Judea, ancient home of the Jews, was conquered by the Romans and renamed Palestine around A.D.135. But long before the region became known as Palestine (Palestrina originally), the area had been inhabited continually for tens of thousand of years. Later the Romans were conquered by the Arab people, who then inhabited the region for a thousand years.

The Jews claim that God gave to them the “Land of Canaan” as their inheritance. But Amorites, Canaanites, and Semitic peoples had been there since around 2000 B.C. They would, of course dispute the claims of the Jews. What about after the Romans were conquered? Does a thousand years of Arab occupancy cause a land to belong to that people? I wonder how certain Americans would respond to that question if they consider whose land the United States truly is after less than 300 years of our having occupied it?

Many accounts of history are written with the intention of convincing rather than informing (I wonder where “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” fits into this picture). It has been History’s legacy to create divisive issues between Palestinians and Israelis. These issues have evolved to include a diverse list of participants such as Iran, Iraq, UAE, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia- among others. It’s no wonder that the Middle East Conflict continues to frustrate world leaders all across the globe.

It is possible that the crux of the matter in the Middle East Conflict is history, and the different perceptions of history? Interpreting historical accounts in different ways is only natural, perhaps, but the concern here is where these different accounts of history are used to justify. “Justify” can be a cruel word if it means that someone has to win and someone has to loose. In this case, someone means many millions of Jews and Palestinians. They both live in the land and have divergent national directives. Who is to have sovereignty when both peoples need and deserve self-determination? And the Middle East Conflict goes on.

It may be an act of providence that some world leaders (including our own) are talking about a two-state resolution to the Middle East Conflict. It stands to reason that two people- Palestinians and Jews- living side-by- in peace is the only direction that leads away from the current cycle of violence and hatred which stems not only from 1948, but goes back much, much further. Perhaps time will tell-and History will be written for the good of all people.

The Land and People of Free Palestine

Many of the Palestinians of the Middle East consider the region of Palestine to be “occupied” and renamed as Israel. To them it is the land of Free Palestine. They are the indigenous people of this ancient land. Human remains have been found there dating back to 600,000 B.C.! In Jericho, the earliest communities date back many thousands of years in the place once known as the land of Canaan. Free Palestine lies on the western side of Asia. The country is bordered by Lebanon and Syria. On the west side of Palestine lays the Mediterranean Sea. Jordan lies to the East and the Gulf of Aqaba and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula to the south. It is populated by a people who are mostly Muslims, yet are religiously diverse to include Christian, Jewish, and Druze neighbors. Most Palestinians are multi-lingual. They speak English, Hebrew and French. Arabic is the official language.

Today the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is what defines the situation for the people of Free Palestine. This issue is volatile. No other single issue has ever generated more United Nations resolutions than this one. Indeed, this struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians is one of the most explosive and long lasting conflicts in all of history. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War One, Palestine came under western occupation as a result of a “Mandate” of British design. This mandate imposed political and geographical controls over a region that had not seen such things for more than 2.000 years. The resulting political upheaval gave rise to the Palestine Liberation Organization or the PLO. The PLO has been internationally recognized by most governments since 1974. Israel, the United States and some of its allies do not recognize the PLO as a legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. These discrepancies are the source of much political unrest in the region of Free Palestine.

“Hopeful” could be the word to describe the future of Free Palestine. Since the Gulf War ended in 1991, the United States, the worlds remaining super power, has become more determined to manage a comprehensive peace process in the region. The effort was spear-headed by then Secretary of State James Baker and culminated in the 1991 Madrid peace conference. These and other events such as the Oslo Accords (September, 13, 1993) give hope to Free Palestine and help to solidify relationships among Israelis, the surrounding Arab states and the representatives of the Palestinians living on the West Bank. The exact point in time when Palestine first became home for the architects of civilization is not known. The possibility of seeing the evolution of that civilization create peace in the very place of its origins, generates allot of hope in the hearts and minds of all the peoples of the earth. Are the obstacles that the Palestinian people face in their struggle for freedom, within humanity’s ability to solve? I hope so. Wouldn’t it be a boon to our children and their children if we saw this happen in our life times!