Who Has Ruled Palestine Since 70CE? How Did People Fare?

Nadene Goldfoot
Our "birth certificate" was validated by the promise of the Bible.  Eretz Yisrael was not called Palestine until 135 CE when Bar Kochba lost a 3 year battle with the Romans to regain Jerusalem.  There have been many foreign rulers in what was called Palestine, but Palestine was ruled, and not even occupied.  Transient people just came and went. No country owned it after the Jews were dispersed in 70 CE.  Large communities were re-established in Jerusalem and Tiberias by the Jews in the 9th century.  In the 11th century, Jewish communities grew in Rafah, Gaza, Ashkelon, Jaffa and Caesarea.  The land remained a crossroads of trade and empire-making. It remained trampled, unloved and untended  until the Jews' return, a wasteland for 2,000 years.    

70 CE -395 Destruction of Jerusalem by Romans, Romans and Byzantine Empire Ruled (Constantinople) :
135 CE:  Romans changed name to Palaestina (thought to be after long-vanished Philistines, Aegean people, enemies of Judah) Jerusalem changed to Aelia Capitolina. Jews became minority population,  Christians majority, languages used were Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic.   Constantinope had Emperor Justinian


395-636  The Period of Ignorance(of Islam) : Population lived in a few towns on trade routes, most were nomadic tribes, land barren, uninviting, superpowers did not come into land, had garrisons for defense against nomadic tribes.
570 CE Muhammad born in Saudi Arabia
 622-Mohammad created 1st Islamic government, died 632.  Campaigning, attacking for 11 years clear to Egypt.

1037-1194-Seljuks, Turkish-Persian Empire, ruled 1,505,798 sq miles, Sultans,

Seljuk,  founded the first major Muslim Turk dynasty...which extended in various forms -- right from Ghazni in Afghanistan to Anatolia (modern Turkey), for 500 years, hero of Seljuk Turks,  was thought to have been an officer in Khazaria army (Jewish royal family) , active from 985 to 1038 when died, descendants carried on, conquered to Baghdad, guardians of the declining  Abbasid caliphate..

636-1072 Arabs :   Arabs were on both sides of Jordan River; filastin (Palestine), Urdun (Jordan).  Built Ramla for an administrative centre.  Genealogy became important to determine money Muslim Arab received. Slowly Islamizations happened, Arabic used, immigration of Arab tribes from Arabia and Egypt, con't through 7th to 20th centuries.  Sabaeans and Nabataeans traders from Arabia.    Jewish communities grew.  

1072-1099 Seljuks, Confederacy of 9 Clans carried on the dynasty, Overlapping with Arabs

1099-1291 Crusaders' Rule massacred Muslim, Jews -Christians from Europe,  Land named Kingdom of Jerusalem 30,000 Crusaders entered Godfrey named king of Jerusalem,

1291-1516 Mamluk Rule; Cairo Slave successors, Egyptian rulers, 3 districts or Mamlaka:  :  Safad, Gaza and Damascus.  Used no name for land.  Destroyed most cities and villages along coastal plain to deter foreign invaders, remained empty.

1516-1917 Ottoman Rule; Turks,  land divided into administered districts, no name for land. 17ith, 18th centuries very bad oppression, marauding Beduin tribes, rival local alliances, villages reduced, population dwindled-19th century had no more than 250,000.  Middle of 19th century Jews and Arabs started to grow. 1914 population west of Jordan 680,000 (85,000 Jewish). Sultan Suleiman.

1918-1948 British Mandate through League of Nations at end of WWI.  name used-Palestine, mandate on both sides of Jordan till Eastern side given to Arabs for Transjordan.  May 14, 1948-birth of Israel.

Resource:   facts about Israel division of Information, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem
Middle East, Past and Present by Yahya Armajani, Thomas M. Ricks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seljuk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seljuq_Empire

Facts About Israel You Should Know

by Nadene Goldfoot

Israel's Land: From 70 CE when Rome attacked Jerusalem to 1948 CE, for this 1,878 years, the Land was ruled by foreign governments and never by the people which lived in it. It's frontiers underwent changes according to the administrative interests of the ruling power. Its name was also changed by successive rulers to suit their needs.

1. Roman rule: 70 CE-395- changed name to Palaestina (for Philistines)-Jerusalem to Aelie Capitolina

2. Byzantine rule: 395 to 636

3. Arab rule: 636-1072

4. Seijuk rule: 1072-1099

5. Crusaders' Rule: 1099-1291

6.Mamluk Rule: 1291-1516

7. Ottoman Rule 1516-1917 up to WWI which they lost, thus Britain held mandate

8.British Rule: 1918-1948 (1922 they divided in Palestine West of Jordan and Transjordan on East of Jordan-breaking promise to Israel's leaders.

9. Israel was born: May 1948

Six-Day War: when Israel was attacked by all the Arab countries and the Israel Defence Forces defeated the massed Arab armies which menaced Israel's frontiers. This caused Israel to administer four areas.

The West Bank: Original name-Judaea and Samaria-known as the West Bank of the Jordan) Had been until 1948 part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Between 1948-1967 it was ruled by Jordan, which annexed it in 1950.

Gaza Strip: Had been until 1948, part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Between 1948-1967 (with a brief interruption in 1956-7, following the Sinai War, it was administered by an Egyptian Military Government. It was not annexed by Egypt.

The Sinai Desert: Was, until 1967, under Egyptian administration.

The Golan Heights: Until 1967, were under Syrian administration.

East Jerusalem was reunified by Israel in June 1967 with West Jerusalem.

Modern Israel has never known permanent boundaries. Until 1967, boundaries consisted of temporary armistice lines, agreed upon in 1949. Since 1967 and waiting for a peace settlement, cease-fire lines demarcate the area under Israeli control. Most of the urban regions of Israel are less than two hours away from the nearest cease-fire lines. Before 1967, the armistice lines bisected Jerusalem and were twenty minutes away from Tel Aviv. Peace has never really come. Arabs keep trying to overcome Israel.

Today I see people arguing about who Israel belongs to, and I don't think they've ever opened a book to check out facts. Israel bought land from absent Arab landowners who were living abroad in Europe at very high prices. They also were created by the United Nations in 1948, and became a very legal state. That unfortunately didn't stop the Arab nations who had no respect for legalities, and still don't as they continue to attack the very tiny state. I'd like to think that we have help from Ha-Shem (G-d) in this miraculous endeavor. Never again do we want to lose this extremely important piece of land that we were guided to.

I feel that this hatred of the Arabs stems from us not converting to the Muslim religion as they thought we would. They were converting by the sword when people didn't come along with them. We've endured many peoples who have tried to convert us, and we have remained steadfast in our convictions. This did not please the Arab nations at all. When we lived in Arab countries we were treated as 2nd class citizens because of it. We have never been equals. However, this was better treatment than being rounded up and slaughtered as happened inthe WWII.

Resource: Facts About Israel from Division of Information, ministry for foreign affairs, Jerusalem. 1973.