Guys I saw this online.
Don't argue blindly. Always search for facts.

It's a long read but you will be well informed.

Looking at the geographical and geopolitical landscape in the twenty-first century, the Land of Israel before 1948 is almost unrecognizable

When we see modern-day Israel – an ultra-modern country of more than 9 million citizens – it is often difficult to conceptualize what the country was like before 1948. Looking at the skylines of many of Israel’s cities, with gleaming, shiny multi-story office blocks, apartment buildings – and increasingly skyscrapers (at least in Tel Aviv), the geographical landscape is utterly unrecognizable.

The changes and differences, however, do not end there. Before David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, announced Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948, 600,000 Jews lived in the land. According to estimates, approximately one-fifth – or up to 120,000 Jews were living in Jerusalem – the newly-declared capital of the nascent state. Approximately 2,000 Jews lived within Jerusalem’s 500-year-old city walls – as they had done for legitimately centuries – certainly since the return from exile in Babylon in the 6th century BCE.


Outside of Jerusalem, Jews were widely dispersed across Mandate Palestine. Approximately half of the remaining 480,000 Jews living in the country – 244,000 people – lived in the Tel Aviv area. The city’s first Jewish neighborhood – Neve Tzedek – was only established in 1887, the result of a lottery of an initial 60 families; and a need for space in Jaffa, a majority Arab town at the time. Tel Aviv itself was established in 1909. Prior to the civil war between Palestine’s Jews and Arabs in 1947-48 and then the international conflict that followed Israel’s Declaration of Independence, the land was sparsely populated.

Israel Zangwill, a Jewish British novelist and playwright (and someone deeply involved in the women’s rights movement, wrote a series of articles early in his career, in which he described Palestine as “a wilderness… a stony desolation… a deserted home” and a land that had “gone to ruin.”

A popular view of the country at the time was that Palestine was a “land without a people, waiting for a people without a land.” That is not entirely accurate – as there were obviously people populating Palestine, but they were not organized in a way that even gave the impression of a functioning country. It was an administrative backwater of the rapidly crumbling Ottoman Empire, which ruled the region for 400 years and did barely anything to develop it.

The Arabs in the Holy Land
But what of the local Arab population?


By the end of Ottoman rule, there were several thousand living in Jerusalem, and as for the rest – for the most part, they were widely dispersed – mostly in villages and small towns – throughout Judea and Samaria and the Galilee. During the Ottoman period, most lived as tenant farmers in a somewhat feudal system with landowners, but some lived in towns such as Gaza, Hebron, Haifa and elsewhere.

At the end of the 19th century there were stirrings of Arab nationalism, which included wealthier Palestinian Arabs urging Turkish authorities not to allow Jewish refugees and pioneers from settling in the country.

One of the most vexing questions – or issues – today, is the notion that somehow all Palestinian Arabs were unceremoniously expelled from their land – or at the very least denied appropriate remuneration for it. That is simply not the case. It was only in 1856 that the Ottomans had passed a law allowing foreigners to buy land in the empire under the tanzimat reforms, which were a belated and somewhat half-hearted attempt at permitting people to feel part of the state by giving them rights.

By 1881, the Ottomans began banning land purchases by Jews and Christians, also declaring that Jews were still permitted to immigrate to the Ottoman Empire – but with the exception of Palestine. As with so many functions of Turkish rule, official declarations made in Constantinople, were much diluted when it came to Palestine.

The legal path to Jewish acquisition of land in Palestine remained open, and the Yishuv made the most of the opportunity. Arabs were willing to sell to wealthy Jews – such as Moses Montefiore or Baron Edmond de Rothschild – often at inflated prices. The Jewish National Fund was also able to purchase large tracts of land from the Ottomans and much of this was utilized by an enduring legacy of the Second Aliyah (1904-1914); namely the kibbutz movement. The records for those who would wish to open their eyes to see them are clear.

Palestine’s main port was Jaffa, the major point of entry in the Land of Israel before 1948. In the late 1920s, the British developed Haifa as a deep-sea port, attempting to take advantage of the oil found in Persia prior to the outbreak of World War I.

It seems ironic now that the Arab Revolt between 1936-1939 – a violent nationalist Palestinian Arab uprising, in part to protest growing Jewish immigration – led to the development of Tel Aviv as a port. The use of Jaffa was considered too precarious, and an effort to effect systemic change in the country, not for the first time, backfired massively on those it was intended to help. Palestine’s Jews meanwhile, continued to build the infrastructure of a potential state, acquiring land, investing in water technology, continuing to develop the Hebrew language and attempting to create a civic society that would be essential in the future.

The civic society of the Jewish part of Mandate Palestine, known as the Yishuv, included functioning quasi-governmental institutions. The Yishuv’s position was complex – it had to grapple constantly with fluctuating fortunes with regard to the British and their attempts to play Palestinian Arabs and Jews against each other.

A crucial moment arrived in November 1917 with the Balfour Declaration; a hard-won acknowledgment, from an imperial superpower, of the Jews’ long historical connection to the Land of Israel and which, despite its (possibly deliberate) ambiguity, seemed to guarantee a homeland for the Jewish people. Other imperial powers also discussed the fate of Yishuv, particularly in April 1920 in the Italian town of San Remo. Britain, France, Italy and Japan convened to discuss the division of the land that had been held by the Ottoman Empire.

Palestinian Arabs were infuriated that as a result of this, the Jews would have a national home in Palestine. Their response – as was so often the case – and in a pattern that has repeated for more than a century – was to react with violence. The riots in Jaffa in 1921 began to see a more coordinated Jewish defense, manifested in the creation of the Haganah.

In 1922, the Yishuv was dealt a further blow as Winston Churchill, who had until then been seen as a friend to the Zionist cause, decided to redraw the map of the Middle East. He cleaved away the portion of Palestine that was east of the Jordan River and created the country of Transjordan (later known as just Jordan).

The Jewish state that the Yishuv thought it would receive at the Mandate’s end would now be 75% smaller than they had been led to think. It would shrink further still in the decades to come, although they could not have known it at the time. However, despite this massive setback, the overarching goal of achieving a state was still central to the Zionist cause. Ben-Gurion and others were pragmatic enough to understand what that would mean and what that would cost.


The Rapid Development of Israel Before 1948

The Land of Israel before 1948 was a curious mixture of ancient, slow-moving and traditional ways of life and also a place bursting with pioneering spirit. During the early 20th century, a period when the ossifying Ottoman Empire was still dominant, Jewish immigration and land purchases were increasingly changing a seemingly forgotten place. Jewish immigrants rapidly reinvigorated a land that had barely seen any infrastructure or modernization during a 400-year rule.

The physical landscape changed as advancements in water technology – which continued apace during the British Mandate period – particularly, irrigation and the ability to use even brackish water for agriculture, showed that even in the desert, human life could be sustained.

In addition, small towns began to grow into cities and new neighborhoods began to spill out from existing conurbations. In that atmosphere, the Hebrew language developed further, used in books, newspapers, radio and theater – a continued resuscitation from the dead. Political organizations were also critical, as the levers of the state – before there was even a state – were exercised on a daily basis. They created the building blocks of the thriving, modern state of Israel that we see today.

Enjoyed reading this article? Follow the Israel In Focus page on Facebook to read more articles explaining Israel’s history, politics, and international affairs.

Rubbish.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCeQt8zg5o?si=8bcf25fAfk9nvGD-

History doesn't lie and moreso, prophecy, history in advance.

Arabs and Muslims are not sincere in this matter. If it was Israel that first attacked, by now, they will be burning churches in Nigeria.

This puts the Palestinian situation in the right perspective, challenging the false narratives that paint the Israelis as land grabbers which has become mainstream.

It's really eye opening to even see that Jews never completely left or abandoned their land. They were someowhat subjugated and cheated out of it by the Ottoman empire, and further shortchanged by the remapping activities of Winston Churchill who gave them just 25% of what they were supposed to own.

Judging from the article, a great part of Israel still remains in the country called Transjordan which is now known as Jordan. It would be right to say that their land was snatched from them (they were even paying heavily to repurchase their own land before 1848). The land grabbers, the Arabs left the land desolate. No single development was done on it. The Israelis gave it rapid development after paid acquisition. By 1948, when the nation got its independence, it already had a self-deceloped place it could call a Homeland. The Palestinians wanted to inherit what they never built, and wanted to completely rid the Israelis of what was rightfully theirs. The Palestinians therefore are the ones doing injustice to the Jews.

This article provides a lot of clarity on the matter. The most cogent point is that they never completely abandoned the land. Remnants of Jews totalling about 600,000 in population had always been in occupation in the place. It isn't wrong for these remnants to rise up at anytime to reclaim their ancestral land. The land is rightfully theirs. The resolve of the Palestinians to completely dispossess them of the land is absolute wickedness. There's no justification for that.

To be honest, a review of that area before 1948 is the best way to put the matter in the right perspective. The false narrative which has become mainstream has to be corrected.

If both Arabs and Jews were living in the land why is a 2 state solution not the feasible path to end the conflict?

LordReed:
If both Arabs and Jews were living in the land why is a 2 state solution not the feasible path to end the conflict?

Lord Reed.

This issue is very complex. It is difficult to have a clear cut of who lived, or are the aborigine of the current Israel state when we go back to Assyrian exile. Because the Israel we know today is not an entity but a community that lived among Canaanite who are known today as Palestinians.

Watching some documentary on Al Jazeera recently, I think the engraved hatred on both sides will not give room for two state solution. I saw some Jew quoting Torah and insisting that Israel state is their land, they owned and inherited the space from God, and that any non jew who cannot abide by the seven laws should be exiled or killed.

I mean these guys follow a particular rabbi, burnt an eight month child, openly attacked Arabs with knife, brandishing guns and even attacking Israeli securities because they don't believe in democracy. They are so convinced and determined that they will conquer and occupy all the God given land.

So how can two state solution works when both sides do not agree to accommodate each other? It is just like putting enemies in a cage. That is fight till death.

FOLYKAZE:


Lord Reed.

This issue is very complex. It is difficult to have a clear cut of who lived, or are the aborigine of the current Israel state when we go back to Assyrian exile. Because the Israel we know today is not an entity but a community that lived among Canaanite who are known today as Palestinians.

Watching some documentary on Al Jazeera recently, I think the engraved hatred on both sides will not give room for two state solution. I saw some Jew quoting Torah and insisting that Israel state is their land, they owned and inherited the space from God, and that any non jew who cannot abide by the seven laws should be exiled or killed.

I mean these guys follow a particular rabbi, burnt an eight month child, openly attacked Arabs with knife, brandishing guns and even attacking Israeli securities because they don't believe in democracy. They are so convinced and determined that they will conquer and occupy all the God given land.

So how can two state solution works when both sides do not agree to accommodate each other? It is just like putting enemies in a cage. That is fight till death.

Yeah, my question was partly rhetorical. I know the history of hatred but to an outsider like me it seems like a no-brainer. It's truly unfortunate.

The whole world heading towards nuclear extinction because some greedy people insist that their imaginary friend gave them the land. Perfect summarization of humanity.

KnownUnknown:
The whole world heading towards nuclear extinction because some greedy people insist that their imaginary friend gave them the land. Perfect summarization of humanity.

Animals too fight over territories among themselves. Just that we weeved God into our own delusion

LordReed:
If both Arabs and Jews were living in the land why is a 2 state solution not the feasible path to end the conflict?

That has been proposed many times and it's Palestine that was always rejecting it.

They just want Isreal to stop existing.

KnownUnknown:
The whole world heading towards nuclear extinction because some greedy people insist that their imaginary friend gave them the land. Perfect summarization of humanity.

Why can't you remove your hatred for God once and read Bible to understand the documented History of Isreal and Palestine?

Many archeological materials have been found on this land that actually supported the Biblical story.

FOLYKAZE:


Lord Reed.

This issue is very complex. It is difficult to have a clear cut of who lived, or are the aborigine of the current Israel state when we go back to Assyrian exile. Because the Israel we know today is not an entity but a community that lived among Canaanite who are known today as Palestinians.

Watching some documentary on Al Jazeera recently, I think the engraved hatred on both sides will not give room for two state solution. I saw some Jew quoting Torah and insisting that Israel state is their land, they owned and inherited the space from God, and that any non jew who cannot abide by the seven laws should be exiled or killed.

I mean these guys follow a particular rabbi, burnt an eight month child, openly attacked Arabs with knife, brandishing guns and even attacking Israeli securities because they don't believe in democracy. They are so convinced and determined that they will conquer and occupy all the God given land.

So how can two state solution works when both sides do not agree to accommodate each other? It is just like putting enemies in a cage. That is fight till death.

Israel actually accepted for the land to be divided. The Palestinians said no. They just want Israel extinct, always shouting "Death to Israel."

CC: lordreed

FOLYKAZE:
This issue is very complex.

I don't see complexity in this if we're to be actually be truthful to ourselves as humanity.

It is difficult to have a clear cut of who lived, or are the aborigine of the current Israel state when we go back to Assyrian exile.

Reading throughout the History, Isreal always mentioned far back before Assyrian exile.

Because the Israel we know today is not an entity but a community that lived among Canaanite who are known today as Palestinians.

The truth is Israelites occupied that region even Bible documented this well.

And Bible also said they were despised abroad because of their disobedience to God and God will still bring them back.

Watching some documentary on Al Jazeera recently, I think the engraved hatred on both sides will not give room for two state solution. I saw some Jew quoting Torah and insisting that Israel state is their land, they owned and inherited the space from God, and that any non jew who cannot abide by the seven laws should be exiled or killed.

Al-Jazeera is even recent, Bible has already concluded on that and what we're seeing now is just a tips of an iceberg.

So how can two state solution works when both sides do not agree to accommodate each other? It is just like putting enemies in a cage. That is fight till death.

Two state solution will work but just as what happened to Pharoah (when God hardened his heart), the people of Palestine must fulfill the prophecy concerning that too.

These are things that supposed to give you people clear understanding of God's Sovereignty in our world but you people will still not pay attention.

Emusan:


Why can't you remove your hatred for God once and read Bible to understand the documented History of Isreal and Palestine?

Many archeological materials have been found on this land that actually supported the Biblical story.

Sure, once upon a time a magic sky fairy told some guy named Abraham that he is the most special snow flake amongst all the snow flakes. Then the magic sky fairy promised Abraham and his descendants everything because they are special and the rest of the world are afterthoughts. All hail the Hebrews and the Jews.

Emusan:


I don't see complexity in this if we're to be actually be truthful to ourselves as humanity.



Reading throughout the History, Isreal always mentioned far back before Assyrian exile.



The truth is Israelites occupied that region even Bible documented this well.

And Bible also said they were despised abroad because of their disobedience to God and God will still bring them back.



Al-Jazeera is even recent, Bible has already concluded on that and what we're seeing now is just a tips of an iceberg.



Two state solution will work but just as what happened to Pharoah (when God hardened his heart), the people of Palestine must fulfill the prophecy concerning that too.

These are things that supposed to give you people clear understanding of God's Sovereignty in our world but you people will still not pay attention.

Emusan longest time Buddy.

I understand this is posted in a religion thread but I wouldn't want us to handle this from the religious angle. We can employ history, anthropology, archaeology and other veritable points to discuss. Also note, we are on this forum for years so I will not indulge in unnecessary argument. I am not siding neither the Jew or Palestine but advocating for peace, the damages on live is just unbearable.

Looking into the heated hatred between the two nations, and the knife they kept at their necks, how do you conclude that two state solution will bring the needed peace to that region?

KnownUnknown:


Sure, once upon a time a magic sky fairy told some guy named Abraham that he is the most special snow flake amongst all the snow flakes. Then the magic sky fairy promised Abraham and his descendants everything because they are special and the rest of the world are afterthoughts. All hail the Hebrews and the Jews.

But there's archeological evidence which actually supported the Biblical story.

FxMasterz:


Israel actually accepted for the land to be divided. The Palestinians said no. They just want Israel extinct, always shouting "Death to Israel."

CC: ll

I learnt that from somewhere yesterday and also learned how the West Bank is partitioned into three with the two nation taking control of two sides, while the third side is controlled co-jointly. I may be wrong though.

But the Palestinians are claiming Israeli occupied their land. That they are the original owner of those spaces occupied by Israelis today. If this claim is true, why would you even think Palestine should side their properties to 'aliens'?

Emusan:


But there's archeological evidence which actually supported the Biblical story.

Like the Cyrus declaration or the Exodus that have been debunked as theological propaganda?

Emusan:


But there's archeological evidence which actually supported the Biblical story.

Archeological evidence of what?! What evidence is there that some asinine story is true?

Here’s a wild claim from home. Do you believe it?
Zuma Rock has natural contours on the surface which depict the image of a human face with a visible mouth, eyes, and nose. The natives of the community believe the face represents the deity and ancestral powers protecting and governing the affairs of the community.

FOLYKAZE:


I learnt that from somewhere yesterday and also learned how the West Bank is partitioned into three with the two nation taking control of two sides, while the third side is controlled co-jointly. I may be wrong though.

But the Palestinians are claiming Israeli occupied their land. That they are the original owner of those spaces occupied by Israelis today. If this claim is true, why would you even think Palestine should side their properties to 'aliens'?

If we look at the land 2000yrs back in time, what the Palestinians said is partially true.

Places like Gaza, Ekron, Askelon, Gath and Ashdod were all Palestinian lands. Israel occupes some of those places today. Meanwhile, places like Jerusalem and other ancient Israeli lands are today under Palestinian occupation. So, the dividers of the land actually muddled up the whole thing, giving Israel some Palestinian lands and also giving some Israeli lands to Palestinians. There's no way there'll be no conflict. However, the Palestinians are not even after recovering their own ancestral lands. What they want is the total annihilation of Israel.

FOLYKAZE:


Like the Cyrus declaration or the Exodus that have been debunked as theological propaganda?

That’s why the ones calling themselves Jews have this delusional arrogance that is being displayed to the world at the moment. When people venerate your bullshit or the bullshit you claim is your heritage, you are bound to get big headed.

Now these Jew bastards think they can just murder people while yelling “anti-semitism” to try to quell criticism.

FxMasterz:

What they want is the total annihilation of Israel.

Here’s another slavish devotee of Hebrew nonsense. They keep trying to paint the Jews as victims even as they kill and destroy while being backed by the most powerful military on earth.

This shit would be funny if people weren’t being killed and suffering.

FOLYKAZE:
Like the Cyrus declaration or the Exodus that have been debunked as theological propaganda?

Stay on the topic.

People of Isreal.

KnownUnknown:


Here’s another slavish devotee of Hebrew nonsense. They keep trying to paint the Jews as victims even as they kill and destroy while being backed by the most powerful military on earth.

This shit would be funny if people weren’t being killed and suffering.

Who cares about your opinion? You can only cry for as long as you may.

Both the Israelites and Palestinians are always at each other's throats. Israel is the one on constant defence mode because while they're ready to tolerate the Palestinians, the Palestinians are not ready to tolerate them. Palestinians and Israelis constantly fight and kill themselves. The Palestinians often are the ones who stage violent attacks to which Israelis retaliate with raids. Go and find honest reports about these people. Stop being fed by propagandists.

KnownUnknown:
Archeological evidence of what?!

People of Isreal.

What evidence is there that some asinine story is true?

Archeological evidence of person like David.

Here’s a wild claim from home. Do you believe it?
Zuma Rock has natural contours on the surface which depict the image of a human face with a visible mouth, eyes, and nose. The natives of the community believe the face represents the deity and ancestral powers protecting and governing the affairs of the community.

I don't believe it because I've been to Zuma rock times without number.

But there's archeological evidence of people of Isreali as stated in the Bible.

Will you deny that?

FxMasterz:

If we look at the land 2000yrs back in time, what the Palestinians said is partially true.

Places like Gaza, Ekron, Askelon, Gath and Ashdod were all Palestinian lands. Israel occupes some of those places today. Meanwhile, places like Jerusalem and other ancient Israeli lands are today under Palestinian occupation. So, the dividers of the land actually muddled up the whole thing, giving Israel some Palestinian lands and also giving some Israeli lands to Palestinians. There's no way there'll be no conflict. However, the Palestinians are not even after recovering their own ancestral lands. What they want is the total annihilation of Israel.

Total annihilation of Israel, that is another dimension.

The real contention here, you admitted there is no way there will be no conflict, guess even with the two state solution been proffered by outsiders.

The argument on the sides of the Palestinians is that own the whole space Israel people occupy today..

Emusan:


Stay on the topic.

People of Isreal.

Take your own advice

Emusan:


People of Isreal.



Archeological evidence of person like David.



I don't believe it because I've been to Zuma rock times without number.

But there's archeological evidence of people of Isreali as stated in the Bible.

Will you deny that?

There’s archeological evidence that people existed in that part of the world ages ago? So what?

So, you don’t believe fantastic stories about Zuma Rock because you’ve been there. Will you stop believing fantastic Hebrew stories is if you visit Palestine/Israel.

FOLYKAZE:


Take your own advice

Smile...

I did

FOLYKAZE:


Total annihilation of Israel, that is another dimension.

The real contention here, you admitted there is no way there will be no conflict, guess even with the two state solution been proffered by outsiders.

The argument on the sides of the Palestinians is that own the whole space Israel people occupy today..

The claim of them owning the whole place is premised on the fact that they don't want Isreal's existence at all. It is an enmity that has been there for millennia. It didn't start in 1948. That's why the two state solution is rejected by Palestinians. The want the whole place. The standard is 'Death to Israel.' Have you ever seen Israelis shouting 'Death to Palestinians'?

KnownUnknown:


There’s archeological evidence that people existed? So what?

But a book documented it. What does that tell you?

Emusan:


People of Isreal.



Archeological evidence of person like David.



I don't believe it because I've been to Zuma rock times without number.

But there's archeological evidence of people of Isreali as stated in the Bible.

Will you deny that?

What exactly?

David skeleton or the kingdom that have no traces of evidence