Palestine: A Land of Conquests and Faiths, from Jerusalem to Gaza
- Florent DEPOILLY
- Feb 9
- 3 min read
For centuries, Palestine has been at the crossroads of civilizations and religions. Who ruled it? Which beliefs dominated? And what remains of Palestinian territory today? Let's dive into a history as fascinating as it is complex.
Chapter 1: The Origins - Jerusalem at the Heart of Judaism
Before becoming a global symbol, Jerusalem was a city of the Canaanites, then the Hebrews, who established their kingdom around 1000 BCE under King David.
• Judaism took root here with the Temple of Solomon, which was later destroyed and rebuilt before being completely demolished by the Romans in 70 CE.
• At that time, the name "Palestine" did not yet officially exist.
But Jerusalem's history was just beginning…
Chapter 2: The Roman Empire and the Birth of "Palestine"
After the Jewish revolt against Rome, Emperor Hadrian sought to punish the Jews and renamed Judea as "Syria Palaestina" in 135 CE to erase their identity.
• Christianity became dominant under the Byzantine Empire (4th-7th century).
• Jerusalem became a Christian city, with the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's holiest sites.
Some consider it the holiest site in Christianity and it has been an important pilgrimage site for Christians since the fourth century. According to traditions dating to the fourth century, the church contains both the site where Jesus was crucified at Calvary, or Golgotha, and the location of Jesus' empty tomb, where he was buried and resurrected. Both locations are considered immensely holy sites by Christians. |
But a new power was rising in the Arabian desert…
Chapter 3: The Muslim Conquest - The Rise of Islam
In 636 CE, Muslim armies entered Jerusalem.
• Islam became the majority religion, though Jews and Christians retained a protected status.
• In 691 CE, the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik built the Dome of the Rock, solidifying Jerusalem's significance in Islam.
But Europe also had ambitions for the Holy City…
Chapter 4: The Crusades and the Struggle for Jerusalem
In 1099, Crusaders captured Jerusalem in a bloody massacre. For nearly 200 years, the city shifted between Christian and Muslim rule until Saladin reclaimed it in 1187.
• Jerusalem remained under Muslim control until the Ottomans arrived in 1517.
• Under the Ottoman Empire, Palestine (including Jerusalem) was an administrative region where Jews and Christians coexisted.
Everything changed after World War I…
Chapter 5: The 20th Century - A Divided Land and the Birth of Israel
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Britain took control of Mandatory Palestine (1917-1948).
Jewish immigration increased under the Zionist movement, leading to growing tensions with the Arab population.
• 1947: The UN proposed a partition plan, creating a Jewish state and an Arab state, with Jerusalem under international control.
• May 14, 1948: The State of Israel was officially declared by David Ben-Gurion, ending the British mandate.
• May 15, 1948: The surrounding Arab nations attacked the newly formed State of Israel, triggering the first Arab-Israeli war.
• By 1949, Israel controlled more land than originally allocated in the UN plan, and over 700,000 Palestinians were displaced (the Nakba, or “catastrophe”).
Since then, the region has been marked by conflicts and forced displacements. But what remains of Palestine today?
Chapter 6: Present-Day Palestine - Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem
Today, Palestinian territory has been reduced to two enclaves under immense pressure:
1. Gaza
• Controlled by Hamas since 2007.
• Highly populated (2.3 million people) and under an Israeli blockade.
• Predominantly Sunni Muslim.
2. The West Bank
• Partially governed by the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) but under Israeli military occupation.
• Fragmented by Israeli settlements and military checkpoints.
• East Jerusalem, claimed by Palestinians as their future capital, has been under Israeli control since 1967.
3. Jerusalem Today
• Israel considers the entire city as its capital, but most of the international community does not recognize this annexation.
The Old City remains a unique religious hub, home to the Western Wall (Judaism), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Christianity), and the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Dome of the Rock (Islam).
Conclusion: One Land, Three Faiths, and an Endless Conflict?
From ancient times to today, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have all shaped this land, leaving both spiritual and political legacies.
Palestine has been repeatedly fragmented, contested, and redefined. Between its sacred past and a tense present, the history of this land is still being written.
One land, countless stories. What will the next chapter be?
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