Indigenous Palestinians, An Oxymoron

I have been accused of hating “Palestinians.” How can I hate people who never existed? I don’t hate the ancient people of Filistin known as Filasṭīnu in Arabic or Sea People from Crete. Using that term, the Romans renamed Judea to Syria Palaestina, part of their efforts to sever the Jewish connection to the land. Just like Brigadoon, Neverland, and Lilliput, Palestine became another term through the ages for a fabled place that never existed.  

I detest and abhor terrorists whomever and wherever they might be, especially the domestic ones. I do not hate Arabs or Muslims. I just don’t recognize a term coined by Yassar Arafat for his followers as referring to some biblical people that never existed. As I’ve mentioned previously, I believe in adhering to the facts and the truth. These are distorted through defamation, lies, and libels. However, I do not have to believe them. 

As for my feelings about the people who live in The Gaza Strip, I have never visited there nor spoken to any of them in person. I do, however, read many of their postings on the internet and how hundreds, perhaps thousands, followed through the holes in the fences made by terrorist armies with nefarious purposes in mind. I realized Hamas and Qatar had eighteen years to radicalize, manipulate, and brainwash much of that population. They voted for Hamas to run their government and allowed atrocities to occur from within. I believe many living in Gaza feared their fellow Arabs more than they feared the Jews. Consider that many of them had well paying jobs they commuted to in Israel before Oct 7. At the same time I am reminded of a video about a Palestinian mother in an Israeli hospital that vilified the radicalization. 

https://youtu.be/AzTzhcCEBPM

For those still not aware, radicalization involves the process by which individuals adopt extremist beliefs, often influenced by manipulative narratives and propaganda. This manipulation can lead to a form of brainwashing, where individuals are isolated and conditioned to accept extremist ideologies, often through emotional and psychological tactics.

In analyzing today’s political arguments, a recurring misconception is the claim that Arabs from Judea, Samaria, and Galilee are the so-called "indigenous Palestinians." This narrative is often used to challenge the Jewish people's historical connection to their homeland. To counter this significant falsehood, it is important to explore the origins of the Arabs, their religious practices, and their migration patterns. Only through such an examination can the truth be fully understood.

The term "Arab" originally described tribes from the Arabian Peninsula, encompassing present-day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and parts of Jordan and Iraq. This region serves as the cradle and cultural epicenter of the Arab people.

Historically, Arabs are divided into three categories:

1. Pure Arabs (Qahtani) from southern Arabia (Yemen), tracing their lineage to Qahtan.
2. Adnanite Arabs from northern Arabia, traditionally linked to Ishmael.
3. Arabized peoples, other tribes in the area that gradually adopted the Arabic language and culture.

It is essential to recognize that Arabs were never native to Judea, Samaria, or Galilee. Their origins lie in the deserts and kingdoms of Arabia.

Key historical references and timelines include:

First:  9th–8th century BCE: Assyrian inscriptions first mention desert tribes known as Aribi / Arubu in the northern Arabian Peninsula and Syrian desert.

Second:  1st millennium BCE: Arab tribes spread across Arabia, engaging in trade of incense, myrrh, and spices.

Third:  2nd century CE: Nabataean Arabs prosper in Petra (Jordan), with records in Greco-Roman writings.

These historical accounts confirm the presence of Arabs in Arabia, not Judea.

Prior to the Islamic unification, Arabs followed diverse religious practices:

- Polytheism dominated, with the worship of tribal deities and idols like Hubal, Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat.

- Judaism was practiced in Yemen (Himyarite Kingdom) and among certain tribes.

- Christianity reached northern tribes such as the Ghassanids and Lakhmids by the 3rd–4th centuries CE.

- Hanifs were monotheists adhering to the God of Abraham.

This religious diversity was centered in Arabia, not in the land of Israel.

The emergence of Islam and the expansion of Arab influence began in the 7th century CE, led by the Prophet Muhammad (570–632) in Mecca. By the time of his death in 632, nearly all of Arabia had embraced Islam. Within a century, Arabs had extended their reach through conquest across the Middle East, North Africa, and into Spain and Central Asia.

This expansion was a form of colonization, not native settlement, often involving harsh measures such as imposing heavy taxes on Jews and Christians, enslaving populations, and enforcing religious conversions.

The Arab-Jewish divide is marked by several key points:

1. Jews have resided in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee for millennia, predating Arab historical presence.
2. Arabs originated in Arabia and expanded through conquest into territories not initially theirs.
3. Some Jewish tribes in Arabia were assimilated into Arab tribes, resulting in a minor Arab-Jewish blend. However, this does not alter the distinct historical roots of the two groups.
4. A "Palestinian state" has never existed. The Arab presence in the Land of Israel stems from migration, colonization, and subsequent political manipulation, not indigenous heritage.

The reality of Arab origins is evident: they emerged from the Arabian Peninsula, not Judea. Their early faiths included paganism, Judaism, and Christianity before Islam unified them. Their history is one of desert tribes gaining power through conquest. In contrast, the Jewish people have an enduring historical connection to the Land of Israel that spans thousands of years.

Therefore, when the assertion is made that Arabs of Judea and Samaria are the "indigenous Palestinians," it is crucial to acknowledge this as a profound historical inaccuracy. Jews are the indigenous inhabitants of Israel, while Arabs are descendants of conquerors from Arabia. The land has always been intrinsically linked to the Jewish people.