Israel: Struggling Through the Ages Part I

Israel stands at the crossroads of the world. For centuries, the part of southwestern Asia referred to as "The Middle East" has felt the effects of the rise and fall of Empires on distant shores as well as on their own doorstep. Thus, the region has never known peace and solidarity.

In Part I of this series, I will cover the ancient history of Israel from the time of the Semites to the start of the Christian Crusades. Part II will carry from the Crusades to the declaration of Israel's independence from Britain in 1948, and Part III I will cover in detail the rise of the Palestinian Liberation Movement and the quickening of events that have brought us to today.




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The root of modern Israel began 3,200 years ago with a war between two long dead civilizations, a war that took place in a land far from Israel. The Classical Greek poet Homer recorded in his time that the Mycenæan civilization came under attack from the Dorians and was destroyed. Remnants of the Mycenæan civilization were scattered throughout the Mediterranean. By about 1185 BC, these peoples began to come to the great kingdoms of Egypt. Egypt regarded these "Sea Farers" as a horde, and referred to them as the `Peleshet' (peh - les-het). The Peleshet were driven out of Egypt, and settled in the south of the land of Canaan in the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashod,

About the same time as the mass expulsion of the Peleshet from Egypt, the Israelite tribes were consolidating within the southern lands of Canaan. The Israelites were a diverse group of peoples consisting of 12 tribes (10 would be `lost' during the first and second diasporas), and together with the Canaanites they were know as the "Semites". The unity of the Israelites represented a threat to the power of the Canaanites, so in 1140 BC the Canaanite Armies of King Jabin led by Sisera swept into southern Canaan to annihilate the Israelites. The Israelite tribes led by Barak and the Prophetess Devorah (Deborah) destroyed large parts of the Canaanite armies and drove the remainder back. This event sounded the death knell of Canaanite civilization and marked the birth of the nation of Israel. By 1030 BC Israel began its rise as a regional power with its capitol in Hebron, and later in Jerusalem under King David. By this time, the Peleshet had become known as the Philistines, and were the only regional competitor. Israel defeated the Philistines and consolidated the land of Philistia (today's West Bank). As with Canaan, the defeat of the Philistines marked the end of their culture as Israel and her neighbors assimilated them.

Less than 100 years later, Israel was split into two kingdoms with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Among the tribes in Judah were the Hebrews, the most powerful of the tribes and who were to become known as the Jews (after "Judah"). The two kingdoms of Israel coexisted for just over 200 years before the Assyrians (from modern day Northern Iraq) conquered Israel. The Israelite tribes fled to Judah in the south, but enjoyed only temporary safety. The Babylonians (from modern day Southern Iraq) conquered and assimilated the Assyrians and their kingdom before going on to conquer Judah itself.

This period marks the start of the first Israelite Diaspora as they were either taken as slaves or fled to the neighboring lands of Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia. The Great Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and the remnants of the Philistine and Canaanite cultures were lost forever in this Diaspora.

Then in 539 BC Babylon fell to the Persians (from modern day Iran). The Hebrew Prince Shesbazzar went to King Cyrus of Persia to ask for permission to re-colonize the land of Israel. King Cyrus not only granted this, but also returned much of the Babylonian plunder including the Temple Vessels. Israel was re-established as a province of Persia and in 520 BC the Temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem under the spiritual direction of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the Persians, and Israel found itself between two opposing kingdoms. In the north was Syria ruled by the Seleucids. In the south was Egypt ruled by the Ptolemies. Israel would change hands five times in the next 20 years before the Ptolemies solidified their grasp. About this time we see the rise of the classes of the Pharisees and Sadducees who collaborate with the Ptolemies for local control of Israel. Other classes, mostly separatists like the Essenes lived in the outlying lands of Israel. The Essenes in particular settled in Qumrum near the west bank of the Dead Sea, and are believed to have authored the Dead Sea Scrolls (which, incidentally, made passing mention of the Peleshet).