Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world. The influence of Judaism can be seen on both Christianity and Islam. Because of their similarities, these religions are often called Abrahamic religions. All these religions consider Abraham to be a prophet and believe in monotheism, the belief in one God. Certain texts and traditions of Judaism are also found in the Bible and the Quran. Unfortunately, despite these similarities, there have been several wars among the followers of these religions, and a huge amount of blood has been shed.
The Jews established the Kingdom of Israel around 1000 BC. David and Solomon were its famous kings. David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and Solomon built the First Temple there.
Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC and later by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Babylonians also destroyed the First Temple.
Later, the Persians allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, where they built the Second Temple. However, the Jews later faced persecution under the Roman Empire, and in 70 AD the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. The only remaining part of that temple complex is the Western Wall, which is the holiest place for Jews and a site of worship.
After these events, many Jews were exiled from Israel and became stateless.
Jews faced persecution in several countries throughout history. In Nazi Germany, millions of Jews were killed during the Holocaust. For centuries, Jews lived without a state of their own.
In the 20th century, a movement called Zionism emerged, demanding a homeland for the Jewish people. During World War I, the Balfour Declaration expressed the British Government’s support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people. After World War I, Britain was given control of Palestine. Many Jews subsequently returned to the region, which led to growing conflict between Jews and Arabs.
The United Nations later proposed a partition plan to divide Palestine into two states: Israel and Palestine. In 1948, Israel declared its independence.
Essentially, the basis of the conflict between Israel and Arab countries is historical. Jews had been without a homeland for centuries and do not want to lose it again at any cost. On the other hand, the Arabs who had been living in the region after the Jewish exile by the Romans feel that they are being displaced from their own land. Therefore, it is difficult to say who is right and who is wrong.
