By Ifigenia Xifré
Muslims, Christians, and Jews refer to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea as the Holy Land. Why is it that this tiny piece of land has been the motive for so many conflicts and disputes between nations and religions among history? Even though we all are aware of the conflict, we don’t know what lies behind this obsession with the Holy Land. Because we believe the cause of the conflict often times remains in the dark, we are starting our series on the significance of the Holy Land for each of our religions of focus.
So, what is the Jews’ claim?
The Tanakh (the Bible) does not explicitly call this stretch of land “the Holy Land.” However, according to the Jewish sacred texts, this is the land given to the Israelites by God,. Most of the narratives in the Bible take place in the area, and therefore, Jews feel attached to the land where God was revealed and established His covenant with the Israelites. Many Bible promises refer to the return to Zion (Jerusalem) once the period of oppression is over. This is arguably a promise of permanent right to the “Holy Land,” the land to which the sons of Israel will inevitably return.
The highest point in Israelite history, as recorded in the Bible, happened during the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon (the only kings to rule over a unified kingdom; afterwards, Israel was split into a northern and southern kingdom.) This land is, therefore, attached to Israel’s splendor, since Jerusalem was the city where Solomon built the first temple dedicated to the One God (Yahweh). For this reason, the city has been the spiritual focus of Judaism.
In the Hebrew Bible, Jerusalem and the Land of Israel are considered inseparable parts of a divine gift, part of several covenants. In other words, the Jews feel entitled the land because their most sacred text assures them that this land is God’s gift to them, and therefore they are the rightful owners of this piece of land.
I hope this was helpful to you! If you enjoyed this blog, do not miss next week’s blog on Islam’s claim to the Holy Land.