The roots of evil - what is the middle-east conflict all about?

Image via WikipediaIn our daily effort to keep track of the violence, counter violence, preemptive-defensive-aggressive-protective-violence, or simply the news, we often forget to ask one simple question:
What do we fight over?
And this question has one simple answer:
Land.

Now why is this controversial? Why is there a need to write a post about it? Because there is a common misconception that this conflict is much more complicated, that religions, gods, and racism are involved, that its roots are deeper than a 100 years argument. Some parties have interest in spreading that belief, though the answer is simpler. Here are three key facts to explain the origins of the conflict.

1. There is no historical conflict or hostility between Muslims and Jews.
Actually, the history of the two peoples is pretty promising. The Islamic empire ruled over large portions of the middle east, including Israel, for over 500 years (starting at the 7th century). Jews lived prosperous lives in that empire. They weren't equal citizens, since no one was. But they had better lives than most other minorities, second only to the ruling Muslims. A fine example was Maimonides (Ha-Ramba"m), one of the most important Jewish scholars and philosophers, who migrated to Egypt and chose to spend his life there, well respected and admired by the authorities, until he passed away on 1204.

If anything, the threat to Jews came mainly from the christians at that period and beyond - whether during the crusades, the Spanish inquisition, and of course, the Holocaust during World War II. This was documented very well by Mel Brookes in the History of the World Part 1 (start watching at 1:30 :-)

2. Hostility between Jews and Muslims began when Jews started migrating to Israel.

Until the end of the 1800's Jews were a tiny minority in the land of Israel. Actually, amongst the 400,000 inhabitants of the area now called Israel, less than 10% were Jewish, most of them lived in Jerusalem.

When anti-semitism in Europe rose, Jews started cultivating nationalistic aspirations and began migrating to Israel. Don't get me wrong- I fully support that movement. The dilemma was between migrating to Israel and getting killed in Europe. At the same time, I understand the Arab majority, who did not like that. They saw their jobs and land taken over by the new immigrants.

This is not a new phenomena. Look at the xenophobia in Europe today.

Furthermore, hostilities between the Arab majority and Jewish minorities throughout the middle east were rear before the establishment of Israel. Jews played important roles in the cultures and economies of many Muslim countries, especially Egypt and Iraq, but also Morocco and others. It is only when Israel was established and half a million Arabs were expelled from it that Jews were persecuted in Arab countries. As a result, a Israel experienced a huge wave of immigration of Jews form Muslim countries during the early 1950's.

Another great documentary, this time from Israel - Lul, about immigration to Israel.

3. The war between Israel and the Arabs includes many Christian Arabs.

Many of the Arabs throughout the middle east, and especially in the land that is today Israel, were Christians. Simply put, this war is not between Jews and Muslims.

Okay, this post is getting long. So you can stop reading here and still get full credit for this post, or engage with me in the following question: Why do certain groups convey this as a religious war?

There are many reasons. First, it is by far more simplistic and easy to understand. It makes clear distinction between 'good' and 'bad' - where actually, both sides are the good, the bad, and the ugly. Second, it allows us to be the victims - and the rest of the world can pity us and see how right and poor we are. Third, and this is true for the Israeli side only, it allows us to connect it to the holocaust. We suffered then, we suffer now.

Last, it allows us to avoid the simple solution.

This war is a hundred years old conflict about land, and it will be solved either by dividing or by sharing the land. As simple as that.