I believe the conflict between the Jews and Arabs goes back to the time of Abraham, whom both consider to be their patriarch. Both Arabs and Jews
trace their lineage directly to Abraham, both nations are actually from the same Father. It's not uncommon for siblings to argue and fight,
especially when an inhertance is concerned. Abraham rejected the line of decendents that were from his Egyptian concubine according to the Old
Testament.
It is well known to Muslims, Christians and Jews that Abraham was ordered to sacrifice his son and he was willing to do so but God gave him a sheep to
sacrifice instead of his cherished progeny. So far, everybody agrees. However, Jews and Christians say that the sacrificed was Isaac -"Abraham's
only son", whereas according to the Islamic tradition the sacrificed is Ishmael. The opposition between the two versions has not bothered any side
that much because in the common mind "what we think is certainly right and those who think differently are necessarily wrong".
According to the Qur'�n, the sacrificed cannot be Isaac. According to authentic Islamic tradition, the sacrificed is Ishmael. The Muslim scholars
have solved this case a long time ago and, very early in the history of Islam, the popular Islamic tradition has integrated the fact that Ishmael was
the sacrificed.
Consider the Old Testament verses below:
Ishmael was Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham.
And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac
his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter
of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD
was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus?
And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy
bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
The current hostilities have been present for thousands of years. The Palestinians would naturally be angry and resent the Jewish exodus of 1947.
Suddenly, the Palestinain state has a new and unwanted arrival of age old hated enemies. The Jews of course feel that
Jerusalem belongs to them. It was called the City of David by them ever since King David captured it from the Jebsuites - 2 Samuel 5:
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the
blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of
David.
Here's a link that describes how the Qur'�n records a completely different set of beliefs by the Arabs.
Link:
www.islamic-awareness.org...
After checking this link, you can see that the Arabs truly BELIEVE that they should own Abraham's inheritance, not the Jews. Since we're
considering not just a land dispute but also differing ideologies - it's easier to understand why feelings on both sides run do deep. They can both
point to their Sacred Texts to prove that they are right. They both believe that their God gave them the land and will support their efforts to own
it.
Food for thought,
Deep