Competing Histories of Israel and Palestine

The land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River has been sacred, contested,

and inhabited for thousands of years. Known today as Israel and Palestine, this region holds

deep meaning for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. To understand modern

Israel, it is necessary to step back in time long before modern borders,

nation-states, or political movements existed. Jewish historical and religious tradition

traces a connection to this land back more than three thousand years. Ancient Israelite

kingdoms emerged during the first millennium BCE, with Jerusalem serving as both a political

and spiritual capital. Archaeological remains from this period provide evidence of Jewish life and