From Exodus With Moses To West Bank (Judea and Samaria)

 Nadene Goldfoot                                               

The Jewish people had been living in Judea and Samaria (West Bank-named by Jordan) for 2,000 years until Rome overcame Jerusalem in 70 CE and took citizens as slaves, slaying most or starving them to death first, threatening all lives if anyone returned. Some never left.  Israel was a lot larger than just Jerusalem.  It was made up of the 12 lands of the 12 sons of Jacob; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, and a daughter-Dinah by his wife, Leah;  Joseph and Benjamin by Leah's sister-Rachel; Gad and Asher by Zilpah-handmaiden; and Dan and Naphtali by Bilhah-handmaiden. 

 The Romans took over land with their temple.  Constantine was proclaimed emperor in AD 306 and became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire, including Palestine, in AD 324. He ruled for the rest of his life, until his death in 337, during which he invested heavily in building churches in the region, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. 

Following the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, the region of Palestine was ruled by the following powers, with the Byzantine Empire being the first:                               Byzantine Empire (c. 330–637 CE);  

Jews continued to live on the land under the following different empires:

• Constantine's Legacy: The Roman Empire became predominantly Christian under Constantine's successors. During the 4th century, Constantine's mother, Helena, initiated the construction of numerous churches and shrines in Palestine, transforming the region into a major center of Christianity.
• Sasanian (Persian) interruption: In 614 CE, the Sasanian Empire conquered Palestine, holding it for over a decade before the Byzantine Empire regained control in 628 CE.
• End of Byzantine Rule: The Byzantine hold on the region ended definitively with the Arab conquest in 637 CE. 

                              Arab Islamic Caliphates (637–1099)

The period of Arab rule began with the Rashidun Caliphate and continued with other dynasties. 

• Rashidun Caliphate (637–661): Following their conquest, the Rashidun Caliphate began Islamic rule in Palestine, establishing the military district of Jund Filastin.
• Umayyad Caliphate (661–750): The Umayyad dynasty centered its rule in Damascus and designated Palestine as a major hub of Islamic faith and learning. Significant monuments were built during this era, including the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
• Abbasid Caliphate (750–969): When the Abbasid dynasty took power, the capital moved to Baghdad. During their rule, the capital of Palestine was established in Ramla.
• Fatimids and Seljuks (969–1099): The Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo and the Seljuk Turks in Damascus ruled the region for brief periods, with Jerusalem remaining an important site for pilgrimage and study. 

          Crusader States and Islamic Dynasties (1099–1517)

The period from the 11th to 16th centuries was marked by a power struggle between European Crusaders and various Islamic powers. 

• Crusader Rule (1099–1187): The Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem after conquering Palestine in 1099.
• Ayyubid Dynasty (1187–1250): The Ayyubids, led by Saladin, recaptured Jerusalem and much of Palestine in 1187 following the Battle of Hattin.
• Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517): After withstanding Mongol invasions, the Egyptian Mamluks reunified Palestine under their control. 
•                           Ottoman Empire (1517–1917)
  • The Ottoman Empire conquered Palestine in 1516 and ruled the region for four centuries. It was governed as part of Ottoman Syria until World War I. 
                          British Mandate (1917–1948)
  • World War I: During World War I, the British occupied Palestine from the Ottomans.
  • League of Nations Mandate: After the war, the League of Nations granted the United Kingdom a mandate to administer Palestine. 
    
    Note:  Gaza was under Egyptian rule until the 1967 War which Israel won.Note:  Judea and Samaria (West Bank)  had been under Jordan's rule until 1967 War.
                     Modern State of Israel (May 14, 1948–Present)

  • 1947–1949 War: After the British withdrew, tensions escalated into war, leading to the establishment of the State of Israel in most of the territory.
  • Ongoing Control: The subsequent Six-Day War in June 1967 saw Israel's re-declared ownership of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, marking the core issues of the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict that turned into a declared War. Just think;  if the Arabs hadn't attacked the Jews in 1967, they wouldn't have lost the land in this war of 6 days.