By Phalapoem editor, 7/12/2024
The concept of a “God-promised land” has been repeatedly invoked to justify the dispossession, oppression, and violence against Palestinians. Rooted in religious narratives, this claim has been weaponized to validate the establishment of the State of Israel and the subsequent displacement, ethnic cleansing, and systematic subjugation of the Palestinian people. However, when stripped of its theological veneer, the invocation of divine promises to justify colonialism and mass atrocities reveals itself as a dangerous ideology that undermines justice, human rights, and coexistence.
The “Promised Land” Narrative
The notion that the land of Palestine was divinely promised to the Jewish people originates from biblical texts, particularly the Hebrew Bible. According to these scriptures, God granted the land to Abraham and his descendants as an eternal inheritance. While this belief holds religious significance for many Jews, it is important to recognize that it is a theological claim, not a legal or historical mandate.
Using ancient religious texts to assert ownership over modern territories is a deeply problematic approach to geopolitics. If every religious group were to demand the restoration of lands based on scripture, the result would be endless conflict. Yet in the case of Palestine, this narrative has been weaponized to rationalize the ongoing displacement of Palestinians and the denial of their basic rights.
Weaponizing Religion to Justify Atrocities
The invocation of divine promises has been used to excuse some of the most egregious human rights violations in modern history, including:
1. Ethnic Cleansing: During the Nakba (1948), over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes to establish the State of Israel. Entire villages were destroyed, and the survivors were left stateless, exiled, and unable to return to their ancestral lands. This act of ethnic cleansing was justified by the claim that Jews were “returning” to a land that was “rightfully theirs.”
2. Military Occupation: For decades, the Israeli government has occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, enforcing an apartheid system of checkpoints, land confiscation, and restrictions on movement. These actions are often framed as part of a divine mission to reclaim the “Greater Israel.”
3. Settlement Expansion: Illegal Israeli settlements continue to grow across the West Bank, displacing Palestinian families and annexing land in direct violation of international law. The settlers and their supporters frequently cite religious entitlement as justification, turning sacred texts into tools of land theft and oppression.
4. Massacres and Bombardments: From the Sabra and Shatila massacre to the repeated bombings of Gaza, mass killings of Palestinians have been carried out under the guise of “defending the Jewish homeland.” These actions, often rationalized as security measures, are underpinned by a dehumanizing ideology that views Palestinian lives as expendable obstacles to a divine promise.
The Flawed Logic of Divine Justification
Using religious claims to justify modern state policies is inherently exclusionary and dangerous. It disregards the rights of those who do not share the same beliefs and reduces complex geopolitical issues to simplistic, absolutist dogma. Moreover, it erases the centuries-long history of coexistence between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Palestine prior to the advent of Zionist nationalism.
The idea of a “God-promised land” also contradicts basic principles of justice and human rights. A just society cannot be built on the dispossession and suffering of another people. The ethical imperative to treat all humans with dignity and equality should outweigh any theological claim, particularly when such claims result in violence and oppression.
Palestinian Resistance and the Pursuit of Justice
For Palestinians, the land of Palestine is not just a religious or historical homeland—it is their birthplace, their livelihood, and their identity. The forced removal of Palestinians from their homes and the continued denial of their rights cannot be justified by ancient religious texts or nationalist ideologies. Palestinians are not obstacles to a promise; they are human beings deserving of justice, dignity, and self-determination.
The Way Forward
To move toward peace, the world must reject the use of religious narratives as justification for oppression. True reconciliation requires acknowledging the suffering inflicted on Palestinians and holding those responsible accountable for their actions. It also demands an end to the exploitation of theology as a tool for colonialism and violence.
Justice cannot be built on divine entitlement. It must be grounded in universal human rights, mutual respect, and the recognition of the inherent worth of all people. The promise of any land is meaningless if it comes at the expense of the lives and freedoms of those who already inhabit it.