Indigeneity of the Jewish people: Why it matters
Earlier this year I was reminded why the issue of Jewish indigeneity to Israel is so important. The local media reports on the Gaza conflict highlighted the level of misunderstanding and ignorance of the history and context of the conflict.
One media outlet in New Zealand described Israel’s attempt to defend its citizens from a genocidal radical terrorist regime as colonialism. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I wrote the following article for the Tablet to show that in fact, Jews are not foreign colonisers, but rather the indigenous people of Israel.
Strong connection to the land and ancestors has been maintained over millennia, and is further confirmed by archeological, literary, and genetic evidence. Embracing indigenous identity at least as much as the identity conferred by historical suffering and persecution in European and Arab lands could be an important tool in resolving various disputes, including perhaps over land ownership.
Read the full article here: