The Middle East has erupted into chaos once again, shattering a decade of relative calm. The devastating terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 last year reopened old wounds, sparking a relentless cycle of violence. Israel's swift and forceful response saw the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) unleash a barrage of airstrikes, artillery fire and invasion by ground forces on Gaza, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. As Hamas targeted western Israel, their allies the Hezbollah launched missile attacks from Lebanon, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of Israeli citizens living near the northern border.
As the Hezbollah attacks continued the IDF's attention soon shifted from Gaza to the groups strongholds in Lebanon. In a precision operation, Israeli intelligence severely disrupted Hezbollah's communication networks, paving the way for a fatal airstrike on the group's command centre in Beirut on September 27. The attack killed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several top commanders. At the time of writing this piece, the Hezbollah had just announced the appointment of its new leader Hashem Safieddine. However, these developments are unlikely to bring respite, as Hezbollah and its allies in Iran, Iraq, and Yemen vow retaliation, perpetuating the deadly cycle of retribution and bloodshed.
Many of today's geopolitical hotspots around the world stem from unresolved issues of the last century. However, some have deeper roots, spanning millennia. The Middle East crisis is a prime example, with its origins tracing back further than commonly acknowledged. While scholars often attribute the crisis to the 1948 creation of Israel and the subsequent displacement of Palestinians, the animosity between Jews and Arabs has ancient origins. The conflict's seeds were sown in the pre and post- Christian eras, with the region being a historical fault line where civilizations clashed.
The Middle East, cradle of some of humanity's greatest civilizations, has long been a complex tapestry of cultural, religious, and ethnic tensions. Rather than solely a conflict between two religious identities, the region's strife is the culmination of centuries-old power struggles, territorial disputes, and competing interests.
The Middle East's collective psyche is scarred by centuries of injustice, violence, and bloodshed, perpetuating a cycle of hatred and mistrust between nations and communities. This entrenched animosity is further complicated by the region's ever-shifting geopolitical landscape, largely driven by the abundance of oil. The oil-rich resources have created vast wealth disparities, benefiting some while leaving others, like the displaced Palestinians, in relative poverty. This stark inequality fuels frequent clashes between Israel and its neighbours, often exploiting the desperation of the have-nots. Violence is perpetuated by those who reap the benefits of conflict, while the manpower is supplied by marginalized communities seeking redemption or revenge. This toxic dynamic perpetuates a vicious cycle.
Solutions for everlasting peace in such a malignant environment cannot be permanent. Complicating matters are the geopolitical interests of the superpowers (now three of them) and their allies, whose constant meddling in the region has only kept the pot boiling. But that is the present reality of the Middle East.
Returning to the core theme of this articlethat the present Middle East situation stems from nearly three millennia of conflicting interestsit is challenging to pinpoint the exact origin of this enduring struggle. It most likely began in biblical times when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt in search of the Promised Land, or Canaan. The Israelites under Mosses follower Joshua are said to have established the state of Israel around 1406 BCE (3,400 years ago), conquering lands, destroying existing Pagan cities, and eventually making Jerusalem their capital in 1000 BCE. However, modern archaeologists challenge the biblical narrative of Joshua occupying Canaanite towns, arguing that many of these places were already abandoned and that the Jewish tribes settled in the region peacefully.
Regardless of the exact truth, around 300 years after Jerusalem became the capital of Israel, in 721 BCE, the Assyrians invaded northern portion of the Jewish kingdom, known as the Kingdom of Israel, displacing the Jewish population. In 587 BCE, the Babylonians invaded southern portion known as the Kingdom of Judah, destroyed Jewish temples, and exiled many from the region. In 70 CE, the Romans dealt a final blow, expelling the majority of Jews from Jerusalem. Over time, as Jewish communities faced persecution by neighbouring powers, many dispersed to Europe, Asia, and Africa, forming the Jewish Diaspora. Nevertheless, some Jewish families continued to live in and around Jerusalem throughout the centuries.
The history of Jerusalem is deeply intertwined with the rise of Jewish nationalism and the broader context of the Middle East. Its origins date back even before Jewish settlement; the city believed to have been founded by the Canaanites around 4,000 BCE. Known as Jebus, it was originally occupied by the Jebusites, a fierce Canaanite tribe, until King David of the Jews conquered it in 1000 BCE, marking the beginning of its significance in Jewish history. Under Jewish rule, the city saw the construction of significant temples that became central to Jewish worship.
Throughout the centuries, Jerusalem changed hands multiple times, with power shifting between Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Christians, and Muslims. Each period saw its share of violence, massacres, and the desecration of religious sites. The Jewish population, in particular, faced repeated cycles of expulsion, enslavement, and persecution, yet persisted in returning to the city and re-establishing their presence.
Despite these upheavals, Jerusalem retained its status as a sacred city for three major religious groups: Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For Christians, it was the site of Christs crucifixion, while for Muslims- it held spiritual significance as the place from where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. However, the continuity of the Jewish presence, dating back to antiquity and preceding the rise of both Christianity and Islam, underscores the deep connection Jews have with the city.
It is quite clear that the genesis of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East seems to stem not only from religious tensions but also from broader clashes of civilizations, histories, and national identities. The symbolic significance of Jerusalem makes it a focal point in the larger political, cultural, and religious struggles that define the region.
To reinforce the theory of this being a civilisation conflict instead of being a present day religious or geopolitical issue as an aftermath to the formation of the modern state of Israel, we need to just look up what happened to the Assyrians and Babylonians in the centuries that followed their occupation and dismantling the ancient state of Israel. The Assyrians and the Babylonians were probably the first invaders to attempt to destroy Jewish nationalism. This historical context reveals a deeper, civilization-level struggle in the Middle East, rather than a solely modern religious or geopolitical issue.
The Assyrians, originating from northern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey), now form distinct ethnic populations in these regions and significant diasporas in Europe and North America. Mostly Christian, with some Muslim adherents, Assyrians proudly claim their ancient heritage. The Babylonians on the other hand emerged from southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and Iran) and Iraqis too proudly trace their lineage to this ancient civilization. Interestingly Saddam Hussein openly admired Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonian king who destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BCE, and deported and enslaved the Jews from the city while razing the Temple of Solomon.
While it's oversimplifying to attribute centuries of Middle East conflicts solely to events from nearly 3,000 years ago, it's undeniable that the current crisis bears striking parallels to the ancient animosity toward Jewish nationalism that existed among the neighbours of the ancient state of Israel.� Over the centuries ancient Middle Eastern cultures and pagan traditions have evolved into Christianity and Islam, which subsequently fragmented into Sunni and Shiite sects, each with its own distinct politics. Yet, beneath this complex tapestry, a deep-seated, centuries-old animosity toward Jews has persisted, festering in the region.
The creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 only exacerbated the matter, igniting the powder keg of conflict.�
