Are Palestinians Semites

It has long been imagined that there exists a separate ethnic group called Palestinians, which is Arabic, Arabic-speaking, Muslim and very powerful.(1)

In contrast to this belief, Arabs know that no racial difference separates Arabs from Jews. And it is clear that the majority of Arab states, Egypt being one example, recognize the uniqueness of the Palestinian people.

At the same time, it is widely accepted that Arabs have a much greater claim on Palestine than the original inhabitants as a means by which to establish their political rights. However, it is extremely doubtful that the Arab people, with its historical memory and political aspirations, will ever achieve anything more than a precarious minority in their own country.

Like all ethnological realities, the case for a Palestinian ethnic identity is divided along lines of argument and use of words. It rests on the evidence that, between the 10th century BCE and the 19th century CE, two major divisions emerged amongst pre-Israelite Canaanites: the Amorites and the Judahites. The archaeological record clearly reflects this division: "the site of Amora is found in southern Israel where various biblical battles were fought."(2)

A prominent Syrian and Coptic historyist has explained that this boundary is based on geographical reasons. Most Israelites left Canaan region at a very early age as part of the exodus towards Mesopotamia. Some went far north to Ethiopia, while others travelled as soldiers and resettled in Israel. This particular boundary is placed closer to historic Jerusalem, because this city is regarded as having the greatest importance for Jewish settlements in ancient Palestine.(3)

Moreover, some scholars consider that "these Amorites fell out of favour after their adoption of Canaanites language and culture".(4) Accordingly, the Amorite-Judeo-Levite boundary must have served as an obstacle to colonisation, resulting in an influx of landless refugees from Africa, who subsequently settled in Palestine.

The text gives further evidence that there was a continuous economic contact between Israel and the indigenous peoples of the region during that period. Over the years, the government acted on instructions from religious authorities to foster Arab-Jewish unity, and allow the creation of a supra-national Palestinian nation. "The national compact [of the United Arab Republic] proposed a unified Palestinian administration led by Arab priests and Israeli Jews, overseen by Arab civil service and administrative services.