The Right to Exist: Israel, Palestine, and Competing Histories

Sarah

There are few questions about Israel that create as much emotion as this one: Does Israel have a right to exist? For some people, the answer feels obvious. For others, the question itself feels controversial. Recently, this question came up again in public discussions, including conversations like the one between Tucker Carlson and Mike Huckabee. But before we answer the question, we need to understand what the question actually means. What does it mean for any country to have a right to exist?

David

That's actually a good place to start. Because when people talk about Israel, they often bring up one specific argument. Some people say: "The Jews lived there thousands of years ago." Others say: "The United Nations recognized Israel." Others point to the Bible. Others point to Israel as a modern democracy. But then people challenge each one of those arguments. So how do we put the whole picture together?

Sarah

That is exactly the challenge. Countries usually don't exist because of one single reason. A country develops through history. It develops through peoplehood, national identity, institutions, political movements, and international events. Almost every country in the world has a complicated story. So the question is not: "Was every decision made by this country perfect?" Very few countries could answer yes. The deeper question is: "Does a people have a legitimate connection to a land and a right to self-determination?"

David

So let's start with the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. How do we understand that?

Sarah

The Jewish connection has several layers. For religious Jews, the connection begins with the biblical tradition and the belief that this land was promised to the Jewish people. That is a central part of Jewish faith. But even when looking at history without a religious perspective, there is a long and documented connection between the Jewish people and this land. Ancient Israelite and Judean kingdoms existed here. Jerusalem became the center of Jewish identity. The Hebrew language developed here. Jewish traditions, texts, and holidays continued to preserve a connection to this land throughout the centuries.

David

Some people respond: "That was thousands of years ago. Why should ancient history determine modern politics?"

Sarah

That is an important question. Ancient history alone does not automatically answer every modern political question. But the Jewish connection is not only about ancient history. It is also about continuity. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Jewish life in the land did not simply disappear. There were difficult periods. There were wars, persecutions, and population changes. But Jewish communities continued to exist in places such as Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberias, and Hebron. Important Jewish works, including the Mishnah and the Jerusalem Talmud, were produced here. This was not just a memory of a distant past. It was a living connection.

David

So the story is not that Jews left and suddenly returned thousands of years later?

Sarah

The reality is more complex. Many Jews did live throughout the world. But Jewish communities also remained in the land, and Jewish identity continued to be connected to it. In the modern era, Zionism developed as a national movement. The idea was that, like other peoples around the world, Jews also sought self-determination in their historic homeland.

David

The Bible is also often part of this conversation. How should we understand that?

Sarah

The Bible is an important part of the story. For millions of Jews, it is a sacred text and the foundation of their connection to this land. Others approach it as an ancient historical and cultural document. But either way, the Bible has played a major role in Jewish identity, language, and connection to this land for thousands of years.

David

But this brings us to another important question. What about the Arab population that was already living here?

Sarah

That question is essential. The history of this land is not only a Jewish story. It is also the story of Arab communities that lived here and developed their own connections, memories, and identities. Many Palestinian Arabs experienced the growth of Jewish immigration and Zionism with fear and uncertainty. They saw a society changing around them. They worried about their future. Understanding those fears helps us understand why tensions grew. But understanding someone's fear does not automatically mean accepting every conclusion that came from that fear.

David

So how do we understand 1948?

Sarah

1948 is one of the most important and painful moments in this history. In 1947, the United Nations proposed dividing the British Mandate into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jewish leadership accepted the proposal as the basis for creating two states. Arab leaders rejected the proposal. Violence followed. After Israel declared independence in May 1948, neighboring Arab armies entered the war against the new State of Israel. For Israelis, this became the War of Independence. For many Jews, especially only three years after the Holocaust, this was a struggle for national survival. For Palestinians, the same period became known as the Nakba, meaning catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees. Different communities experienced the war in different ways. Some fled the fighting. Some were expelled. Some believed they would return after the war. For Palestinian families, these events became a defining part of their national memory.

David

Can both memories be true?

Sarah

Yes. Israelis remember independence and survival. Palestinians remember loss and displacement. Understanding Palestinian suffering does not require believing Israel should never have existed. Recognizing Israel's legitimacy does not require ignoring Palestinian suffering. History is complicated because people can experience the same events in very different ways.

David

There is one more question. What role did the United Nations play? Some people say Israel exists because of the UN. Others say the UN had no right to make that decision.

Sarah

The United Nations played an important role, but it was not the whole story. The UN did not create the Jewish people. It did not create the Jewish connection to this land. And it did not create Zionism. What the UN did was recognize a proposed political solution at a particular moment in history. International recognition matters. But countries are rarely created because of one vote or one document. They develop through history, peoplehood, institutions, national movements, and the ability to govern themselves. Israel is no different. The UN was one important chapter in the story. It was not the entire story.

David

So after everything we discussed, what should people take away from this?

Sarah

The takeaway is not that history is simple. History is complicated. But complexity does not mean there is no truth. The Jewish people have a deep historical, cultural, and national connection to the Land of Israel. Palestinian Arabs also have a history and connection to this land that must be understood. Those realities exist together. Understanding another person's experience does not erase your own. And asking difficult questions does not weaken a strong argument. It strengthens it. Because confidence based on knowledge is stronger than confidence based only on slogans.

David

And that is the purpose of Israel E D U. Not to tell people what to think. But to help people understand enough history to think clearly.

Sarah

The strongest ideas are not afraid of questions. They are strengthened by honest examination. Thank you for joining us. This has been Israel E D U.