What causes the Arab-Israeli conflict?

Definition and Overview

The term “Arab-Israeli conflict” generally describes the ongoing tension and periodic wars between Israel (largely composed of Jewish people) and various Arab groups and nations in the Middle East. While modern geopolitical elements shape today’s headlines, deeper origins rest in ancient events recounted in Scripture. These biblical narratives, alongside corroborating archaeological evidence, provide a foundation for understanding how a centuries-old dispute continues to shape relationships across the region.

Biblical Foundations: The Covenant with Abraham

Scripture introduces Abraham (originally Abram) as the recipient of a divine promise. According to Genesis 12:1–2, “Then the LORD said to Abram: ‘Go from your country…to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation…’” This initiates a covenant in which Abraham’s descendants are promised land as an inheritance. This covenant, reaffirmed in Genesis 15 and 17, becomes central to both Jewish and Arab claims in the region.

Genesis 15:18 records, “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land…’” This promise specifically identifies a territorial aspect to the covenant. As the family of Abraham expands, competing interpretations of the scope of this promise begin to emerge, particularly in connection with the lines of Ishmael and Isaac.

Ishmael and Isaac

One central factor in the conflict’s biblical roots lies in Abraham’s two sons: Ishmael, born to Hagar, and Isaac, born to Sarah. Genesis 16 describes how Sarah, who was barren at the time, offered her maidservant Hagar to Abraham in order to produce an heir. Ishmael is born, but later, God’s covenant promise continues through Sarah’s son, Isaac (Genesis 17:15–19).

• Ishmael’s Descendants: Referenced as the progenitor of many Arab peoples, Ishmael and his descendants inhabited regions surrounding the southern and eastern parts of what would later become Israel. In Genesis 16:11–12, the Angel of the LORD speaks of Ishmael: “‘You have conceived and will bear a son…He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him…’” This foretells a challenging relationship with other peoples.

• Isaac’s Descendants: Isaac’s lineage is traced through Jacob (renamed Israel), the father of the twelve tribes that would constitute the Israelite nation (Genesis 35:10–12). In Genesis 17:19, God says: “Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” Thus, Israeli claims to the land are tightly interwoven with the biblical covenant.

The tension traced here does not fully explain the modern conflict, but it establishes a long-standing rivalry over inheritance, land, and divine favor—each group tracing aspects of identity back to Abraham.

Historical Developments Throughout Scripture

After the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites eventually settle in the land of Canaan. Conflicts with neighboring peoples, including descendants of Ishmael and various other groups in the region, are chronicled in the Old Testament. Although not every regional people group in biblical times was strictly “Arab,” many had genealogical ties to Ishmael, Esau (Jacob’s brother), or related lineages. Passages such as Judges, 1 Samuel, and 2 Samuel repeatedly note skirmishes and alliances shifting between these peoples.

Centuries later, the Babylonian exile (586 BC) scatters the Jewish population, and further changes occur under Persian, Greek, and Roman occupation. However, the idea of a promised land remains strong among the Jewish people, reinforcing their cultural and religious identity. By the time of the Roman Empire, a mosaic of local populations coexists in the same geographical region, laying additional pieces of the complex puzzle.

From the Destruction of the Second Temple to Modern Times

• Roman and Post-Roman Eras (1st–7th centuries AD): The Roman destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 and subsequent Jewish dispersions (known as the Diaspora) lead to further cultural developments. Jewish communities spread across the Mediterranean world, while many indigenous peoples, including various Arab tribes, occupy the land over the centuries.

• Islamic Conquests (7th century onward): Advance of Islamic rule in the region ushers in additional demographic shifts. Over time, large segments of the population adopt the Arabic language and an Islamic religious identity. During this period, some Jews remain in the land, but most live outside what was historically known as Israel.

• Ottoman Empire Period (16th–20th centuries): The Ottoman Empire controls the area for centuries, with both Jews and Arabs among its subjects. Archaeological and historical sources (including H. C. Luke’s writings on Middle Eastern historical demography) note that by the 19th century, Jewish migration to the region increases due to rising anti-Semitism in Europe.

• Modern State of Israel (20th century): The Balfour Declaration (1917), the British Mandate period, and decisions by international bodies (such as the United Nations in 1947) set the stage for conflict. When the modern State of Israel is declared in 1948, neighboring Arab nations and local Arab populations strongly contest this new state’s legitimacy and boundaries, reflecting both political and religious dimensions tied to ancient historical claims.

Primary Causes Rooted in Ancient and Modern Realities

1. Competing Claims Over the Promised Land: From biblical times onward, descendants of Isaac and Ishmael view themselves as linked to Abraham’s promise. These genealogical claims fuel the underlying basis for who has “true ownership” of territory.

2. Historical Resentment and Cultural Identity: Generations of conflict foster entrenched narratives on both sides. Cultural memory, passed down through centuries, often casts opposing communities as aggressors, reinforcing cyclical distrust.

3. Religious Conviction: Judaism sees the land as covenantal inheritance. Islamic tradition views the region as sacred, connecting Abraham and Ishmael’s legacy with holy sites. Christians also attach significance to the land but are less directly a main party to the modern territorial dispute.

4. Political and National Interests: Modern nation-states, international alliances, and resource disputes overlay the ancient rivalries. Many arguments center on legal, military, and diplomatic negotiations for territory and sovereignty in ways that reflect—yet extend—original biblical claims.

Archaeological and Documentary Corroboration

Numerous discoveries add historical weight to the Scripture narratives:

• The Dead Sea Scrolls (Mid-20th Century Discovery): Found in Qumran near the Dead Sea, these manuscripts confirm the remarkable consistency of Old Testament texts, including passages pivotal to the Abrahamic promises. The alignment of these scrolls with later manuscripts underscores the reliability of Scriptural foundations for understanding the region’s ancient heritage.

• The Tel Dan Stele (9th Century BC): Inscribed in Aramaic, it references the “House of David,” affirming a line of rulers in Israel. This lends historical credibility to the kingdom that evolves from Abraham’s lineage through Isaac.

• Archaeological Findings at Jericho, Lachish, and Gezer: Excavations at these sites reveal settlement patterns matching biblical descriptions of Canaanite and Israelite presence, reinforcing that the biblical account of Israel’s early history is set in real, verifiable contexts.

• Wider Historical Writings: Josephus (1st century Jewish historian) documents Jewish histories under Roman rule, describing how identity, religious convictions, and land claims shaped tensions. While focusing on Jewish people, he also recognizes the broader interplay with other regional inhabitants.

Geological and Scientific Considerations

Some approach the region’s geological history to question the timing and scope of human settlement. Young earth creation views, informed by genealogical records in Genesis, propose a several-thousand-year timeframe for humanity’s existence. In addition, archaeological layers in the region closely match recorded developments in Scripture, suggesting a coherent timeline rather than random, unconnected events.

Eschatological Considerations

Scriptural prophecy describes a continued role for Israel among the nations. Passages in the prophets (such as Ezekiel 36–37) speak of Israel’s regathering in the land. Many see the modern return of the Jewish people as a partial fulfillment of these prophecies, even as the broader context of conflict persists.

Yet the biblical message also emphasizes hope and reconciliation. Certain passages anticipate nations eventually seeking peace and worshiping together (e.g., Isaiah 2:2–3). Consequently, while tensions may endure, the ultimate restoration vision includes an end to strife and hostility.

Conclusions on the Causes

The Arab-Israeli conflict does not rest solely on ancient genealogies, but it is grounded significantly in them. Multifaceted factors—political, cultural, and religious—intertwine with deep-seated historical narratives.

Despite the conflict’s challenging nature, the Scriptural record offers understanding of its emergence and continuance, clarified by archaeological findings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Tel Dan Stele. The original covenantal promises, set forth in passages such as Genesis 12 and Genesis 17, lay a framework in which both sides view themselves as connected to Abrahamic blessings.

Ultimately, the tension springs from overlapping ancestral claims, centuries of historical grievances, and strong religious convictions over territory. These dynamics reverberate through modern politics and remain integral to any meaningful examination of the Arab-Israeli conflict.