Were there "Palestinian Jews" living in Palestine/Israel before Zionism?

These people would identify themselves as Israelis

Jews living in the region prior to the reestablishment of the State of Israel are commonly referred to in English as Palsetinian Jews and in Hebrew as "HaYishuv HaYehudi Be'Eretz Yisra'el (The Jewish Community in the Land of Israel).

In the early part of the 19th century, years before the rebirth of modern Israel more than 37,000 Israeli Jews lived throughout what is today Israel.

The terminology is a bit screwy here, but I know what you mean, so yup.

Israel/Palestine/the Holy Land/Canaan/whatever you want to call it has never been devoid of Jews. It's always had a Jewish population, or so recorded history of thousands of years old dictates.

There were some part of what is known as the "Old Yishuv" that didn't want to become a part of Israel initially, notably the leadership; however, in 1948, they completely became Israeli and there was no controversy about it in their community.

Today we call them Israelis.

They were "Palestinian Jews" when the land was called Palestine politically; now, since that's changed, they all identify as Israeli, since it matches the political name AND the spiritual name that has been held for millennia. Ironically, reports state that Jews prior to the modern time were the ones who identified as "Palestinian" and that "Arab" was the Muslim/Christian response until recently.

Portion of my own immediate family had never left the land while other antecedents emigrated from Spain before the expulsion and others had come during the Napoleonic Wars from Vilna, Lithuania and on" Aliya regel" from the Russian Empire.Many left the Yishuv for refugee camps in Egypt during the close of the Ottoman Empire.Some served in the British navy and in a unit created by the British of Jews mainly from the Yishuv who fought the Turks.Those in Alexandria mostly returned.The community were Zionist whether Haredi or Hiloni,but Yiddish was the home language of the Haredim.

None of them ever called themselves Palestinians ,before the British Mandate.Even thereafter they considered themselves Yehudim in Eretz Yisrael living in the Yishuv. The main English newspaper however called itself the Palestine Post.It is still going strong as the Jerusalem Post.

None of the existing Arabs ever called themselves Palestinians until after Jerusalem and Judea were liberated from Jordanian occupation ,after they unwisely attacked Israel in the last days of the 6 Day War .

Jews always knew that the Roman creation of the name Palestine was an attempt to distort history and pretend that the Land of Israel had ever belonged to the Philistines. A people who were an enemy of Israel,exiled 2600 years ago,never to return and vanished into the dung heap of forgotten nations only to be resurrected as a newly minted fake Philistine people ,apparently claiming descent.Their enmity with Israel is all they have in common.

@ Ramzi quotes extensively from the rather bizarre letter by a "Chief" Rabbi Josef Ttzi Dushinski stating that he was against the Jewish State. What Remzi failed to mention is that this "Chief Rabbi" was nothing more than a virtually unknown Rabbi of the Naturei Karta ,a small break away branch of the Satmar sect who spoke for no one but a few hunch backed isolated Jews whose only purpose is to seek acceptance by people like the former Iranian president and give them blessings for their work against the Israel.It is a Chilul Hashem(sacrilege).

But it is also misrepresentation for Ramzi to quote their spokesman as a Chief Rabbi when he represents nobody but a tiny discredited fringe group,without putting this into perspective.

Yes you can look up the old Yishuv ,ancient Palestinian Jewry. Jews have used the term Palestinian for thousands of years, Arabs have used that term for only about 100 years The Samaritans have lived in Israel for thousands of years

Hello Dovid,

"Zion" is another name for Jerusalem, being the ancient capital of the Jewish kingdom of Judea, This ancient capital city is now known as Jerusalem's "Old City" or "East Jerusalem".

"Zionism" is therefore the desire to create and protect the re-establishment of the Jewish state in its historic homeland, with Zion (Jerusalem) as its capital.

Since there always remained a remnant of the Jewish people in the area, following the expulsion of most of the Jewish people by the Romans, the answer to your question is yes.

Following the destruction by the Romans of the Jewish Hasmonean kingdom of Judea, the Romans renamed the area "Palestine".

Prior to the re-establishment of the Jewish state as the State of Israel in 1948, the Jews were living in the area were referred to within the worldwide Jewish community as the "Palestinians".

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Robert.

I don't know if they called themselves Palestinian, but they definitely didn't want to call themselves "Israeli". Even the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem wrote TWO letters to the U.N., begging them to not give in to Zionist demands of dividing Palestine to create "Israel":

"Orthodox Jewry has not the slightest intention of subjugating any section of the population of the Holy Land. We merely demand that the gates of Palestine be opened to all those Jews who have no home and enable them to live here Jewish lives in accordance with the commandments of the L-rd. However in order to avoid the continuation of the untenable position as set out in the last paragraph of section 4 we suggest that the keys of Jewish immigration be placed into the hands of the Government of this country.

We furthermore wish to express our definite opposition to a Jewish state in any part of Palestine."

- Chief Rabbi Yosef tzvi Dushinsky

The same Chief Rabbi speaking of how Arabs and Jews got along before Zionism:

"During no period of the immigration of such orthodox European Jews was any opposition offered by the Arab population. On the contrary, these Jews were welcomed on account of economic benefits and general progress that accrued to the local inhabitants who had no fear whatsoever of being subjugated. It was common knowledge that these Jews came but for the purpose of fulfilling certain religious requirements and they had no difficulty in establishing a mutual trust, and real friendship developed with all sections of the community. That was the time when good neighborly relations existed between Jews and Arabs and in particular Rabbis and eminent scholars who then lead the Jewish Community were greatly esteemed and honoured by all inhabitants."

Notice he said Jewish Rabbis and scholars were greatly honored by the Arabs of Palestine. How people can deny Zionism is like a cancer after reading something like that is beyond me. Only twisted individuals would make it their goal to enter a land of such harmony between Jews and Arabs and begin dividing, creating today's mess.

Yes.

Well, there were Hebrews about 5000 years ago in Judea and Samarra. They were all ethnic.

The non khazary locals lived on the west side and they were so poor that Muslim girls used to collect shoes after Quran recitation lessons then donate them.