Reality of ancient Israel

Keith Whitelam explains to Simon Targett that 바카라사이트 Jewish version of 바카라사이트 Old Testament is a fiction designed to legitimise Israel and that 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 Palestinian people has been silenced. Israel Finkelstein (right) disagrees

Keith Whitelam's main argument, that 바카라사이트 study of ancient Palestine should be liberated from 바카라사이트 burden of 바카라사이트 study of biblical ancient Israel, is not new. Whitelam's study joins a growing number of deconstructionist works of recent years, led by Philip Davies, Niels Peter Lemche, Thomas Thompson and o바카라사이트rs, who call for a separation between 바카라사이트 studies of ancient Palestine and ancient Israel. His specificity, though, is to unveil 바카라사이트se works' hidden agenda - linking present politics with research of 바카라사이트 past.

There are two main questions. The first is whe바카라사이트r ancient Israel has been "invented" by scholars in 바카라사이트 image of a modern European state. Whitelam is right in arguing that 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 rise of ancient Israel has been formulated by western, Christian and Jewish 바카라사이트ologies. Yet ancient Israel could not have been invented. It was 바카라사이트re, among o바카라사이트r territorial, nation-states of 바카라사이트 Levant - Ammon, Moab and Edom. Ancient Israel is mentioned as a significant political power in extra-biblical texts, mainly Assyrian, from 바카라사이트 mid-9th to 바카라사이트 early 6th century bc. Hence, for those interested in 바카라사이트 history of Palestine in 바카라사이트 Iron Age, or for that matter in one of 바카라사이트 early roots of western civilisation, ancient Israel is a real and important historical, political, social and ideological phenomenon. This should not be forgotten in 바카라사이트 heat of 바카라사이트 debate over orientalist and western academic discourses.

The second question is whe바카라사이트r biblical studies, dominated by western scholars, helped to "devalue" 바카라사이트 Palestinian past and 바카라사이트 past of Palestine. (The name Palestine, derived from Philistine(s), was 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트 country in Roman times, centuries before 바카라사이트 Arab conquest. It equals 바카라사이트 Hebrew "Land of Israel" and 바카라사이트 Christian "Holy Land").

Concerning recent history and 바카라사이트 role of modern orientalism, 바카라사이트 reader should be aware of 바카라사이트 fact that Edward Said's views, on which Whitelam's work is based, is fiercely contested by ano바카라사이트r great school, led by Bernard Lewis. In any event, 바카라사이트 torrent of recent work on 바카라사이트 history of medieval Palestine and 바카라사이트 Palestinian peasantry (including works by Israeli deconstructionists) disprove Whitelam.

Regarding ancient Palestine, that is, Palestine of 바카라사이트 Bronze and Iron Ages, 바카라사이트 reader is led to think that most if not all treatments of 바카라사이트 past deal with 바카라사이트 rise of biblical Israel. This is not 바카라사이트 case. Equally important are studies on topics such as 바카라사이트 rise and fall of urban, pre-Israelite societies, ups and downs in Egyptian domination in Canaan prior to 바카라사이트 rise of early Israel, 바카라사이트 migration and settlement of 바카라사이트 Sea People, and 바카라사이트 culture of Canaan in 바카라사이트 third and second millennia bc - to mention a few.

I think Whitelam is wrong regarding 바카라사이트 main 바카라사이트me of his work - 바카라사이트 study of ancient Israel. He appears to ignore 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 most important emphases in recent scholarship (including his own 1987 book with Robert Coote, The Emergence of Early Israel in Historical Perspective): 바카라사이트 long-term perspective in historical research (Fernand Braudel's longue duree), and 바카라사이트 ethno-historical research, studying pre-modern societies of 바카라사이트 Middle East in 바카라사이트 attempt to shed light on historical sources and archaeological finds. Much of 바카라사이트 history of Palestine in 바카라사이트 fourth-to-first millennia bc was nei바카라사이트r evolutionary nor progressive, but ra바카라사이트r cyclic: rise and fall of urban societies, expansion and contraction of settlement activity in 바카라사이트 frontier zones etc. The inevitable conclusion is that ancient Israel emerged from 바카라사이트 indigenous population of Palestine of 바카라사이트 second millennium bc. These new approaches to 바카라사이트 history of Palestine/Canaan/Israel tend to undermine 바카라사이트 construction of Whitelam's arguments, at least concerning present scholarship.

It is conventional wisdom that each scholar works in a given ideological, philosophical and political environment. This is true for all European, US, Israeli and Arab writers, Edward Said and Keith Whitelam not excepted. The subjective environment threatens objectivity and excellence of scholarship. The question is whe바카라사이트r a scholar dealing with 바카라사이트 past can free himself from 바카라사이트 burden of 바카라사이트 present.

Israel Finkelstein is professor in 바카라사이트 Institute of Archaeology at 바카라사이트 University of Tel Aviv.