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Google the Israel/Palestinian conflict's history and you will likely get sources taking you to the late 1940's with Israel's establishment as a nation. You might get some info. on the British involvement since they controlled the territory beforehand. Really though, the conflict goes back to 22oo BC when God appeared to Abraham and promised him the land now being fought over.

While the Bible says the Lord told Abraham to offer his son Isaac and then spared him by a miracle at the last moment, the Koran says it was Ishmael instead. Both people groups say they and they alone are the ones with exclusive, Divine right to that land. So what's the right answer? Who should we support in this war? Yes, terrorism makes for a bad case to support Hamas, but there's a much deeper level to the whole thing that both sides are ignoring.
There were two promises given, a political promise for this life and a spiritual one for the next. The political promise was briefly fulfilled under David, but thrown away by Solomon. It was permanently removed at the Babylonian captivity, never to return. In Matthew 21:43 Jesus said "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it."

When Jesus came to earth, it was to fulfill the spiritual promise only. And when He went back to heaven, we were supposed to focus on what He was doing for us there. Therefore there is no such thing now as 'holy land'. If your heart is right with God, no matter what your heritage or cultural background, then wherever you are is holy ground.

And what most people call "the holy land" is actually cursed. Daniel 9:26, the last part says "And till the end of the war desolations are determined." The war in question here is the overall war between good and evil. The prophecy said that after the events of the cross there would be continual war in the Middle East.

So the answer is, the Christian Church replaced Israel as God's chosen people in 34 AD. Don't take sides. Holiness is an experience, not a piece of land. Do your best to serve God and get along with people from every culture.

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Thomas J. Schitteck