The Jewish people have faced persecution, exileandmassacres in manydifferentgeographiesthroughouthistory, andhavesufferedgreatly, especially in the Western world. Theoppression of JewsunderChristianrule in Europe, thegreatexilesandmassacresthatdisplacedthem, constitutethetragicpages of Jewishhistory. However, thedoors of salvationforJewsopened in theMuslimgeography. MuslimstatesapproachedJewswithtolerance, acceptedthem as dhimmisandprotectedtheirreligionandculturalheritage. FromAndalusiatotheOttomanEmpire, Muslimsofferedpeace, securityandprosperitytoJews, andprovidedthemwiththeopportunitytobuild a peaceful life in theirownlands.

 

However, thishistoricalfriendshipandtolerancesuffered a greatblowwiththeIsraelioccupations of Muslimlands in thelastcentury. Theoccupationpoliciesthatbegan in thePalestinianterritorieswiththeestablishment of theState of Israelopeneddeepwounds in theMuslimgeographyandturnedinto an ongoingcycle of persecutionandoppression of Muslims. InsharpcontrasttothetoleranceandprotectionthattheJewishpeoplehavereceivedfromMuslims, theoccupationsandmassacresthatIsrael has beencarryingout in Palestineforthelast 100 yearshaveemerged as an example of historicaldisloyalty. ThisarticleaimstoevaluatethekindnessandtolerancethatJewshaveseen in MuslimgeographyandtheoccupationpoliciesthatIsrael is currentlyimplementingagainstMuslimsfrom a historicalperspective.

 

BabylonianExiles

 

TheBabylonianExilesareone of themostimportantturningpoints in Jewishhistory. In 587 BC, theBabylonian King NebuchadnezzardestroyedtheKingdom of JudahandexiledtheJews en massetoBabylon. Thisexile is consideredone of thegreatesttraumas in thehistory of theJewishpeople. Later, whenthePersian King Cyrusthe Great conqueredBabylon in 539 BC, theJewswere set free, allowedtoreturntoJerusalemandbuildthe Second Temple. Cyrus is seen as one of themostimportantfigures in Jewishhistoryand is referredto as theMessiah in Jewishsacredtexts. TheBabylonianExilewas a periodthatstrengthenedthereligiousandculturalunity of theJewishpeopleandkeptthemstanding as a nationeven in theirdispersionaroundtheworld.

 

JewishMassacres in theByzantineand Roman Periods

556 CaesareaRevolt

 

One of thepersecutionsagainstJewsduringtheByzantineEmpireperiodtookplace in thecity of Caesarea in 556. Duringthisperiod, theJewsstarted a majorrebellionbykillingallthe Christians in thecity. TheByzantinearmysuppressedthisrebellionveryharshly, 120,000 Jewsweremassacredandthesurvivorswereexiled. Followingtherebellion, theJewishpopulationalmostcompletelydisappeared. Thisprocess is an example of the severe oppressionthattheJewsfaced in theregionand a reflection of theharshpoliciesimplementedbythe Roman EmpireagainsttheJewishcommunities.

 

Bar KokhbaRevoltandJewishMassacre

 

TheJewishrebellion led by Bar Kokhbaagainstthe Roman Empire in 135 is one of thebloodiestevents in Jewishhistory. Duringtherebellion, Roman troopssurroundedJerusalemwith a largearmy, and as a result of thefour-yearconflict, 580,000 Jewswerekilledandthesurvivorswereexiled. Duringthisperiod, JewswereforbiddenfromenteringJerusalemandtheareawascompletelydestroyed. FortheJews, thisrebellion is etched in memories as a tragicresult of a nation'sstruggleforidentity.

 

Anti-Semitism in Europe: FromtheMiddleAgestotheCrusades

TheCrusadesandtheRhinelandMassacres

 

HostilitytowardsJews in Europe reacheditspeak, especially in theMiddleAges. The First Crusade, whichbegan in 1096, led togreatmassacres not onlyagainstMuslims but alsoagainstJews in Europeanlands. TheCrusadersattackedandmassacredmanyJewishcommunities in Germany and France, andtheseeventswereknown as the "RhinelandMassacres". Jewswerethetarget of anti-Semiticmovements not only in war but alsoallover Europe.

 

The Black DeathandtheJewishMassacres

 

The Black Deathplagueepidemicthat hit Europe in the 14th centurytriggeredanothergreatwave of hatredtowardsJews. Jewswereblamedfortheplagueandweremassacred in manyEuropeancountries on thegroundsthat they poisonedwells. Duringthisperiod, Jewishcommunities in manycountries, especially in Germany, France andSpain, cametothebrink of extinction.

 

OppressionandMassacresAgainstJews in Russiaand Poland

 

Jews in Russiaand Poland haveexperiencedgreatsufferingthroughouthistory. Anti-Semitism in TsaristRussiacontinuedtoincreasefromthe 17th centuryonwards. In 1791, Empress Catherine the Great made it mandatoryforJewstolive in an areacalledthe "RestrictedSettlementArea" andbannedJewsfromenteringmost of Russia. Inaddition, Jewsweresubjectedtovariousoccupationalbansandheavytaxes, andyoungJewish men wereforcedtoserve in the Russian armyunderdifficultconditionsthroughcompulsorymilitary service. TheoppressionagainstJewsincreasedevenmoreaftertheassassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881, andmajormassacresbegan. The anti-Jewishmovementthatbegan in Odessa quickly spread throughoutthecountryandhundreds of thousands of Jewsweremassacred. Thisperiod is remembered as one of thedarkestperiods in Jewishhistory, andtheJewishcommunityexperiencedmajormigrations, andthesetragediespavedthewayfortheemergence of theZionistmovement. Theoppression of Jews in Poland reacheditspeak, especiallywiththeCossackRevolt in the 17th century. InthePolish-LithuanianCommonwealth, Jewswereseen as agents of economicexploitation, andforthisreason, Jewsweretargetedduringtherebellionsthatbrokeoutbetween 1648 and 1657. AccordingtoJewishsources, morethan 100,000 Jewsweremassacred in theseuprisingscarriedoutbyCossacksandSlavicpeasants, andtheJewishpopulation in theregionwasalmostcompletelywipedout. AlthoughtheJewslivedunder a semi-autonomousadministrationduringthisperiod, theoppressionandmassacres they experiencedleft a deep mark on Jewishhistory. ThesetragiceventscausedtheJewishpeopletomigratefrom Poland to Western Europe andAmerica.

 

TheSituation of theJews in theAmericas

 

TheSituation of theJews in theAmericasbeganwiththeirmigrationtothisnewlydiscoveredcontinent in the 16th century. As one of theoldesttraders in history, Jewswereamongthefirstcommunitiestotakeadvantage of theeconomicopportunitiesofferedbyAmerica. InBrazil in particular, Jewsdominatedeconomic life throughtheslavetrade, sugarcaneproductionandprecious stone trade. However, in 1654, JewswereexiledfromBrazilandfromthere they migratedtoislandssuch as Jamaicaand Barbados, where they re-establishedthesugarindustry. IntheAmericas, Jewssought a newplacetolivetoescapetheoppression in Europe, but they encounteredvariousdifficulties in everygeography they foundthemselves in.

 

Oppression of Jews in Spain, Germany and France

 

Thesituation of theJews in Spainwasthescene of greatoppression, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries. Anti-Jewishriotsthatbegan in 1391 brokeout in Sevilleandsoon spread throughoutSpain. As a result of thesemassacres, around 50,000 Jewswerekilled, andmanywereforcedtoconverttoChristianitytosavetheirlives. However, baptizedJewscontinuedto be humiliated as "maranos" andwereseen as a hiddenthreat. TheInquisition Court, established in 1478, operatedtodetectandburnhiddenJews, andthesocial life of theJewswasmadeevenmoredifficult. Finally, in 1492, the King of Spainsignedthefamousdecree of expulsion, whichstipulatedthatJewseitherconverttoChristianityorleavethecountry. Withthisincident, around 200,000 JewsleftSpain, most of themtakingrefuge in theOttomanEmpire. JewswhowereforcedtoleaveSpainexperiencedone of thegreatestexiles in theirhistory. Anti-Semitism in Germany and France becamewidespread, especially in theMiddleAges. Anti-Jewishattacksbegan in Germany and France beforethe First Crusade, andthewave of anti-Semitismgrewstrongerduringthisperiod. Intheeventsknown as theRhinelandMassacres, thearmiesandlocalpeopleparticipating in theCrusadeattackedandmassacredJewishcommunities. ThishostilitytowardsJewswas not limitedtotheCrusadesalone; Jewswerealsowronglyaccusedduringtheplagueepidemicknown as the Black Deathbetween 1347 and 1353. RumorsthatJewswerespreadingtheplaguebypoisoningwells led tonewJewishmassacres in Germany, France andSpain. Theseeventsshowthat anti-Semitism in Europe has a deepanddeephistory, andprovethatJewishcommunities in the Western worldwereconstantlyoppressedandpersecuted.

 

The Golden Age of Jews in theIslamic World

MuslimSpainandthe Rise of theJews

 

UnlikethepersecutionJewsfaced in Europe, Jewslived in peace in theIslamicworld. AftertheMuslimconquest of Spain, Jewsexperiencedtheir golden age in Andalusia. Incitiessuch as Cordoba, Granada, Toledo andSeville, Jewswereprominent in manyfieldssuch as philosophy, mathematics, astronomyandliterature. TheUmayyadperiod (756-1031) was a periodwhenJewslived a richculturalandintellectual life. MuslimgovernmentsgrantedtheJewsthestatus of dhimmi.

 

TheLiberation of theJews in theOttomanEmpire

 

In 1492, JewsexpelledfromSpaintookrefuge in theOttomanEmpire. TheOttomanEmpireopeneditsdoorstoJewsandsettledthemespecially in citiessuch as Thessaloniki, IstanbulandIzmir. TheOttomansgrantedJewsextensivefreedomsandallowedthemtodevelop in trade, educationandculture. Towardstheend of the 16th century, Thessalonikibecameone of thecitieswiththelargestJewishpopulation in theworld. Thistolerantattitude of theOttomanEmpireallowedJewstolive in peaceformanyyears.

 

Israel'sOccupations in MuslimGeographyandtheDisloyalty of theJews

 

Throughouthistory, theexiles, massacresandoppressionsexperiencedbytheJewshavebeenfrequentevents in Europe andduringthe Roman-Byzantinerule. However, theMuslimworld has alwaystaken a differentapproachtowardstheJews. Throughouthistory, Jewshavelived in peace, toleranceandsecurity in theMuslimworld. Instead of oppressingtheJews, Muslimstateshaveshelteredthemandallowedthemtopreservetheirreligionandculture. ThankstoIslam'sdhimmistatus, Jewshavefoundopportunitiestodevelop in commercialandintellectualareas in Muslimsocietiesandhavecontinuedtheirexistence in securitywiththetolerance of Islamiccivilization. FromAndalusiatotheOttomanEmpire, MuslimstateshaveembracedtheJewishpeople, andespeciallyduringtheOttomanEmpire, Jewsfledtheoppression of theInquisition in Spainandtookrefuge in Ottomanlandsandlivedthere in peace.

 

However, in thelastcentury, thedepth of thishistoricalbond has experienced a greatshockduetotheoccupationsandviolenceimplementedbyIsrael in theMuslimgeography. Theoccupationandexpansionpolicythatbegan in thePalestinianterritorieswiththeestablishment of theState of Israel has become a seriousthreattoMuslims. Since 1948, Israel has occupied not onlythePalestinianterritories but alsoareasconsideredsacredtotheIslamicworld, such as Jerusalemanditssurroundings, anddisplacedMuslimpeoples. Theseoccupationshave led totheexile of millions of PalestinianMuslims, thedestruction of theirhomes, andthepersecutionthat has continuedforgenerations.

 

TheactionscarriedoutbyIsrael in thelastcenturyhavedisplayed an attitudethat is completelyoppositetothekindnessandtolerance they havereceivedfromMuslimsthroughouthistory. InreturnforthesecurityandprotectionthatMuslimshaveofferedtoJews, Israel'soccupationpolicy in thePalestinianterritoriesandthemassacrestargetingMuslimsthathavecontinuedfor 100 yearshavegonedown in history as an example of profounddisloyalty. Muslimshaveneverpursuedsuch a policy of oppressiontowardsJews in anyperiod of history; on thecontrary, they havetreatedtheJewishpeoplewithtoleranceandjustice. However, today, Israel'soccupation of Muslimlands, itsviolation of humanrights, andthethreat it posestopeace in theregionhavecausedthishistoricalfriendshipto be shaken.

 

TheseoccupationsbyIsraelare not only a landandsovereigntyissue, but also a humantragedy. WhileMuslimshavetreatedJewswithrespectandtolerancethroughouthistory, theconflicts in Palestineandtheforcibleseizure of Muslimlandshavedamagedthishistoricalbond. ThekindnessandsecuritythattheJewishpeoplehavehistoricallyreceivedfromMuslimscontradictstheoccupationpoliciesthatIsrael is carryingoutagainstMuslimstoday. Thissituation can be interpreted as historicaldisloyalty, andthecontinuation of thisoppressiondespiteMuslimsseeking a peacefulsolution has been a greatsource of painforthePalestinianpeople.