As Israel’s intense bombardments against Gaza continue, we are witnessing the world’s greatest human tragedy in recent years. The statements made by Israeli politicians these days make the region even more tense. These statements contain religious references that have the potential to trigger interfaith conflicts. Considering the religious, national and sectarian basis of people in the Middle East, such statements made consciously can increase tensions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; In his last press conference, he made reference to the actions of the Arab Amalika tribe against the Israelites 30 centuries ago, “The Torah reminds us of what Amalek did to you. Yes, we remember and struggle too.” said. He emphasized that Israeli soldiers are a part of the 3,000-year-old Jewish war tradition and “We have to fight to defeat the deadly enemy and protect our land.” said.
Netanyahu: Our holy book says “You must remember what Amalek did to you”
The Verse Mentioned is Samuel 15:3: ”Now go and smite Amalek. Completely destroy everything they have and do not spare them; Kill both men and women, infants and nursing mothers, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
These words, coming from Israel’s most authoritative mouth, are interpreted as the most concrete example of how the state power in Israel codes the ongoing war as a “religious war”.
The Tribe of Amalek, the Historical Enemy of the Israelites
Amalek is a nation described in the Hebrew Bible as the historical enemy of the Israelites. “AmalekThe name refers to the grandson of Esau, the founder of the nation, his descendants, the Amalekites, or the land of Amalek where they lived. Some rabbinic commentaries describe Amalek as, “people licking blood”, but most experts consider its origin to be unknown.
Amalek tribe, They are an ancient Semitic community that played an important role in Jewish history and is also considered one of the ancestors of the Arabs. According to the Torah, the people of Amalek are Hz. Descended from Amalek, son of Eliphaz, grandson of Isaac. However, this tribe is not mentioned by name in the Quran. The story and history of this tribe is included in both religious texts and traditions. There is no definitive information about how the Amalek tribe disappeared.
There is information about Amalek in the Torah (Old Testament). In Balaam’s prophecy, Amalek “the first of the nationsIt is called “. While some modern scholars believe this statement proves that Amalek was an ancient civilization, traditional commentators state that it “preceded the other nations to wage war against Israel.” Additionally, the first-century Roman-Jewish scholar and historian Flavius Josephus describes Amalek disparagingly.
Amalek’s Attack on the Israelites
Historically, Israelites When they left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea into the desert, the first people they encountered were Arabs. Amalika tribe (Torah, Deuteronomy 25:17-18). According to pre-Islamic Arab sources, Amalek was located in a wide geography from Yemen to the Syrian and Iraqi border in the north, from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Mediterranean in the west.
On 1312 AD, Israelites After leaving Egypt, they were attacked by Amalek when they reached the region called Rephidim. The Israelites survived this initial attack, but partial success was later achieved by an army led by Yehoshua. However, Amalek could not be completely destroyed (Exodus 17/8-16). This war created an unforgettable experience and trauma for the Israelites.
The God of Israel wanted Amalek to be remembered only as a tribe that attacked the Israelites, and ordered this war to be recorded (Exodus 17:14). It is stated that Yehoshua’s victory was recorded in a book known as the “Book of God’s Wars”. While this book may be a part of the Torah, there are also chapters mentioned about this war in other Torah books: “Zahor al tishkah: Remember and never forget!”
Jews Exodus from EgyptAlthough they appeared strong and invincible, Amalek was the first to attack them. Although the Jews were victorious in this war, Amalek shook their self-confidence. For this reason, Amalek is considered a historical enemy to the Jews. It is emphasized in the Torah that Amalek should not be forgotten and must be eliminated (Exodus 17:14-16; 1 Samuel 15:3). Taking revenge on Amalek is considered a way of showing respect to the God of Israel.
In fact, it is traditionally held that Saul, the first king of the Jews, took everything he gained as booty after defeating Amalek, which was disapproved of by the Prophet Samuel, leading to his death as a divine punishment (1 Samuel 15:9; 28:19). ).
One of the ten important issues that a Jew must remember and share throughout his life is Amalek’s attack on the Israelites. This event is described in the books of Exodus (17:8-15) and Deuteronomy (25:17-19).
In Torah commentaries, “The continuation of Israel’s war with AmalekThere is also an interesting explanation about what. In the book of Exodus (17:16), God puts his hand on his throne The war with Amalek will continue for generations. It is stated that he swore:
Therefore, traditionally, the war with Amalek was considered a generational duty to the Jews, and the complete destruction of Amalek was ordered. Ancestor of the Arab Amalika tribe Amalek was declared a mortal enemy by the Israelites. It is considered to be evil and is portrayed poorly in midrashic narratives.
The Lineage of Workers: The Reason for Israel’s Hostility towards Palestine
There are various traditions and sources about Amalek’s lineage. There is different information about Amalek and his lineage in Islamic, Jewish and other traditions.
According to Arab tradition, “Amalek” is known as “Amâlika” in Arabic and comes from Arabs (Arab-ı Bâide) whose lineage has not survived to the present day. In Islamic sources, Amalek’s lineage is generally referred to as ‘Imlik b. Lûz (or Lâviz) [b. İrem] b. It is given as Sam. Islamic sources describe a son named Câsim who was a descendant of Amalek and eight grandchildren descended from him. Groups derived from these descendants lived in different regions, for example in places such as the Hejaz, Nejd, Medina, between the Hejaz and Teyma and around Yathrib.
According to Jewish tradition, the homeland of Amalek is considered to be the land of Edom, located between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea (Dead Sea). In other books of the Old Testament, there are records that Amalek lived in many regions, including the Sinai peninsula and Northern Arabia, from the Negev desert west of the Dead Sea to Egypt.
In the Muslim tradition, Amalek’s living area covers a wider geography. Amalek are considered the quintessential Arabs and are said to have originally lived around Babylon. It is stated that they later migrated to the Hejaz, and then spread to a very wide region, including Necid, Teymâ, ‘Uman, Bahrain, al-Cezire (Upper Mesopotamia), Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Ifrikiyye (Tunisia).
Information about Amalek is found in the Torah and Islamic sources, as well as in Jewish tradition and other historical texts. There are various differences of opinion and legends among these different traditions. Amalek plays an important role in Islamic and Jewish tradition and is subject to different interpretations within these traditions.
Amalek today: Palestinians in particular, considered all Arabs in general. In Jewish tradition, Amalek represents the worst form of evil. The fate of Amalek, the first of the nations, will be “eternal destruction.” Struggle between Israel and Amalek “a symbol of an endless struggle between good and evil” It is considered [Bkz. Tora ve Aftara, 2. Kitap, s. 187].
Based on this historical memory, far-right and religious Jews in Israel today consider the exile or elimination of Arabs from Israel, based on Amalika, an Arab tribe, as an order of the Torah. Jews identify Arabs and Palestinians as Amaleks, whom the Torah commanded the Jews to destroy. Therefore, they advocate a ruthless war against Arabs who reject Jewish rule.
