The Engagement
原題: המוצא – ההתחברות (Hebrew: The Origin - The Connection)
“The Engagement” is a proposal addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It suggests that the conflict in the Holy Land, primarily between Jewish and Palestinian communities, represents a clash of civilizations rooted in a deep and intensive encounter between Western (Judeo-Christian) and Middle Eastern (Arab-Muslim) cultures. The proposal argues that about 80-90% of Palestinians are descendants of the People of Israel, who remained in the country after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple and were forced to convert to Islam. This claim is based on various studies, including anthropological and genetic research, which find significant genetic similarities between Jews and Palestinians.
The Engagement proposes a single-nation solution, whereby the majority of Palestinians would rejoin the People of Israel, forming one state for one people, without requiring religious conversion. This solution, seen as an alternative to the two-state solution and the idea of a bi-national state, emphasizes the reunification of people with shared roots and aims to redirect energies towards rehabilitation, development, and prosperity.
The proposal considers the sharp deterioration in the condition of the Palestinian public and leadership, along with the success of Israel as a regional island of freedom, prosperity, and stability, as factors that could facilitate this solution. Additionally, it recognizes the need for an educational process to reintegrate Palestinians into Israeli society, involving learning Hebrew, Jewish culture, history, and traditions.
This proposal is based on a combination of historical, anthropological, and genetic research, and it emphasizes the importance of changing perspectives and understanding the shared roots of Jews and Palestinians to achieve a lasting peace. The Engagement contends that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in this way could contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East, potentially influencing other regional conflicts, including the situation in Iran.
About Tsvi Misinai
Tsvi Jekhorin Misinai ((Hebrew: צבי מסיני), born on April 15, 1946, in Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine, is an Israeli researcher, writer, historian, computer scientist, and entrepreneur. He is known for his significant contributions to the Israeli software industry, including founding Sapiens International Corporation and developing Rule-Based Object-Oriented technology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Misinai, a secular Jew, self-educated in historical and anthropological subjects, shifted his focus to researching the common Hebrew roots he believes are shared by world Jewry and the Palestinians, including Arab citizens of Israel. This change in focus came after the failure of the Oslo Accords and the commencement of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000.
Misinai’s theory, detailed in his book “Brother shall not lift sword against brother,” suggests that the majority of Palestinian people are descendants of ancient Hebrews. He posits that the Hebrew ancestors of Palestinians were rural dwellers who remained in the land of Israel to work and supply Rome with grain and olive oil. His work claims that the Hebrew origin of Palestinians was an openly discussed topic until relatively recent history. He also states that a significant portion of Palestinians underwent forced conversion to Islam during the Fatimid era under Caliph al-Hakim’s reign, leading to a significant Arabization of these populations.
Misinai categorizes Palestinians into three main groups: “Descendants of Israel,” “Brethren of Israel,” and “Palestinians of miscellaneous origins.” He asserts that the “Descendants of Israel” are direct descendants of ancient biblical Hebrews from the Kingdom of Judah, whereas the “Brethren of Israel” include descendants of the brother nations of the Hebrews, like the Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites. These groups were variously converted to Judaism before the Roman invasion and then to Christianity and Islam. He further claims that nearly 90% of Palestinians living in Israel proper and the occupied territories are of Hebrew descent.
Misinai’s controversial views have led to the development of “The Engagement,” a project aimed at bringing peace to Israel by promoting the idea of a shared ancestry between Jews and Palestinians. This project seeks to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by encouraging a reconnection with these shared roots and heritage.