A beautiful solution for Peace for Palestinians and Jews, that can be found in the Bible, would be the understanding that Palestinians are, along with Jews, the legal decendents of Israel.

In the Book of Ezekiel GOD says: “I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. …they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.” (Ezekiel 37:22)

This verse is talking about the former two kingdoms of (the tribes of) Israel: the North Kingdom, represented by the tribe of Joseph/Ephraim and the South Kingdom, represented by the tribe of Judah. Until today, this prophecy hasn’t come true. So it should make wonder, which two nations are dividing Israel/Palestine today, if this verse ever should come true? Why Jews are talking about “the lost ten tribes”, represented by Joseph/Ephraim? I think, the first and only idea could be, regarding todays political situation, Joseph/Ephraim can be only represented by the Palestinians. So the next step should be, to examine the Bible about further remarks about Joseph/Ephraim, and if they can be related with the Palestinians. And you will get very astonishing results.

Jeremiah says: “In days to come you will understand this. At that time, declares the LORD, I will be the GOD of all tribes of Israel, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 30:24-31:1)

So how could the ten tribes of Israel (Joseph/Ephraim) be lost, or possibly not to be found?

“Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of reckoning. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain. Judah’s leaders are like those who move boundary stones. I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood of water. Ephraim is oppressed, trampled in judgment.” (Hosea 5, 9-11)

With regard to today’s situation, it is true that the Jews are reducing the legitimate borders of the Palestinians, whose rights are not respected.

“For I am to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah. I, yes I, snatch (the prey), / then I go away; I drag it away / and no one can snatch it away from Me. I go away, I return to my place, / (and wait,) until they seek Me guiltfully, until in their distress / they look for Me again”. ( Hosea 5,14-15)

In this quotation GOD speaks of the fate of the deportation, but also of the hoped and expected return of both tribes.

“Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over. Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realise it. His hair is sprinkled with grey but he does not notice. Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the LORD his GOD or search for Him. Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria.” (Hosea 7, 8-11)

These verses also correspond very well to the present situation. First, by the expressed closeness of “Ephraim” to its Arab neighbours. Second, by the statement: “Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realise it ”, for the Palestinians themselves today believe that they are Arabs (or Canaanites) and not Israelites.

“See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble because I am Israel’s FATHER, and Ephraim is My firstborn son.” (Jeremiah 31, 8-9)

So how could Ephraim be lost, and who else could be Ephraim, if not the Palestinians?

“In that day the LORD will reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of His people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.” (Isaiah 11, 11-13)

The first part of these verses show beautifully, how the word of GOD has already come true, with the return of Jews from all countries over the world back to Israel. And does the second part of this prophecy not really point to today’s conditions? The Palestinians are jealous of the Jews who are in control. The Jews, on the other hand, are not very friendly towards the Palestinians, most of whom are not even allowed to enter their homeland. And wouldn’t it be nice if that prophecy were fulfilled?

“How could I give you up, Ephraim, / how could I forsake you, Israel? How could I give you up like Adma, treat you like Zebojim? My heart turns against Me, My pity burns up. I will not execute My fiery wrath / destroy Efraim again. For I am GOD, not a man, / the HOLY in your midst. /That is why I do not come in the heat of wrath. They will go after the ETERNAL. / He roars like a lion, yes, He roars that the sons of the West Sea are coming / trembling. They shall come trembling like birds out of Egypt, like doves out of the land of Assyria. I will cause them to return to their houses, saith the LORD. Hosea 11,8-11)

What people, dispersed from Israel, now live in Syria and Egypt, if not the Palestinians?

Prophet Ezekiel proclaims: “The word of the LORD came to me, saying, Son of man, take a piece of wood, and write on it Judah and the Israelites that are confederated with him. Then take another piece of wood, and write on it, Joseph (Ephraim’s wood), and all the house of Israel that are joined unto him. Then join the two together into a single wood, so that they become one in your hand. And when the sons of your people ask you, would you not explain to us what this means? then answer them, Thus saith GOD the LORD; I will take the wood of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and of the tribes of Israel that are confederate with him, and will lay it upon the wood of Judah. I make them one wood and they become one in My hand. The timbers on which you have written shall be in your hand before their eyes. Then say unto them, this says GOD the LORD; I will bring forth the children of Israel out of the nations whither they were compelled to go; I’ll collect them from all sides and bring them back to their country. I will make them one people in my land, on the mountains of Israel. I want them all to have one king. They will no longer be two peoples and will never again be divided into two kingdoms”. (Ezekiel 37:15-22)

Prophet Ezekiel lived at the time of the First Jewish Exile, at a time when the Israelites of the northern kingdom had long since been carried off. That means this verse has certainly not been fulfilled to this day. So when it says: “They will no longer be two peoples and will never again divide into two kingdoms”, then with “Joseph (wood of Efraim) and the house of Israel allied to him” today only the Palestinians can be addressed. Or is there anyone else, who would have a claim to Israel/Palestine today besides the Jews, if not the Palestinians? If this verse is really supposed to be fulfilled, then there is no other possibility at all: for the people who share Israel/Palestine with the Jews are the Palestinians.

Moreover, this verse describes today’s political situation in exactly the right way: a land divided by two peoples who lay equal claim to it. That the “wood of Ephraim” is laid upon the “wood of Judah” – and not vice versa – fits todays situation exactly. The land is currently mainly owned by the Jewish population, and the Palestinians would certainly like more space and freedom. Thus also the division of the country desired by GOD becomes clear: Jews and Palestinians should share the country peacefully without regional restrictions, as originally, it was the wish of Itzhak Rabin and Jassir Arafat.